Wisdom-Trek ©

Welcome to Day 1582 of our Wisdom-Trek, and thank you for joining me.This is Guthrie Chamberlain, Your Guide to WisdomLove What You Do – Daily WisdomWelcome to Wisdom-Trek with Gramps! Wisdom is the final frontier in gaining true knowledge. Our mission is to create a legacy of wisdom, seek out discernment and insights, and boldly grow where few have chosen to grow before. Hello, my friend; this is Gramps; thanks for coming along on our journey to increase Wisdom and Create a Living Legacy. Today is Day 1582 of our Trek, and it’s time for your daily snippet of wisdom, which includes an inspirational quote along with some wise words from Gramps for today’s trek. If you apply the words you hear today, over time, it will help you become healthy, wealthy, and wise as you continue your daily trek of life. So let’s jump right in with today’s nugget:

Today’s quote is from Katharine Graham, and it is: To love what you do and feel that it matters — how could anything be more fun?

Love What You Do

It has been said that if you find work that you love, you won’t have to work another day of your life. While I understand the meaning and motivation of this quote, there are aspects of any work that you may not love. There are aspects of every area of life that you may not love naturally. The key to love what you do is strongly controlled by our choices. Those choices start early in life by the hobbies we do, and the training we participate in. Those choices begin in our minds. I grew up on an apple orchard, and while there were many aspects of the hard work of farming that I did not particularly enjoy, we had work to do and we did it. As I look back to those formative years, I can see that my work helped support our family of twelve and learned many valuable lessons in the process. During those years, I also learned that I could choose to enjoy what I do, especially when it did make a difference. Those were difficult years, but we also had a lot of fun as a family. As I grew into adulthood, I realized that I enjoyed working because the work I was doing did make a positive impact. First, it provided for Paula and our five kids, and second, it also benefited those companies we served. Even when there were difficulties in our businesses, we chose to enjoy those times and learn the valuable lessons thrusts on us. We knew that we should be grateful to God for everything we did and those who helped us achieve what we did. We learned that in all things, we are working for something that matters, which is going our very best in our service to God and others because it helps to grow God’s kingdom on earth. My appeal to you is to choose to love what you do in all aspects of life because you are making a difference in your world.

https://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=1%20Corinthians%2010%3A31andversion=NLT (1 Corinthians 10:31)

So whether you eat or drink, or whatever you do, do it all for the glory of God.

https://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=Ephesians%206%3A7andversion=NLT (Ephesians 6:7)

Work with enthusiasm, as though you were working for the Lord rather than for people.

As you ponder this nugget of daily wisdom yourself, I would ask you to please encourage your friends and family to join us and then come along tomorrow for another day of ‘Wisdom-Trek, Creating a Legacy.’

If you would like to listen to any of our past 1581 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 that each day will be downloaded to you automatically.

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

As we take this Trek of

Welcome to Day 1581 of our Wisdom-Trek, and thank you for joining me.I am Guthrie Chamberlain, Your Guide to WisdomNot of This World – Worldview WednesdayWelcome to Wisdom-Trek with Gramps! Wisdom is the final frontier in gaining true knowledge. Our mission is to create a legacy of wisdom, seek out discernment and insights, and boldly grow where few have chosen to grow before. Hello, my friend; this is Gramps; thanks for coming along on our journey to increase Wisdom and Create a Living Legacy. Today is Day 1581 of our Trek, and it is Worldview Wednesday. Creating a Biblical Worldview is essential to have a proper perspective on today’s current events. To establish a Biblical Worldview, you must have a proper understanding of God and His Word. This week, we will continue reviewing the book from Dr. Michael S Heiser titled “Supernatural.” The book is an abbreviated version of his more comprehensive book, “The Unseen Realm.” I highly recommend both of these books. Creating a Biblical Worldview based on how the Old and New Testaments connect with God’s overall plan for humanity is essential. This book review will help us understand what the Bible teaches about the unseen world, and why it matters.

Not of This World

In Jesus’ well-known prayer in the garden of Gethsemane before he was arrested for trial, he said of his followers in https://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=John+17%3A16andversion=NLT (John 17:16), They do not belong to this world any more than I do. Believers were certainly in the world, specially tasked by God to carry the gospel to every nation (Matthew 28:19–20), but they were not of the world. This paradox—being in the world but not of it—was telegraphed to early Christians in several memorable ways.

