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 1156 of our trek, and it is Worldview Wednesday. Creating a Biblical Worldview is important to have a proper perspective on today’s current events. To establish a Biblical Worldview, you must also have a proper understanding of God and His Word.

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

Remember in last week’s lesson what happened in Acts 2 about the coming of the Spirit. The arrival of God’s Spirit was the crucial element of a new covenant—a new set of promises God was giving to humanity. Many Christians don’t realize that this also meant God was launching a spiritual war to reclaim not only Jews who had rejected Jesus but also Gentiles, people from the nations he had rejected back at the Tower of Babel. God was in pursuit of his family, and it didn’t matter where his children lived. He wanted them and would find them.

The passage I read last week in Acts 2 tells us the Spirit came with wind and fire. Let me again read Acts 2:2-3, “Suddenly, there was a sound from heaven like the roaring of a mighty windstorm, and it filled the house where they were sitting. Then, what looked like flames or tongues of fire appeared and settled on each of them.”

Fire and “burning smoke” were common elements in visions of God’s presence in the Old Testament (Exodus [13:21]-22; Ezekiel 1:4, 13, 27). God at times, came in a “whirlwind” (Isaiah 6:4, 6; Ezekiel 1:4; Job 38:1; 40:6). Jews who heard Peter’s message and saw the coming of the Spirit with their own eyes knew the day of salvation had come.

Think about what happened in this scene. Three thousand Jews, living abroad in the nations where their ancestors had been scattered, had come to Jerusalem for a religious feast day. They witnessed the coming of the Spirit and heard about Jesus, the Messiah, and what he had done. They believed in Jesus. They became Christ followers. What do you suppose they did next? They went home.

Why does that matter? Because now the lost, divorced nations had three thousand evangelists planted in them. They were like secret agents, embedded in hostile territory held by other gods. They would be God’s initial means to multiply the size of his human family. They were the first wave. Their mission? The same one Jesus had given to his disciples: the Great Commission. Christians know the verses well as we find in Matthew 28:19-20, “Therefore, go and make disciples of all the nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and the Son and the Holy Spirit.  Teach these new disciples to obey all the commands I have given you. And be sure of this: I am with you always, even to the end of the age.”

But again, something is missed. That’s the Great Commission all right. But I skipped verse 18, the one that’s usually skipped when people talk about our mission to evangelize. Here’s the full statement of Jesus with verse 18 included.

Matthew [28:18]-20

Jesus came and told his disciples, “I have been given all authority in heaven and on earth. Therefore, go and make disciples of all the nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and the Son and the Holy Spirit.  Teach these new disciples to obey all the commands I have given you. And be sure of this: I am with you always, even to the end of the age.”

Did you catch that? Jesus has all authority in heaven and on earth. The authority in heaven part is pretty easy to understand. Jesus ascended into heaven and sat down at the right hand of God (Colossians 3:1; Hebrews 12:2). But what does the “on earth” part mean? This is easily missed. His ascension, which naturally had to follow his resurrection, marked the end of the authority of those who held power on the earth up to that point. Who was that? The fallen sons of God, appointed over the nations when God divorced them as we are told in Deuteronomy 32:8. Essentially Jesus was saying that these fallen sons of God had no business being here now.

The implication is that the resurrection and Jesus’ return to heaven meant that the authority of the rebel sons of God was now null and void. They no longer had legitimate dominion over the people in those nations. Salvation was not just for Israelites (Jews), even though the Messiah was a descendant of Abraham and David. Jesus was the Messiah for everyone, and rightful lord of every nation. The resurrection, ascension, and coming of the Spirit marked the beginning of the end for the fallen sons of God. They had lost their legitimacy.

This is why the New Testament associates the resurrection and ascension with the defeat of the supernatural powers of darkness. This is explained in Colossians 2:12-15, “For you were buried with Christ when you were baptized. And with him, you were raised to new life because you trusted the mighty power of God, who raised Christ from the dead. You were dead because of your sins and because your sinful nature was not yet cut away. Then God made you alive with Christ, for he forgave all our sins. He canceled the record of the charges against us and took it away by nailing it to the cross. In this way, he disarmed the spiritual rulers and authorities. He shamed them publicly by his victory over them on the cross.”

