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 1116 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. In our Worldview Wednesday episodes we are in a series in which we are covering another detailed review of a book from one of today’s most prominent Hebrew Scholars Dr. Micheal S. Heiser. We are taking a deep dive and will share Dr. Heiser’s insights into the question, which is also the title of his book, “What Does God Want?”

Last week we learned that Dr. Heiser made the point that God equipped people to image him on earth. He did that by sharing his attributes (his qualities and abilities) with them. As wonderful as that was (and is), it’s where things get interesting, and scary. One of God’s qualities is freedom, what we often call free will. If you’ve ever wondered why there’s evil in the world, here’s the Bible’s answer.

There were three significant rebellions found in the Bible that changed the course of earth and heaven. This week we will look at the first of those rebellions.

When God made the decision to share his attributes with his children, he knew what it meant. God knows everything, so he understood clearly what would happen. God had made the same decision earlier with the heavenly family he had created (whom we think of as angels). They have abilities like intelligence and freedom, too. They got those gifts from their Creator.

Sooner or later God knew that his gifts would be either misused or abused. He knew full well that, though his children (in the spiritual world and on earth) were like him, they were not him. They were less than him. They were imperfect, whereas he is perfect. At some point one (or more) of his children would either make a horrible mistake or act in thoughtless self-interest, rebelling against something God wanted to be done (or not done).

That’s precisely what happened in the Garden of Eden. Adam and Eve rebelled. They violated God’s command to not eat from one of the trees in the garden. They sinned and lost eternal life in God’s presence. Every human born thereafter was born outside Eden, estranged from God. The apostle Paul summed it up well in Romans 6:23, “For the wages of sin is death, but the free gift of God is eternal life through Christ Jesus our Lord.”

That tragedy was brought on by an even earlier rebellion. We do not know at what point in eternity past this earlier rebellion occurred, or whether it was because of the jealousy from God creating a human family. One of God’s supernatural children decided to dishonor God’s decision to have a human family by tempting Eve, hoping God would destroy her and Adam. He came to Eve in the form of a serpent (Genesis 3:1-7). The Bible refers to the serpent as Satan and the Devil (Revelation 12:9). He succeeded in getting Eve to sin, but failed when it came to getting rid of humanity permanently.

There are some deep truths here…the first of which answers a question everyone asks at some point in life: Why is there evil in the world? Evil exists in the world because God decided he wanted to create beings like himself. I don’t mean that God has an evil side. Rather, I mean that God rejected the idea of creating humans as robots or pre-programmed computers made of flesh.

That last point is important. Our likeness to him had to be authentic. Without the genuine freedom to make real decisions, we simply would not be like God. God is no robot, and we were made to be like him. Without genuine free will, we cannot authentically love God or obey God. If decisions are pre-programmed, they aren’t really decisions. For decisions like love and obedience to be authentic, they must be made against a truly possible alternative.

The result of all this is that evil exists because people abuse God’s wonderful gift of freedom and use it for self-gratification, revenge, and the mirage of autonomy. This abuse began in Eden.

But God was not taken by surprise. He did not create evil, but he had anticipated evil. He foresaw what would happen and based on that foreknowledge He planned accordingly. God did not destroy his human children for their rebellion. Instead, he would forgive and redeem them. The Bible makes it clear that God saw what was coming and had a plan of forgiveness and salvation in place before the rebellion even happened—from “the foundation of the world” to be precise. Ephesians 1:4 says, “Even before he made the world, God loved us and chose us in Christ to be holy and without fault in his eyes.” Also check out Hebrews [9:26]-10:7 and I Peter [1:20].

The plan of salvation would ultimately require God becoming a man. We’ll get to that part of the story in subsequent weeks. But long before that climactic event, there was a price to pay for what happened in Eden. God banished Adam and Eve and, therefore, their descendants from his presence. Eden, the earthly dwelling place of God, was no more. Instead of eternal life with God their father, humanity would now look forward to death as we are told in Romans 5:12, “When Adam sinned, sin entered the world. Adam’s sin brought death, so death spread to everyone, for everyone sinned.” That’s what separation from the source of life, God, ultimately costs.

In effect, God kicked his children out of his house. But that was a better outcome than what the serpent had hoped for, which was complete human destruction. God wasn’t giving up on his plan to have a human family, but rebellion had a cost. God also punished Satan. Having brought death into God’s world, he became lord of the realm of the dead, what would later become known as hell.