Sacred Space, Holy Ground, and God’s PresenceIn chapter 8 of Supernatural, we talked about the concept of sacred space. For Old Testament Israelites, God was utterly other. The space his presence occupied was set apart from all other space. That wasn’t a denial that God was omnipresent—in all places at all times. Instead, it was a way of marking the territory on which he chose to meet with his people. That was one of the purposes for having the tabernacle and the temple. The concept of sacred space was not only the rationale for many of Israel’s laws and rituals, but it also reinforced the idea of cosmic geography‌—how the world was divided among the lesser gods and the Most High God, the God of Israel.

The notion of sacred space gets brought into the New Testament in a dramatic way. All we need to ask is, “Where is the presence of God right now?” While God is everywhere, he dwells explicitly within each believer. Believe it or not, you are sacred space. Paul very clearly wrote in https://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=1+Corinthians+6%3A19andversion=NLT (1 Corinthians 6:19) Don’t you realize that your body is the temple of the Holy Spirit, who lives in you and was given to you by God?

The same is true of the ground where believers gather as a group. Writing to the church at Corinth, Paul told them collectively in 1 Corinthians 3:16, Don’t you realize that all of you together are the temple of God and that the Spirit of God lives in you? He told the Ephesian believers they were “members of the household of God … a holy temple in the Lord. In him you also are built together into a dwelling place for God by the Spirit” (Eph. 2:19, 21–22).

The implications are startling. Most of us are familiar with Jesus’ statement in https://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=Matthew+18%3A20andversion=NLT (Matthew 18:20), “For where two or three gather together as my followers, I am there among them.” But viewed in the context of the Old Testament idea of sacred space, that statement means that wherever believers gather, the spiritual ground they occupy is sanctified amid the powers of darkness.

Yahweh’s final chosen dwelling place in the Old Testament...

Welcome to Day 1580 of our Wisdom-Trek, and thank you for joining me.This is Guthrie Chamberlain, Your Guide to WisdomThe Power of God – Daily WisdomWelcome to Wisdom-Trek with Gramps! Wisdom is the final frontier in gaining true knowledge. Our mission is to create a legacy of wisdom, seek out discernment and insights, and boldly grow where few have chosen to grow before. Hello, my friend; this is Gramps. Thanks for coming along on our journey to increase Wisdom and Create a Living Legacy. Today is Day 1580 of our Trek, and it’s time for another snippet of wisdom, which includes an inspirational quote along with some wise words from Gramps for today’s trek. If you apply the words you hear today, over time, it will help you become healthy, wealthy, and wise as you continue your daily trek of life. So let’s jump right in with today’s nugget:

Today’s quote is from E. Ray Jones, and it is: To falter before the forces of life when the power of God is available is unfortunate and above all unnecessary.

The Power of God

I hate to admit it for myself, but I suspect that many of you also falter when the smallest of storms face our lives. We immediately cry unfair and wish the trial was over. To falter when facing the disruptions of life is unfortunate and unnecessary. As Christ-followers, we have the power that created all things available to strengthen us and help us when we face the forces of life. So instead of faltering, let us draw upon the power of God that is freely and readily available to us. All we need to do to have the wisdom necessary to navigate the storms of life is to ask, and our generous God will provide us a waterfall of wisdom that will cascade over us and through us. We waste so much of our strength and time in anxiety over situations with little control to change those situations. Instead, we need to pray that the harrowing events of life will change and mature us so that we can be better equipped to fulfill God’s will for our lives as we are used in building His kingdom on earth, as it is in heaven.

https://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=James+1%3A2-8andversion=NLT (James 2:2-8)

Dear brothers and sisters, when troubles of any kind come your way, consider it an opportunity for great joy. For you know that when your faith is tested, your endurance has a chance to grow. So let it grow, for when your endurance is fully developed, you will be perfect and complete, needing nothing.

If you need wisdom, ask our generous God, and he will give it to you. He will not rebuke you for asking. But when you ask him, be sure that your faith is in God alone. Do not waver, for a person with divided loyalty is as unsettled as a wave of the sea that is blown and tossed by the wind. Such people should not expect to receive anything from the Lord. Their loyalty is divided between God and the world, and they are unstable in everything they do.

As you ponder this nugget of wisdom for yourself, please encourage your friends and family to join us and then come along tomorrow for another day of ‘Wisdom-Trek, Creating a Legacy.’