Recall from last week the “spiritual rulers and authorities” are terms Paul uses of the supernatural fallen sons of God who became the evil gods of the nations in Old Testament times (Romans [8:38]; 1 Corinthians [15:24]; Ephesians [1:21]; 2:2; [3:10]; [6:12]; Colossians [1:13]).

The “spiritual rulers and authorities” is a favorite expression of the apostle Paul to describe the defeated powers of darkness. After he rose from the dead, 1 Peter 3:22 tells us, “Now Christ has gone to heaven. He is seated in the place of honor next to God, and all the angels and authorities and powers accept his authority.”

Paul wants us to understand what that meant when he wrote Ephesians 1:19-21, “I also pray that you will understand the incredible greatness of God’s power for us who believe him. This is the same mighty power that raised Christ from the dead and seated him in the place of honor at God’s right hand in the heavenly realms. Now he is far above any ruler or authority or power or leader or anything else—not only in this world but also in the world to come.”

The world to come is described to us in 1 Corinthians 15:24, “After that the end will come, when he will turn the Kingdom over to God the Father, having destroyed every ruler and authority and power.”

Paul saw the resurrection and ascension as marking the beginning of the end for the fallen sons of God that had been allotted to the nations. It’s no surprise, then, that he also linked that thought with the salvation of Gentiles, the people of the forsaken nations. The resurrected Jesus and the Spirit would release the Gentiles from dark powers who enslaved and abused them (Psalm 82:2-5).

Recall that God had appeared to Abraham right after dividing the nations at Babel. He told Abraham that through him and his descendants, all those nations would one day be blessed. Paul, the apostle to the Gentiles, knew that promise well. He wrote that Jesus “had confirmed the promises” given to Abraham and his descendants “in order that the Gentiles might glorify God for his mercy” (Romans 15:8-9).

Paul wasn’t done there. He was fond of quoting the Old Testament to show that God never gave up on the Gentile nations. He had wanted them in his family all along. Paul knew that the Messiah, called the “root of Jesse” in the Old Testament (Jesse was King David’s father) as found in Romans 15:12, “The heir to David’s throne will come, and he will rule over the Gentiles. They will place their hope on him.” Paul knew that the forsaken nations would one day worship the true God (Psalm 117:1).

This program—a campaign of spiritual warfare—was launched when the Spirit came and 3,000 people believed in Jesus (Acts 2). Those new believers went back to their home countries. The gospel of Jesus infiltrated the nations under dominion of hostile supernatural powers. The Bible refers to this as the growth of the “kingdom of God.” As people turned from the corrupt, evil gods that could not offer them everlasting life and become members of God’s family, God’s kingdom grows. One kingdom diminishes; the other expands.

The kingdom of God is therefore already here in some sense…but not completely here in another. Not a moment goes by that God stops pursuing the children he loves and wants. His unseen hand is everywhere, in every circumstance, influencing and empowering his children to grow his human family. One day God’s plan will reach its peak. Everything will come full circle. The end of the story will be the one its Author had in mind all along.

That will conclude our lesson for this week from Dr. Heiser’s book “What Does God Want?” in our next Worldview Wednesday, we will learn that God’s plan is to be with His family forever. I believe you will find each Worldview Wednesday an interesting topic to consider as we build our Biblical worldview.

Tomorrow we will continue with our 3-minute humor nugget that will provide you with a bit of cheer and help you to lighten up and live a rich and satisfying life. So encourage your friends and family to join us and then come along with us tomorrow for another day of our Wisdom-Trek, Creating a Legacy.

If you would like to listen to any of our past 1155 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 1155 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 Rabbi Mervin Romsky, and it is, “He is a failure as a human being, no matter what his other achievements, whose heart does not hurt for his fellow man. And he is a successful human being, no matter where else he may be lacking, who is rich in compassion.”

Success in today’s age, and probably throughout most of history, has been centered around monetary success and the accumulation of resources. Countries have gone to war over it. Humans are willing to lie, cheat, steal, and murder in order to obtain money and resources.

True success is not based on money or resources, although both can be used as a tool to help others. If  a person, including you, focuses on becoming successful, at the expense of the goodwill of others, then that success is worthless and futile. True success is only achieved through money and resources when we use them to help others that are in need of our help.

Riches do not come in the accumulation of wealth, but in the distribution of love. If you are willing to sacrifice compassion for another in order to be successful, then any success achieved is a failure. If you are willing to forego your own success and wealth in order to show love and compassion to another person, then even if you do not achieve the success desired, you are truly successful.