God had no backup plan. You might wonder at this point why God didn’t just scrap the whole plan for having a human family. After all, God allowed free will, knowing it would lead to sin and thousands of years of human misery in the form of violence, neglect, selfishness, and a host of other awful things humans are capable of inflicting on one another. Perhaps your own suffering, or the suffering you see all around you, might even make you wish God had just destroyed everything.

Believe it or not, God understands that feeling. He sees the evils you see and infinitely more. None of it is the way he wanted things. But, you say, he’s God, can’t he just overrule all of it? It’s not that simple. Think about it. God can only eliminate evil in our world if he eliminates all the ones who do evil. In other words, God can only end evil if he wipes out all of us. Everyone sins (Romans 3:10-12) and, like the Bible says in Romans 3:23,“For everyone has sinned; we all fall short of God’s glorious standard.” So sure, God could do that. But he doesn’t. He loves humanity too much for that to be an option.

All this boils down to an amazing truth…While God knew what making us like him would lead to, the result was preferable to not having a human family at all. God sees the sin and misery in our world and knows its cause. It hurts him. God is so consumed with love for his human children that he will not turn away from his original ambition. There’s no plan B. There is only Plan A. Despite foreseeing the rebellion that would come in Eden and all the failures and sins that would follow, including our own, God still longs for a human family.

What happened in Eden was only the beginning of the story. God had kicked Adam and Eve out of his house (Genesis [3:22]-24). He cursed the serpent (Genesis [3:14]-15) and cast him away from his presence (Isaiah [14:12]-15; Ezekiel [28:16]). The message was forceful and simple: rebellion would be punished. You’d think everyone would get the message. Not so. We will see next week that things got even worse.

That will conclude our lesson for this week from Dr. Heiser’s book What Does God Want? Next Worldview Wednesday we will discover that God still wanted both a human family and supernatural family, even after they both crossed the threshold of a more radical rebellion.  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 1115 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 1115 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  John Dewey, and it is, “Failure is instructive. The person who really thinks learns quite as much from his failures as from his successes.”

We have many teachers in our lives, and instruction can come from a wide variety of sources. While we would all like to receive instructions in a pleasant and easy manner, the fact is that we will probably learn and retain more if the instructions we receive and our coursework is filled with difficult tasks and challenges. It is the challenging times of our lives that are most ingrained into our mental pathways.

We need to be mentally, emotionally, and spiritually prepared and always ready to learn. We have to think through what is being taught to us and how we can apply those lessons to minimize failures and maximize successes. Don’t be overly anxious or down-trodden when you fail. Instead, let the failures be your teacher and instructor, but be ready to learn the lessons that need to be taught. Apply those lessons, and then keep moving forward towards success that is based on those lessons learned.

When learning takes place, we have to be willing to accept the instruction, regardless if that instruction is difficult or easy.

Matthew [11:29]

Take my yoke upon you. Let me teach you, because I am humble and gentle at heart, and you will find rest for your souls.

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 1114 treks or read the Wisdom Journal, they are available at Wisdom-Trek.com. I encourage you to subscribe to Wisdom-Trek on your favorite podcast player so that each day’s trek will be downloaded automatically.

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

As we take this trek together, let us always:

I am Guthrie Chamberlain reminding you to Keep Moving Forward, Enjoy Your Journey, and Create a Great Day Everyday! See you tomorrow for 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 1114 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. 

When you hear about those who are in need, what is your response? Whether it is because they have fallen on hard times financially, have lost a spouse through death or divorce, are ill, or have had an accident, what do you do for them?

In today’s meditation let us consider…

The title for today’s meditation comes from a parable that Jesus taught us in Matthew [25:34]-40. Let me read that passage.

“Then the King will say to those on his right, ‘Come, you who are blessed by my Father, inherit the Kingdom prepared for you from the creation of the world.  For I was hungry, and you fed me. I was thirsty, and you gave me a drink. I was a stranger, and you invited me into your home. I was naked, and you gave me clothing. I was sick, and you cared for me. I was in prison, and you visited me.’

Then these righteous ones will reply, ‘Lord, when did we ever see you hungry and feed you? Or thirsty and give you something to drink? Or a stranger and show you hospitality? Or naked and give you clothing? When did we ever see you sick or in prison and visit you?’ And the King will say, ‘I tell you the truth, when you did it to one of the least of these my brothers and sisters, you were doing it to me!’”