If you would like to listen to any of our past 1579 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 this Wisdom-Trek podcast and journal each day.

As we take this Trek of life together, let us always:

Live Abundantly (Fully)

Love Unconditionally

Listen Intentionally

Learn Continuously

Lend to others Generously

Lead with Integrity

Leave a Living Legacy Each Day

I am Guthrie Chamberlain….reminding you to ’Keep Moving Forward,’ ‘Enjoy your Journey,’ and ‘Create a Great...

Welcome to Day 1579 of our Wisdom-Trek, and thank you for joining me.This is Guthrie Chamberlain, Your Guide to Wisdom Bible Study – Possible Interpretations – Meditation MondayWelcome to Wisdom-Trek with Gramps! Wisdom is the final frontier in gaining true knowledge. Our mission is to create a legacy of wisdom, seek out discernment and insights, and boldly grow where few have chosen to grow before. Hello, my friend; this is Gramps; thanks for coming along on our journey to increase Wisdom and Create a Living Legacy Today is Day 1579 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 in prayer. It is a time to renew my mind, refocus on what is most important, and making sure that I am nurturing my soul, mind, and body. As you come along with me on our trek each Meditation Monday, it is my hope and prayer that you, too, will experience a time for reflection and renewing of your mind.

We are continuing our series this week on Meditation Monday as we focus on Mastering Bible Study through a series of brief insights from Hebrew Scholar, Dr. Michael S. Heiser. Our current insights are focusing on accurately interpreting the Bible. Today let us meditate on:

Bible Study – Possible Interpretations· Insight Sixty-One: It’s Okay When Bible Study Produces More than One Possible Interpretation

Most people do not like movies that seem to end ambiguously intentionally. Love it or hate it, we want closure. We don’t feel empowered by a director who lets me decide what their film meant. That just leaves us wondering why his or her mind was so clouded. Note to the director: the way to convince us you’re brilliant isn’t to show us that you’re incapable of precise thinking when it matters the most.

I’ve known people that approach Bible study the same way. They simply can’t tolerate the idea that there might genuinely be more than one interpretive option for a passage. The notion that alternatives exist disturbs them. The fact that those alternatives might be equally viable makes them break out in a cold sweat (or a rage, based on experience). I’ve never said it out loud, but I’ve thought it: ‘Please put your Strong’s Concordance down and calmly walk away from that verse.’

This sort of over-reaction telegraphs an emotional need for certainty. The thought that one’s tradition, pastor, or parents might have been incorrect about something in the Bible produces a sense of vulnerability. That’s unnecessary and, frankly, well beyond how God looks at the goals of Bible study.

Bible study shouldn’t be fear-based. God does not expect omniscience on the part of Bible students. He expects effort, humility, and a spirit of obedience to his will. Even if we don’t (and we cannot) know with certainty what the Bible teaches in every passage, we can still apply what we’re able to grasp (or think we’ve grasped) to our lives. Scripture is quite clear on fundamental virtues and vices, what pleases God and what offends him.

Another way to look at this has to do with the nature of Scripture. However small, resistance to uncertainty implies that there’s nothing in Scripture that could realistically transcend our intellectual ability to comprehend with certainty. It’s hard to consider that as anything but arrogance. As a long-time student of the Bible, I can tell you that the more I see in Scripture, the more I realize I don’t see. A Bible that’s been all figured out would lose its intrigue—and importance. Thankfully, that isn’t something we need to worry about.

· Insight Sixty-Two: Pay Attention to How Biblical Writers Interpret Other Biblical Writers

Biblical...

Welcome to Day 1578 of our Wisdom-Trek, and thank you for joining me.This is Guthrie Chamberlain, Your Guide to WisdomThe Only Thing That Matters – Daily WisdomWelcome to Wisdom-Trek with Gramps! Wisdom is the final frontier in gaining true knowledge. Our mission is to create a legacy of wisdom, seek out discernment and insights, and boldly grow where few have chosen to grow before. Hello, my friend; this is Gramps; thanks for coming along on our journey to increase Wisdom and Create a Living Legacy. Today is Day 1578 of our Trek, and it’s time for your daily snippet of wisdom, which includes an inspirational quote along with some wise words from Gramps for today’s trek. If you apply the words you hear today, over time, it will help you become healthy, wealthy, and wise as you continue your daily trek of life. So let’s jump right in with today’s nugget:

Today’s quote is from James Montgomery Boice, and it is: To be a Christian is no light thing. It is the hardest thing anyone can do. Yet anyone can do it, and in the end, it is the only thing that matters.