1 Corinthians 13:1-7

If I could speak all the languages of earth and of angels, but didn’t love others, I would only be a noisy gong or a clanging cymbal. If I had the gift of prophecy, and if I understood all of God’s secret plans and possessed all knowledge, and if I had such faith that I could move mountains, but didn’t love others, I would be nothing.  If I gave everything I have to the poor and even sacrificed my body, I could boast about it; but if I didn’t love others, I would have gained nothing.

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

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 1154 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, I am your friend as I serve you through the Wisdom-Trek podcast and journal each day.

As we take this trek together, let us always:

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

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

Hello, my friend, I am Guthrie Chamberlain, your captain on our journey to increase wisdom and create a living legacy. Thank you for joining us today as we explore wisdom on our 2nd millennium of podcasts. This is Day 1154 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. 

It is easy to get the impression that work done at church or being in a “full time” ministry is somehow more holy or honored than work done in other professions, but that is just not true.

In today’s meditation, let us consider…

The Apostle Peter was tired from a long night of fishing with no catch, but at Jesus’ request, he put his boat out in the water again a bit from the shore. As the crowds came near, the staple of Peter’s livelihood, his boat, became a floating pulpit from which Jesus preached the Word of God.

It’s not just those in what we usually consider “full-time” ministry who are called to serve Jesus at work. As long as your work is not illegal or immoral, then as a Christ follower, your work and career is work for God’s Kingdom. You may need to be more willing to push out a little bit from the shore, but you do have an impact on the world for the Kingdom. All it takes is a surrendered heart, the faith to believe that God is working in and through you, and the knowledge that what you are doing really matters to God. As we are told in 1 Corinthians 15:58, “So, my dear brothers and sisters, be strong and immovable. Always work enthusiastically for the Lord, for you know that nothing you do for the Lord is ever useless.”

This refers to what is traditionally considered ministry, but all work is Kingdom work, so thereby all work is ministry work. Colossians 3:23 says, “Work willingly at whatever you do, as though you were working for the Lord rather than for people. Remember that the Lord will give you an inheritance as your reward, and that the Master you are serving is Christ.”

After speaking to the crowds, Jesus told Peter to go out into deep water one last time for a catch. Peter must have thought, “It is in the middle of the day, and good fishing happens at night when the fish are feeding.” He may have also thought, “I am a professional fisherman, and you are a carpenter…Don’t you think I know what I am doing? On top of that, he had just finished cleaning his nets, which was no small chore.

Instead, Peter was obedient, and his reply is found in Luke 5:5, “’Master,’ Simon replied, ‘we worked hard all last night and didn’t catch a thing. But if you say so, I’ll let the nets down again.’”

To Peter’s credit, he trusted Jesus with his work life, every last bit of it. The result was a catch so big that the nets began to tear and the boats began to sink. In the same way, let us trust Jesus with our Kingdom work, regardless of if you are a stay at home mom, a plumber, a doctor, a small business owner, or a pastor.

Your work can further God’s Kingdom and lead you into a deeper relationship with Him, and everyone you impact. Make sure you bring the right attitude of faith to all that you do. Remember, all work is Kingdom work.

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 1153 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 1153 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, this is not possible. 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].

So the question for this week is…

“Hey, Gramps, I don’t have much in the way of money or resources in my life. What is the best way to make sure I am a good manager of what I have so that it will increase?”

It is pretty evident in today’s culture that most people are not really good managers with their money. Even among Christ Followers, the lack of good money management is evident, and this has been backed up by many Christian financial counselors. There is basic shortsightedness when it comes to properly managing the money and resources that most people have. Money is important for us to build God’s kingdom, but it is more than just money. It includes our time, our talents, and our treasures.

There are many aspects of our lives that demand good management, which includes our family, work, time, abilities, and resources. Our resources not only include the money that we earn, but also our property and other possessions.

Each of us is responsible for doing our best with what we have materially, while also contributing to the work of God on earth, which includes being generous to those in need. How can we do that if we do not have anything extra to give? Good management of resources is our duty to God, and we must pursue it with diligence.