As Christ followers, we are to be assisting the building of God’s Kingdom here on earth. This is not done through piety or fancy sermons. It is accomplished by getting our hands dirty, by living with and doing life with those who are downtrodden, by sharing a meal and other resources with those who are in need…It is comforting those who are ill or have lost a close loved one. It may not include any speaking but just sitting and holding someone who has lost all that they hold dear to them. This is what building the Kingdom of God is all about. Are you willing to do this?

When we are willing to help those who cannot return anything back to us, then we are becoming the disciples that Jesus told us about in this parable.

It is hard for me to “put myself out there” and help others on a close basis, and I suspect that it is difficult for you also. That is not an excuse, though. Sometimes, no many times, we need to step outside our comfort zone, and help those who cannot help themselves.

This reminds me of a time in my life where I was thrust into a situation such as this. A fellow associate who worked for the same company as I did was falsely accused by a couple of people about serious crimes he did not commit. Although he was perfectly legal, he was also not a citizen of the US and was from Central America.  He was, from an intellect perspective, very gifted.

Because of these false allegations he unexpectedly and without warning was arrested one night and taken to the county jail and locked up. No one at the company knew about what had happened until he did not report in for work. I knew him a little bit outside of work as he also attended the same church we were attending, but we did not know him well. And our circles rarely crossed.

When the company found out where he was, I was called because of our church association and was asked if I could find out some details. Although it was uncomfortable for me, I visited this co-worker and fellow believer. After finding out what happened, God placed on my heart to visit him weekly. Little did I realize that he would be locked up for 18 months before he was scheduled for trial.

The prosecutors continually tried to get him to accept a plea bargain, but knowing that he had not committed any crimes, he refused to bow to the pressure. This strung out his incarceration much longer than expected. During these 18 months, as much as possible, I was able to visit him each week, and also sent him books and cards. Finally he did have his day in court, and it was very evident that the charges were completely false and he was exonerated of all charges. This was a very difficult time for him, and my prayer is that my small part will impact his life for God’s Kingdom in a major way.

I don’t mention this story to bring any attention to myself, but as an example of how we need to be sensitive and ready to assist in doing the small, impactful actions that help to build God’s Kingdom. You may be able to assist others without even taking much note about it. Others may never notice the small and random acts of kindness that you are able to perform, but that is okay. God, our King, sees them, and he tells us, “I tell you the truth, when you did it to one of the least of these my brothers and sisters, you were doing it to me!”

Be sensitive to opportunities that come your way each day. Always be building God’s kingdom.

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 1113 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 1113 of our trek, and it is time for our Philosophy Friday series. Each Friday we ponder some of the basic truths and mysteries of life and how they can impact us in creating our living legacy.

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

We may mix it up a bit on our Friday episodes, but will strive to keep them down to earth and enjoyable. If you have any questions that you would like to ask Gramps, please email them to [email protected].

So the question for this week is…

“Hey, Gramps, why is it so important to be encouraging to others?”

It is not always easy to be encouraging to others, especially when the situation is dire, or you feel a bit discouraged yourself. The importance of encouraging cannot be underestimated. With spring in full swing now, listening to the spring peepers and other frogs in the evening reminds me of a story to help illustrate the importance of encouragement.

One cool spring evening the frogs were coming out of hiding from the day, and they started down an old farm road towards a pond that many of the frogs went to at night. Within a few hundred yards there were many frogs that had joined the group, which is referred to as an army of frogs. This army of frogs advanced forward one hop at a time. As they turned off the road toward the pond, three of the frogs that were in the front suddenly fell head first into a deep pit. When the other frogs saw them vanish, the crept up to the edge of the pit to see how deep the pit was. As the remainder of the army gathered all around the rim of the pit, they realized how hopeless the situation was. In their croaking tones, they shouted to the three fallen comrades that there was no hope of ever getting out.

However, the three frogs ignored their comrades and proceeded to try to jump out of the pit. Nevertheless, despite their efforts, the group of frogs at the top of the pit were peering over the edge and still croaking down to their fallen comrades that they should just give up as they’d never make it out.