The Only Thing That Matters

There are a few significant life-changing decisions that we make in our lives. Those decisions are:

whether to go to college and where

whether to marry and to whom

whether to buy a house

whether to have children and how many

and the most important is whether to become a disciple of Christ by accepting Him as your savior through believing loyalty

It is the last one that will not only change your life radically here on earth but also through all eternity. It is no light or easy decision. To live faithfully as a disciple of Christ is no easy task, but it is the most crucial decision that can be made. It is not always easy to live daily in a manner that reflects our determination to be an image-bearer of God. The great thing is that anyone can choose to make this decision. Once you decide to become a Christ-follower, you are not only impacting how you live each day while living; it will determine your eternal dwelling place. So while you will have other important decisions to make throughout your life, none are as important as your decision to become a Christ-follower. If you have never made that choice, I encourage you to do so today. Life won’t always be easy, but it will be worth it. We don’t have to walk the life of a Christ-follower alone, we have each other, and we have Jesus Christ to strengthen and guide us along each day.

https://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=Matthew+11%3A28-30andversion=NLT (Matthew 11:28-30)

Then Jesus said, “Come to me, all of you who are weary and carry heavy burdens, and I will give you rest. 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. For my yoke is easy to bear, and the burden I give you is light.”

As you ponder this nugget of wisdom for yourself, I would ask you to please 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 our past 1577 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 that each day will be downloaded to you automatically.

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

As we take this Trek of life together, let us always:

Live Abundantly (Fully)

Love Unconditionally

Listen Intentionally

Learn Continuously

Lend to others Generously

Lead with Integrity

Leave a Living Legacy Each Day

I am Guthrie Chamberlain….reminding you to ’Keep Moving Forward,’ ‘Enjoy your Journey,’ and ‘Create

Welcome to Day 1577 of our Wisdom-Trek, and thank you for joining me.This is Guthrie Chamberlain, Your Guide to WisdomThe Value of Time – Daily WisdomWelcome to Wisdom-Trek with Gramps! Wisdom is the final frontier in gaining true knowledge. Our mission is to create a legacy of wisdom, seek out discernment and insights, and boldly grow where few have chosen to grow before. Hello, my friend; this is Gramps; thanks for coming along on our journey to increase Wisdom and Create a Living Legacy. Today is Day 1577 of our Trek, and it’s time for your daily snippet of wisdom, which includes an inspirational quote along with some wise words from Gramps for today’s trek. If you apply the words you hear today, over time, it will help you become healthy, wealthy, and wise as you continue your daily trek of life. So let’s jump right in with today’s nugget:

Today’s quote is from Theophrastus, and it is: Time is the most valuable thing a man can spend.

The Value of Time

Humanly speaking, there is only one genuinely finite item, and that is time. It is the only equalizer of all persons. If we do not die today, we will only have 24 hours, just like every other living person on earth. Short of death, there is no way to change this fact. If we consider time as something precious, then the question is, how will you spend today? I want to rephrase the quote from today in the way I think about time. Time should not be something that we spend or consume; but instead, we invest time. You can invest each day in poor investments and waste today, or you can invest each day in matters that will impact eternity. Let’s use the analogy of food and fitness. We can each junk food and not get the proper exercise, which seems pleasurable for a while, or we can eat healthy food and exercise, which will provide us with a much longer and higher quality of life. When we wake and begin each new day, we should ask ourselves, how will I invest the next 24 hours? Will you waste time in that which provides no intrinsic value to you or those you come in contact with, or will you invest that 24 hours into improving yourself and others? When we die, we don’t take anything from this world with us, but when we invest in others’ lives, and they pay it forward, then our impact will reverberate throughout all eternity. As Christ-followers, we need to invest each day into building God’s kingdom on earth, so when Christ returns to set up a renewed Eden where God and humans dwell together, we will see how our investment has multiplied abundantly.