Here are a few items that should be on your financial management checklist. First, know your financial picture, which includes your checking account balances, all debt including your credit card balances, investments, and all monthly commitments. Second, prayerfully build an accurate financial budget and stick to it. Include all members of your family in the planning process. You must have an agreement with everyone for a budget to be effective. Teach your children and grandchildren that money must be earned; it is not an entitlement. Third, focus on paying off your debt as quickly as possible.  Pay off the smaller, high-interest debt first, then work on the larger school loans and mortgages. Fourth, start saving and investing any additional monies that you may have. Fifth, give generously to those who are legitimately in need. Being financially stable is never about how much you make, it is only about how much you spend or invest.

We are told in Proverbs [27:23]-24,

Know the state of your flocks,

God only holds us accountable for what we do with what we have, not the amount that we have.  This is best explained in the parable of the three servants found in Matthew [25:14]-30,

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

Then he ordered, ‘Take the money from this servant, and give it to the one with the ten bags of silver.  To those who use well what they are given, even more will be given, and they will have an abundance. But from those who do nothing, even what little they have will be taken away.  Now throw this useless servant into outer darkness, where there will be weeping and gnashing of teeth.’”

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

If you would like to listen to any of the past 1152 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 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 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 1152 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…

Jim, a member of the local church, who previously had been attending services regularly, stopped going. After a few weeks, Pastor Peter decided to visit him.

It was a chilly evening. Pastor Peter found Jim at home alone, sitting before a blazing fire. Guessing the reason for his pastor’s visit, Jim welcomed him, led him to a comfortable chair near the fireplace and waited.

Pastor Peter made himself at home but said nothing. In the grave silence, Jim contemplated the dance of the flames around the burning logs. After some minutes, Pastor Peter took the fire tongs, carefully picked up a brightly burning ember and placed it to one side of the hearth all alone then he sat back in his chair, still silent.

Jim was a bit puzzled at such a peculiar move, but he watched all this in quiet contemplation. As the one lone ember’s flame flickered and diminished, there was a momentary glow, and then its fire was no more. Soon it was cold and dead.

Not a word had been spoken since the initial greeting. Then Pastor Peter glanced at his watch and realized it was time to leave. He slowly stood up, picked up the cold, dead ember, and placed it back in the middle of the fire. Immediately it began to glow, once more with the light and warmth of the burning coals around it.

As Pastor Peter reached the door to leave, Jim said with a tear running down his cheek, “Thank you so much for your visit and especially for the fiery sermon. I will be back in church next Sunday.”

We live in a world today that tries to say too much with too little. Consequently, few listen. Sometimes the best sermons are the ones left unspoken.

I hope that brought a smile to your face today. If it did, pass that smile on to someone who really needs it. Our Thursday Thought is “Listen to silence; it has much to say.”

Hebrews [10:25]

And let us not neglect our meeting together, as some people do, but encourage one another, especially now that the day of his return is drawing near.

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 1151 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 1151 of our trek, and it is Worldview Wednesday. Creating a Biblical worldview is important to have a proper perspective on today’s current events. To establish a Biblical worldview, you must also have a proper understanding of God and His Word.

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

As was mentioned from Dr. Heiser in last week’s episode (Day 1146), the coming of the Holy Spirit was the fulfillment of the new covenant described by Jeremiah and Ezekiel (Jeremiah [31:31]-34; Ezekiel [36:22]-28). The Spirit’s ministry in each believer makes victory over depravity possible. Think of it as a slap in the face to the supernatural fallen sons of God. But it’s an even more direct assault on another set of supernatural villains.

The Spirit’s arrival to dwell within each Christ follower launched an infiltration campaign against the sons of God to whom God assigned the nations he divorced (Deuteronomy 32:8)—the supernatural beings who defected from serving God and became corrupt, abusing the people under their dominion (Psalm 82).

Jesus knew all that. We habitually miss it in our reading of the New Testament books that come after the resurrection starting in the book of Acts to the end, the book of Revelation.

Jesus’s departure put the coming of the Spirit into motion (John 14:26; 15:26; 16:7; Luke 24:49). While the resurrected Jesus was still on earth, he told his followers what was coming right around the corner in Acts 1:4-8,

Once when he was eating with them, he commanded them, “Do not leave Jerusalem until the Father sends you the gift he promised, as I told you before. John baptized with water, but in just a few days you will be baptized with the Holy Spirit.”

So when the apostles were with Jesus, they kept asking him, “Lord, has the time come for you to free Israel and restore our kingdom?”