Eventually, two of the three frogs took heed of what the others were saying, and they gave up, slipping into an even deeper crevice in the pit where they were crushed to death. The third frog ignored the other two and continued to jump as hard as he could. Once again, the army of frogs at the edged yelled at him to stop the pain and to just give up and die.

He seemed to ignore them and kept his eyes on the upper rim where his remaining comrades continued to plead. With a bit of a run and a giant leap, the third frog jumped harder and higher than ever finally made it out. When he got out, the other frogs gathered around their exhausted friend and said, “Did you not hear us?”

With frantic motions of his legs, the saved frog finally was able to explain to them that he was deaf, and that he thought they were encouraging him the entire time, so he was bound and determined not to give up as the other two frogs had.

Moral of the story: Your words can have a huge effect on the lives of others. Therefore, you should think about what you’re going to say before it comes out of your mouth – it might just be the difference between life and death.

So whenever possible, encourage each other. It does not cost us anything, but pays huge rewards.

Romans [1:12]

When we get together, I want to encourage you in your faith, but I also want to be encouraged by yours.

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 our Wisdom-Trek, Creating a Legacy.

If you would like to listen to any of the past 1112 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 this Wisdom-Trek podcast and journal.

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 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 1112 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…

Leroy, a devout cowboy, lost his favorite Bible while he was mending fences out on the range. He looked everywhere for it, but to no avail. Leroy was beside himself, he had this Bible for many years, and although it was a bit tattered, he was familiar with it, and had all of his favorite passages highlighted. Leroy prayed earnestly that somehow he would find it, as it was the only Bible that he owned.

Three weeks later as Leroy was out again working on the fences, a cow walked up carrying his favorite Bible in its mouth.

Leroy couldn’t believe his eyes.

He took the Bible out of the cow’s mouth, raised his eyes heavenward and exclaimed, “It’s a miracle!”

When he looked down again, he saw the cow staring into his eyes.  “Not really,” said the cow. “Your name was written inside the cover.”

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 “This cow was not the first talking animal. It’s okay that you talk to your animals, but when they engage you in a conversation, you might have the Balaam syndrome, and God needs to get your attention.”

Numbers [22:28]-31

Then the Lord gave the donkey the ability to speak. “What have I done to you that deserves your beating me three times?” it asked Balaam.

 “You have made me look like a fool!” Balaam shouted. “If I had a sword with me, I would kill you!”

 “But I am the same donkey you have ridden all your life,” the donkey answered. “Have I ever done anything like this before?”

“No,” Balaam admitted.

Then the Lord opened Balaam’s eyes, and he saw the angel of the Lord standing in the roadway with a drawn sword in his hand. Balaam bowed his head and fell face down on the ground before him.

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 1111 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.

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 1111 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. Last week we began a new series in which we are covering another detailed review of a book from one of today’s most prominent Hebrew Scholars Dr. Micheal S. Heiser. We are taking a deep dive and will share Dr. Heiser’s insights into the question, which is also the title of his book “What Does God Want?”

Last week we began to explore the question “What does God want?” We discovered that the overall answer is simple. He wants you.

Before I became a believer, God was seeking me. I just didn’t know it. He is also seeking you. I know now that God sought me because it’s his nature to seek us. He’s committed to us.

How do we know these things about God? (That’s a question I’m going to ask more than once, so look for it!) Let’s start with ourselves as an analogy. It’s normal—part of our nature—to care about the things we make, especially if they required serious effort or were the result of concerted thought. We are naturally going to be angry or resentful when someone mocks, belittles, destroys, or claims as theirs something we made, achieved, or thought of first. Not feeling those things would be abnormal.

Romans 5:8

But God showed his great love for us by sending Christ to die for us while we were still sinners.

The God of the Bible shares this profile, or should I say, we share His profile. God does what he does to enjoy what He’s done. God didn’t create humanity because he lacked something. He wasn’t lonely, as though He was incomplete or needed company. God needs nothing because… well…He’s God. He created things to enjoy the work of his own hands, so to speak. And the things he cares about most are those He made to be like him, “in his own image” as the Bible says (Gen [1:26]). He is referring to you and me.

Our story—the story of why God wants us—begins with the biblical idea that God is our Maker. Although we can’t completely comprehend that, the bottom line is that we’re here because God wanted us here. God doesn’t act randomly. He acts with purpose. When He created humankind, He wasn’t trying to fill some deficiency in himself. Given the fact that He didn’t need us but still made us, there’s only one rational explanation for why He created us. God wanted us to exist in order to enjoy us (and to have us enjoy him in return).