Let’s invest our time wisely today, planting that which impacts eternity so that we can harvest the rich blessings that God has for each of us. Your life and your time matter; make it count.

https://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=Ephesians%205%3A15%2D17andversion=NLT (Ephesians 5:15-17)

So be careful how you live. Don’t live like fools, but like those who are wise. Make the most of every opportunity in these evil days. Don’t act thoughtlessly, but understand what the Lord wants you to do.

https://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=Colossians+4%3A5-6andversion=NLT (Colossians 4:5-6)

Live wisely among those who are not believers, and make the most of every opportunity. Let your conversation be gracious and attractive so that you will have the right response for everyone.

As you ponder this nugget of daily wisdom yourself, I would ask you to please encourage your friends and family to join us and then come along tomorrow for another day of ‘Wisdom-Trek, Creating a Legacy.’ If you would like to listen to any of our past 1576 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 that each day will be downloaded to you automatically.

Thank you for allowing me to be...

Welcome to Day 1576 of our Wisdom-Trek, and thank you for joining me.I am Guthrie Chamberlain, Your Guide to WisdomThe Great Reversal – Worldview WednesdayWelcome to Wisdom-Trek with Gramps! Wisdom is the final frontier in gaining true knowledge. Our mission is to create a legacy of wisdom, seek out discernment and insights, and boldly grow where few have chosen to grow before. Hello, my friend; this is Gramps; thanks for coming along on our journey to increase Wisdom and Create a Living Legacy. Today is Day 1576 of our Trek, and it is Worldview Wednesday. Creating a Biblical Worldview is essential to have a proper perspective on today’s current events. To establish a Biblical Worldview, you must have a proper understanding of God and His Word. This week, we will continue reviewing the book from Dr. Michael S Heiser titled “Supernatural.” The book is an abbreviated version of his more comprehensive book, “The Unseen Realm.” I highly recommend both of these books. Creating a Biblical Worldview based on how the Old and New Testaments connect with God’s overall plan for humanity is essential. This book review will help us understand what the Bible teaches about the unseen world, and why it matters.

The Great Reversal

Aside from stories about Jesus in the Gospels—such as accounts of his birth, death, and Sermon on the Mount—perhaps the most familiar passage in the New Testament is Acts 2, where the Holy Spirit rushes upon the followers of Jesus at the day of Pentecost. It marks the launch of the fledgling church and the beginning of global evangelism in the name of Jesus.

As familiar as the passage is, there’s a lot more going on in it than most realize. Acts 2 is designed to telegraph the campaign to reverse the post-Babel cosmic geography of the Old Testament. The nations other than Israel were under the dominion of lesser gods. What happened at Pentecost was a battle plan for infiltrating all the nations disinherited by God at Babel with the gospel of Jesus—an ancient spiritual war strategy.

PentecostWhat Acts 2 describes as happening on the day of Pentecost was undoubtedly unusual. https://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=Acts+2%3A1-8andversion=NLT (Acts 2:1-8) :

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.

At that time, there were devout Jews from every nation living in Jerusalem. When they heard the loud noise, everyone came running, and they were bewildered to hear their own languages being spoken by the believers.

They were completely amazed. “How can this be?” they exclaimed. “These people are all from Galilee, and yet we hear them speaking in our own native languages!

Some of the things that take us into the supernatural worldview of the Old Testament in that remarkable passage aren’t obvious in the English translation. The “rushing wind” associated with the arrival of the Spirit is a familiar description of the presence of God in the Old Testament (2 Kings 2:1, 11; Job 38:1; 40:6). Fire is also familiar in descriptions of God (Ezekiel 1:4; Isaiah 6:4, 6; Daniel 7:9; Exodus 3:2; 19:18; 20:18).

It’s clear from those references that God was present at the event and behind what was going on. His intention was to launch his campaign to take back the nations from the lesser gods he assigned to the nations (Deuteronomy 4:19–20; 32:8–9), but who became his enemies (Psalm. 82).

God’s tool for doing that was the words of the disciples—hence the imagery of tongues. God enabled the Jewish followers of Jesus to speak to the rest of the Jews gathered...

Welcome to Day 1575 of our Wisdom-Trek, and thank you for joining me.This is Guthrie Chamberlain, Your Guide to WisdomThe Storm Within – Daily WisdomWelcome to Wisdom-Trek with Gramps! Wisdom is the final frontier in gaining true knowledge. Our mission is to create a legacy of wisdom, seek out discernment and insights, and boldly grow where few have chosen to grow before. Hello, my friend; this is Gramps. Thanks for coming along on our journey to increase Wisdom and Create a Living Legacy. Today is Day 1575 of our Trek, and it’s time for another snippet of wisdom, which includes an inspirational quote along with some wise words from Gramps for today’s trek. If you apply the words you hear today, over time, it will help you become healthy, wealthy, and wise as you continue your daily trek of life. So let’s jump right in with today’s nugget:

Today’s quote is from Ralph Waldo Emerson, and it is: The wise man in the storm prays to God, not for safety from danger, but for deliverance from fear. It is the storm within which endangers him, not the storm without.