He replied, “The Father alone has the authority to set those dates and times, and they are not for you to know. 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.”

If you keep reading the book of Acts, it doesn’t take long to figure out what Jesus was forecasting. Once he leaves (Acts 1:9-11) the Spirit arrives in (literally) a blaze of glory in the next chapter.

Acts 2:1-4 reads,

On the day of Pentecost, all the believers were meeting together in one place.  Suddenly, there was a sound from heaven like the roaring of a mighty windstorm, and it filled the house where they were sitting. Then, what looked like flames or tongues of fire appeared and settled on each of them.  And everyone present was filled with the Holy Spirit and began speaking in other languages, as the Holy Spirit gave them this ability.

The rest of the account tells us that the Holy Spirit enabled the followers of Jesus to speak in all sorts of languages. They were telling the story of Jesus—his death and resurrection—to Jews from all over the world. “Jews” was the name given to the Israelites in foreign lands, who had been scattered all over the world in exile back in Old Testament times. The Jews who heard the followers of Jesus preaching to them in their own language were descendants of Old Testament Israelites. They had come to Jerusalem to celebrate one of the holy feasts on the old Israelite religious calendar.

The people in Jerusalem who knew who the followers of Jesus were thought the whole public display was drunken madness. It just wasn’t possible that all of a sudden these men could speak in other languages. But then the apostle Peter laid it all out for them. Honestly, did more than that —he let them have it. Let me read some excerpts in Acts [2:14]-19, 21-24, 33,

Then Peter stepped forward with the eleven other apostles and shouted to the crowd, “Listen carefully, all of you, fellow Jews and residents of Jerusalem! Make no mistake about this.  These people are not drunk, as some of you are assuming. Nine o’clock in the morning is much too early for that.  No, what you see was predicted long ago by the prophet Joel:

‘In the last days,’ God says,

But everyone who calls on the name of the Lord

“People of Israel, listen! God publicly endorsed Jesus the Nazarene by doing powerful miracles, wonders, and signs through him, as you well know.  But God knew what would happen, and his prearranged plan was carried out when Jesus was betrayed. With the help of lawless Gentiles, you nailed him to a cross and killed him. But God released him from the horrors of death and raised him back to life, for death could not keep him in its grip.

Now he is exalted to the place of highest honor in heaven, at God’s right hand. And the Father, as he had promised, gave him the Holy Spirit to pour out upon us, just as you see and hear today.Peter was telling them what they were seeing with their own eyes, and hearing with their own ears, was a miracle caused by the arrival of the Holy Spirit of God. He told them God had sent his Spirit to tell them what had happened. The Messiah had come, been killed, had risen from the dead—and they needed to believe. The result of Peter’s explanation was stunning. Acts [2:41] says,

Those who believed what Peter said were baptized and added to the church that day—about 3,000 in all.

This is usually the point in the story where the preacher moves on (or backward) to talk about the cross. That’s all well and good since the cross and the resurrection had led to this moment. But again, we’re missing something very significant about the story. We will continue on with that significant portion of the story in next week’s episode.

That will conclude our lesson for this week from Dr. Heiser’s book “What Does God Want?” Next Worldview Wednesday, we will learn that God Holy Spirit, who indwells every Christ follower, was the secret weapon or the supernatural infiltrator, to bring all nations back to God.  I believe you will find each Worldview Wednesday an interesting topic to consider as we build our Biblical worldview.

Tomorrow we will continue with our 3-minute humor nugget that will provide you with a bit of cheer and help you to lighten up and live a rich and satisfying life. So encourage your friends and family to join us and then come along with us tomorrow for another day of our Wisdom-Trek, Creating a Legacy.

If you would like to listen to any of our past 1150 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 1150 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 Gramps, and it is, “Successful people who are also good are good because they’ve come to wisdom through failure. Not much wisdom is gained when success comes easy.”

Some people who appear to achieve easy success do so by taking advantage of and exploiting others. Some people may achieve what appears to be a success through the hard work and inheritance of others. A truly successful person, who is also a good and wise person, or you might say a person of integrity, achieved that success through wisdom and  integrity by working hard and persevering through trials and failures.

Wisdom is more often gained through the lessons of failure, than through the rewards of success. Success that is gained too easily does not provide the valuable lessons needed to appreciate success. Hardships and trials are the foundry of life that allows us to be molded and shaped into people of integrity. A person who is wise is also successful, for gaining wisdom is the ultimate level of success.