Because God created us, the Bible refers to him as our “Father” and people from Adam onward as his children. That’s why the Bible uses the language of family to describe God and His relationship to us. That’s no coincidence.

But I’m getting a little ahead of myself. To really understand the context for the family-centered language in the Bible, we need to go back to the time before God made the earth and the human race. It may surprise you, but God wasn’t alone then, either. That’s another reason why we can be sure he didn’t create us to heal his own loneliness.

The Bible tells us that before God created us, he had already created other intelligent beings. The Bible calls them “sons of God.” We call them angels. The Old Testament book of Job tells us that the sons of God “shouted for joy” when God laid the foundations of the earth (Job 38:4-7). They were already present and watching.

Think about the phrase “sons of God.” The same Hebrew term translated “sons” can also be translated more inclusively as “children.” What does a phrase like “children of God” imply? Family!

“Children” is a term you’d use when a family is the subject of conversation. In the case of Job 38:4-7, the family is a heavenly or supernatural one. God is Father to the intelligent beings He creates in the unseen realm. At least unseen to humans, except for rare occasions.

The fact that God already had a supernatural family helps us understand his motivation for the creation of Adam and Eve, the first humans in the Genesis story. God wanted a human family in addition to his supernatural family. Incredibly, the story of Eden tells us God wanted his two families to live together in his presence. This means that, just like the angels, humans were originally created fit for the presence of God himself.

But how do we know all that? (There I go again). Let’s take a look.

The first book of the Bible, Genesis, begins with creation. God had done a lot of creating by the time the story gets to people (Adam and Eve). The story unfolds with God creating plants, insects, flying creatures, and land animals. None of those creatures was capable of having a relationship with God. They could not converse with God. They could not share their thoughts with God or express their appreciation to him. Members of a family relate to one another—they interact on an intellectual and emotional level. They form companionship bonds. As spectacular as plants and animals are, they couldn’t play the role of children. They weren’t family. That’s what God really wanted. He needed to create something like himself.

After God had filled the earth with all kinds of plants and animals, He still had work to do. God decided to fashion new creatures “in His image” and “in His likeness” (Genesis [1:27].)

The “image of God” is an important concept in the Bible. Human beings were created to be like God. Think of the “image” of God as a verb, and you’re on the right track to understanding the idea. We were created to image God, to be his imagers—to represent him.

What does it mean to image God? Genesis [1:27]-28 gives us the answer.

So God created human beings in his own image.

Then God blessed them and said, “Be fruitful and multiply. Fill the earth and govern it. Reign over the fish in the sea, the birds in the sky, and all the animals that scurry along the ground.”

God could have taken care of his world just fine. He’s God. Nothing is beyond his ability. But instead, God created an earthly family. His children would assume His role in managing and maintaining his creation. They would be understudies and partners. Imaging God means being God’s representation on earth. God tasked humans with doing a job he could just as well have done himself. But he wanted his children to participate. God’s business would be a family business. Eden was not merely God’s home; it was God’s home office. We were created to be God’s co-workers.

God made sure the people he made could do the job of imaging him on earth. He shared his attributes (his qualities and abilities) with them—things like intelligence and creativity. The Bible tells us that humans are a lesser version of who God is. He made us to be like him so we could participate with him as co-rulers and co-caretakers in his new world.

Imaging God is an important concept for several reasons. It gives each of us a secure, profound identity. It was God’s original desire that every human being would be his child and partner. That is how God looks at people. It’s also how we ought to think of people. God wants every one of us to consider each person a sibling. We all have the same status as imagers of God whom God wants in his family. Racism, violence, manipulation, and coercion were not part of God’s design for humanity. They are the evil result of rebellion and sin. God hates what sin has done to the people he loves. That’s something we need to remember when we think about our own moral failures and those of others.

Imaging God also gives us purpose. We have a mission. Every person, no matter how small or weak or short-lived has some role to play in someone else’s life. Every task we set our mind to that honors God and our fellow imagers becomes a spiritual calling. In God’s mind, the role of a pastor, minister, or priest is not superior to any other calling. How we live either blesses fellow imagers, reminding them of what life and harmony with God must surely be like, or curses them. What we do matters—and most of the time in small, unspectacular ways.

All of this is why Dr. Heiser answered his opening question the way he did. What does God want? He wants you. He wants a family. He wants co-workers. He wants you to know who you are and why your life has value to Him.

But we’re just getting started. There’s a lot more to the story. Life in our world—and perhaps even in our own house—doesn’t conform to God’s vision. Something happened to ruin it all. The heartache would be so great that God almost decided to give up on humanity.

That will conclude our lesson from Dr. Heiser’s book “What does God want?” for this week. Next Worldview Wednesday, we will discover that God still wanted a family, even after our rebellion. 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 1110 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 1110 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 Michael Hyatt, and it is, “Failure is inevitable, but we can choose to respond in ways that accelerate our journey to success.”

Failure in many areas of life is certain, but it only remains a failure if you choose to do nothing about it. If you remain quagmired in your failure through self-pity and despair, then you will never recover. It is when we choose to learn from our failure and avoid repeating the same failure, that we will begin again on our journey to success. Even if we avoid the same failure, it is certain that there will be other challenges and obstacles that we will face. That is a part of life. Here are the best steps to follow to ensure that you accelerate your journey to success after a failure:

As you now move forward once again, when the next failure hits you, repeat these five steps. The key is to choose to respond in a manner that will ensure that you never stop. Failure is not permanent unless you choose to quit when you should continue to move forward. Yes, there are risks in every decision that we make, but push through.  What is the worse that can happen? If it does not cause bodily harm or death to you or your loved ones, then even if you do fail, you can recover from all else.

Galatians 6:9

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.

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. Just 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 1109 treks or read the Wisdom Journal, they are available at Wisdom-Trek.com. I encourage you to subscribe to Wisdom-Trek on your favorite podcast player so that each day’s trek will be downloaded automatically.

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

As we take this trek together, let us always:

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

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

Hello, my friend, I am Guthrie Chamberlain, your captain on our journey to increase wisdom and create a living legacy. Thank you for joining us today as we explore wisdom on our 2nd millennium of podcasts. This is Day 1109 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.

In our busy world, it seems like it is almost impossible to take time for quiet reflection. We fill our schedules to overflowing and then wonder why we are sick and tired all of the time. This is not what God has planned for us. There is nothing wrong about working six days each week, but in today’s meditation let us discover the need for…

I realize that I am as guilty as the next person when it comes to setting aside a day for rest, regeneration, and reflection. I don’t practice this nearly as much as I should. When God created the world, He rested from all of his activity on the seventh day. When God gave the Ten Commandments to Moses, and it came to Sabbath rest, His message was clear: If creation didn’t crash when I rested, it won’t crash when you do!  You know we need to rest. Just as with farming, for a field to bear a crop in abundance, it must occasionally lie fallow. For you to be healthy, you must rest. When David says in Psalms 23:1-3,

The Lord is my shepherd;

The Good Shepherd knows that if he drives his sheep too hard and long, they will collapse. We need to rest in his green meadows and drink deeply from his peaceful streams. With His own pierced hands, Jesus created a pasture for the soul. He pried loose the huge boulders of sin. In their place, He planted seeds of grace and dug ponds of mercy. Can you imagine the satisfaction in the heart of the shepherd when the work is completed, and he sees his sheep rest in the tender grass? Can you imagine the satisfaction in the heart of God when we do the same?  Jesus instructed us in Matthew [11:29],

Take my yoke upon you. Let me teach you, because I am humble and gentle at heart, and you will find rest for your souls.

We must allow the risen Savior, our good shepherd, to teach us and provide rest for our souls. Even though Jesus was fully God while on earth, He was also fully man and knew the value and necessity for a time of rest and regeneration. Jesus understood this. Just as Luke [5:16] says,

But Jesus often withdrew to the wilderness for prayer.

The closer we get to the heart of God, the more we will understand that we need to habitually set time aside for rest, regeneration, and reflection. This reminds me of the words from the old hymn “Near to the Heart of God.”

There is a place of quiet rest,

 There is a place of comfort sweet,

 There is a place of full release,

Refrain:

O Jesus, blest Redeemer,

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 1108 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 1108 of our trek, and it is time for our Philosophy Friday series. Each Friday we ponder some of the basic truths and mysteries of life and how they can impact us in creating our living legacy.