Proverbs [20:21]

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

Proverbs [3:13]-15

Joyful is the person who finds wisdom,

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 1149 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, I am your friend as I serve you through the Wisdom-Trek podcast and journal each day.

As we take this trek together, let us always:

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

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

Hello, my friend, I am Guthrie Chamberlain, your captain on our journey to increase wisdom and create a living legacy. Thank you for joining us today as we explore wisdom on our 2nd millennium of podcasts. This is Day 1149 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. 

How easy is it for you to forgive others, especially when the offense was unwarranted? There is a clear example that we can follow, but it is still not easy.

In today’s meditation, let us consider…

For many people, forgiving others is very difficult, and they struggle with it daily. We would much rather see justice and lean towards revenge instead. Jesus clearly taught in what we refer to as the “Lord’s Prayer” that our own forgiveness is tied to how we forgive those who have committed sin against us.

Matthew [6:12]  says,

“And forgive us our sins, as we have forgiven those who sin against us.”

The actions of others do not determine our role in the forgiveness process. Let me share with you the story of Jesus’s crucifixion and His response to an abundance of unwarranted abuse.

The dialogue that day was bitter. It was what we now refer to as “Good Friday,” although it seemed anything but good.

From the onlookers Matthew [27:40],

“Look at you now!” they yelled at him. “You said you were going to destroy the Temple and rebuild it in three days. Well then, if you are the Son of God, save yourself and come down from the cross!”

And in Mark [15:32],

“Let this Messiah, this King of Israel, come down from the cross so we can see it and believe him!” Even the men who were crucified with Jesus ridiculed him.”

Bitter words. Sharp with sarcasm. Hateful. Irreverent. Wasn’t it enough that he was being crucified? Wasn’t it enough that he was being shamed as a criminal? Were the nails insufficient? Was the crown of thorns too soft? Had the flogging been too short?

For some, apparently so…

Of all the scenes around the cross, this scene as it plays out in my mind always brings tears to my eyes. What kind of people, I ask myself, would mock a dying man? Who would be so base as to pour the salt of scorn upon open wounds? How low and perverted to sneer at one who is laced with pain…

The words thrown that day were meant to wound. And there is nothing more painful than words meant to hurt…

Jesus was God wrapped in flesh and had all the frailty of a human as he willingly submitted himself to such ridicule and abuse.

What would your response have been in the same situation? One of Jesus’s closest friends, who had denied Him tells us in 1 Peter [2:23],

He did not retaliate when he was insulted,

Did you see what Jesus did not do? He did not retaliate. He did not bite back. He did not say, “I’ll get you! Come on up here and say that to my face! Just wait until after the resurrection, buddy!” No, these statements were not found on Christ’s lips.

Did you see what Jesus did do? “He left his case in the hands of God, who always judges fairly.” Or said more simply, he left the judging to God. He did not take on the task of seeking revenge. He demanded no apology. He hired no bounty hunters and sent out no posse. He, to the astounding contrary, spoke on their defense. His words were in Luke 23:34, “Jesus said, ‘Father, forgive them, for they don’t know what they are doing.’ And the soldiers gambled for his clothes by throwing dice.”

And when you think about it, they hadn’t the faintest idea of what they were doing. They were a stir-crazy mob, mad at something they couldn’t see, so they took it out on, of all people, God. But they didn’t know what they were doing.

Yes, the dialogue that Friday morning was bitter. The verbal stones were meant to sting. How Jesus, with a body wracked with pain, eyes blinded by his own blood, and lungs yearning for air, could speak on behalf of some heartless thugs is beyond my comprehension. Never, never have I seen such love. If ever a person deserved a shot at revenge, Jesus did. But he didn’t take it. Instead, he died for them. How could he do it? I don’t know. But I do know that all of a sudden my wounds seem very painless. My grudges and hard feelings are suddenly childish.

Sometimes I wonder if we don’t see Christ’s love as much in the people he tolerated as in the pain he endured.

Ephesians [4:32] reads,

“Instead, be kind to each other, tenderhearted, forgiving one another, just as God through Christ has forgiven you.”

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 1148 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 1148 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 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].