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

We may mix it up a bit on our Friday episodes but will strive to keep them down to earth and enjoyable. If you have any questions that you would like to ask Gramps, please email them to [email protected].

So the question for this week is…

“Hey, Gramps, the crucifixion of Christ was horrible, so why do we call that day Good Friday?”

What is Good Friday and why do we call Good Friday “good,” when it is such a dark and bleak event commemorating a day of suffering and death for Jesus?

For Christians, Good Friday is a crucial day of the year because it celebrates what we believe to be the most momentous weekend in the history of the world. Ever since Jesus died and was raised, Christians have proclaimed the cross and resurrection of Jesus to be the decisive turning point for all creation. Paul considered it this way in 1 Corinthians 15:3, “I passed on to you what was most important and what had also been passed on to me. Christ died for our sins, just as the Scriptures said.”

On Good Friday we remember the day Jesus willingly suffered and died by crucifixion as the ultimate sacrifice for our sins (1 John 1:10). It is followed by Easter, the glorious celebration of the day Jesus was raised from the dead, heralding his victory over sin and death and pointing ahead to a future resurrection for all who are united to him by faith (Romans 6:5).

Still, why call the day of Jesus’ death “Good Friday” instead of “Bad Friday” or something similar? Some Christian traditions do take this approach: in German, for example, the day is called Karfreitag, or “Sorrowful Friday.” In English, in fact, the origin of the term “Good” is debated: some believe it developed from an older name “God’s Friday.”

Regardless of the origin, the name Good Friday is entirely appropriate because the suffering and death of Jesus, as terrible as it was, marked the dramatic culmination of God’s plan to save his people from their sins.

In order for the good news of the gospel to have meaning for us, we first have to understand the bad news of our condition as sinful people under condemnation. The good news of deliverance only makes sense once we see how we are enslaved. Another way of saying this is that it is important to understand and distinguish between law and gospel in Scripture. We need the law first to show us how hopeless our condition is; then the gospel of Jesus’ grace comes and brings us relief and salvation.

In the same way, Good Friday is “good” because as terrible as that day was, it had to happen for us to receive the joy of Easter. The wrath of God against sin had to be poured out on Jesus, the perfect sacrificial substitute, in order for forgiveness and salvation to be poured out to the nations. Without that awful day of suffering, sorrow, and shed blood at the cross, God could not be both “just and the justifier” of those who trust in Jesus (Romans [3:26]). Paradoxically, the day that seemed to be the greatest triumph of evil was actually the deathblow in God’s gloriously good plan to redeem the world from bondage.

The cross is where we see the convergence of great suffering and God’s forgiveness. Psalm 85:10 sings of a day when “righteousness and peace” will “kiss each other.” The cross of Jesus is where that occurred, where God’s demands and his righteousness, coincided with his mercy. We receive divine forgiveness, mercy, and peace because Jesus willingly took our divine punishment, the result of God’s righteousness against sin. “For the joy set before him” (Hebrews 12:2) Jesus endured the cross on Good Friday, knowing it led to his resurrection, our salvation, and the beginning of God’s reign of righteousness and peace.

Romans [8:11]

The Spirit of God, who raised Jesus from the dead, lives in you. And just as God raised Christ Jesus from the dead, he will give life to your mortal bodies by this same Spirit living within you.

Good Friday marks the day when wrath and mercy met at the cross. That’s why Good Friday is so dark and so good.

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 our Wisdom-Trek, Creating a Legacy.

If you would like to listen to any of the past 1107 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 1107 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…

Little Susie came home from school one day shortly before the Easter holiday.  With major concern on her face, Susie tentatively approached her mother and said, “Mom, some of the kids at school today said that you were the Easter Bunny. Is that true?”

The mom kneeled down took little Susie’s face in her hands and stared straight into her wide eyes and said, “Do you really want to know?” 

“Yes,” little Susie replied.

The mother sighed, thinking of the end of the innocence of childhood, “Yes, dear, I am the Easter Bunny.”

Little Susie looked at her in amazement and with excitement in her voice declares, “How do you get to ALL of those houses in just one night???”

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 “With Easter being celebrated throughout the world, sometimes it is easy to lose focus on the meaning and significance of the most joyous of all holidays. Let us cherish the Risen Christ.”

Matthew 28:6

He isn’t here! He is risen from the dead, just as he said would happen. Come, see where his body was lying.

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 1106 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!