So the question for this week is…

“Hey, Gramps, How can I be more careful with the words that I speak, and what I say to others? Sometimes I hurt those I love most because of my careless speech.”

This is an issue that certainly all of us continually struggle with. James, the half-brother of Jesus, had this to say about our speech in James 3:1-12…

Dear brothers and sisters, not many of you should become teachers in the church, for we who teach will be judged more strictly. Indeed, we all make many mistakes. For if we could control our tongues, we would be perfect and could also control ourselves in every other way.

We can make a large horse go wherever we want by means of a small bit in its mouth. And a small rudder makes a huge ship turn wherever the pilot chooses to go, even though the winds are strong. In the same way, the tongue is a small thing that makes grand speeches.

But a tiny spark can set a great forest on fire. And among all the parts of the body, the tongue is a flame of fire. It is a whole world of wickedness, corrupting your entire body. It can set your whole life on fire, for it is set on fire by hell itself.

People can tame all kinds of animals, birds, reptiles, and fish, but no one can tame the tongue. It is restless and evil, full of deadly poison. Sometimes it praises our Lord and Father, and sometimes it curses those who have been made in the image of God. And so blessing and cursing come pouring out of the same mouth. Surely, my brothers and sisters, this is not right! Does a spring of water bubble out with both fresh water and bitter water? Does a fig tree produce olives, or a grapevine produce figs? No, and you can’t draw fresh water from a salty spring.

The book of wisdom, which is Proverbs, also has much to say about our speech. For example, Proverbs 17:28 says, “Even fools are thought wise when they keep silent; with their mouths shut, they seem intelligent.”

When we say the wrong thing at the wrong time, there can be many consequences. It seems, though, that sometimes we just can’t help ourselves. We need to realize and remember that we are responsible for everything we say. Sometimes we use our mouth to put others down, to reveal confidences disguised as prayer requests, or to build ourselves up in the eyes of others, even if it is a subtle way of tearing others down.

Sometimes we provide a running commentary on life, the good, the bad, and the ugly. James tells us that “It is a whole world of wickedness…It is restless and evil, full of deadly poison.”

Ephesians 4:29 teaches us something different when it says, “Don’t use foul or abusive language. Let everything you say be good and helpful, so that your words will be an encouragement to those who hear them.”

Think about that. Is there any better advice when it comes to our speech? It can take years to build trust with someone and only a few ill-chosen words to tear it all back down. Remember that your mouth is one of the most obvious windows to your relationship with Christ. What we say can encourage people that are hurting and give grace to those who need it.

Though the tongue can be used recklessly, causing great damage, it can also be used wisely, bringing great good to many. My advice is to permeate your life with God’s word and allow Him to guide your words. Make your speech a matter of prayer. Be intentional every time you open your mouth. The bottom line is your mouth can be a useful ministry tool, or a weapon. By God’s grace, seek to use your words for His glory.

As the old saying goes, “A closed mouth gathers no foot.” Be wise as we are told in Proverbs 16:23, “From a wise mind comes wise speech; the words of the wise are persuasive.”

Join us again next Friday for another question 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 Wisdom-Trek, Creating a Legacy.

If you would like to listen to any of the past 1147 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 1147 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…

Pastor Peter, the pastor of the local community church in the village, was preaching a rousing sermon about being willing to give to those in need. As he ramps up on his final point, he emphasized it with this statement, “The trouble with the world today is that some people have too much and others have too little. We must give of ourselves and our worldly goods to help the less fortunate.”

To drive his point home he caught the attention of one of the church deacons Brother John, and Pastor Peter asked him, “Brother John, If you had a million dollars would you be willing to give half of it to the poor?”

Brother John speaks up and proudly said, “Amen, Pastor, I would indeed.”

Excitedly, Pastor Peter then says, and Brother John, “If you had two cars, wouldn’t you give one of them to your neighbor next door if they needed it?”

Brother John replied, “That’s different, Pastor, I already have two cars.”

Well, I hope that brought a smile to your face today. If it did, pass that smile on to someone who really needs it. Our Thursday Thought is…“Give of yourself. Be of service to others. Only what you give can be multiplied back into your own life.”

Luke [6:38]

“Give, and you will receive. Your gift will return to you in full—pressed down, shaken together to make room for more, running over, and poured into your lap. The amount you give will determine the amount you get back.”

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

If you would like to listen to any of our past 1146 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!