The Storm Within

None of us desires to go through hardships and difficulties. Our first instinct is to cry out to God to be kept safe and be rescued from the storm. What we fail to realize, just like storms in nature have a cleansing purpose, so do the storms roll through our lives. When we are in the midst of the storm, we become fearful and wish the storm would cease. However, we need the strength to withstand the storm and peace within the storm. This is only possible when we are entirely reliant on the One who controls all storms. The most significant potential for harm from the storms of life is when we allow fear to seize us and hold us. The internal storms in which we struggle is what endangers us. Like the wind and the rain cleans the air and refreshes the soil, the wind and showers within us have a cleaning effect on our souls. So be a wise person. The next time you are in one of the many storms of life, instead of praying for safety from the dangers and effects of the storm, pray instead for deliverance from fear so you can persevere through the storm. Once the storm has passed, it is then you will see more clearly its purpose as the bright sunshine of God’s love warms your soul.

https://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=Proverbs%2010%3A25andversion=NLT (Proverbs 10:25)

When the storms of life come, the wicked are whirled away, but the godly have a lasting foundation.

https://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=Romans+8%3A38-39andversion=NLT (Romans 8:38-39)

And I am convinced that nothing can ever separate us from God’s love. Neither death nor life, neither angels nor demons, neither our fears for today nor our worries about tomorrow—not even the powers of hell can separate us from God’s love. No power in the sky above or in the earth below—indeed, nothing in all creation will ever be able to separate us from the love of God that is revealed in Christ Jesus our Lord.

As you ponder this nugget of wisdom for yourself, please encourage your friends and family to join us and then come along tomorrow for another day of ‘Wisdom-Trek, Creating a Legacy.’

If you would like to listen to any of our past 1574 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 this Wisdom-Trek podcast and journal each day.

As we take this Trek of life together, let us always:

Live Abundantly (Fully)

Love Unconditionally

Listen Intentionally

Learn Continuously

Lend to others Generously

Lead with Integrity

Leave a Living Legacy Each Day

I am...

Welcome to Day 1574 of our Wisdom-Trek, and thank you for joining me.This is Guthrie Chamberlain, Your Guide to Wisdom Bible Study – Word Meanings and Context – Meditation MondayWelcome to Wisdom-Trek with Gramps! Wisdom is the final frontier in gaining true knowledge. Our mission is to create a legacy of wisdom, seek out discernment and insights, and boldly grow where few have chosen to grow before. Hello, my friend; this is Gramps; thanks for coming along on our journey to increase Wisdom and Create a Living Legacy Today is Day 1574 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 in prayer. It is a time to renew my mind, refocus on what is most important, and making sure that I am nurturing my soul, mind, and body. As you come along with me on our trek each Meditation Monday, it is my hope and prayer that you, too, will experience a time for reflection and renewing of your mind.

We are continuing our series this week on Meditation Monday as we focus on Mastering Bible Study through a series of brief insights from Hebrew Scholar, Dr. Michael S. Heiser. Our current insights are focusing on accurately interpreting the Bible. Today let us meditate on:

Bible Study – Word Meanings and Context· Insight Fifty-Nine: A Word Never Simultaneously Means All the Things It Can Mean

Words rarely mean only one thing. Most words in a given language can convey several senses.

For example, the word ‘top’ can refer to a garment worn on the upper body, the highest point of reference, or (as a verb) to cover or be superior to something. The right meaning depends on how the word is used in context.

It would be silly to suggest that the occurrence of the word ‘top’ in any given sentence has all those meanings in that sentence. For instance, in the sentence She was at the top of her field, do I mean to suggest that the woman “covered’ a field so well that she “gained superiority” over everyone else and that her job happened to be on the highest floor of her office building, which housed a business that made clothing to be worn on the upper body? Of course not. The idea is as absurd as the illustration.

Naturally, I’d agree. The whole approach is comical. And yet, I’ve seen it in Bible study notes, student papers, blog posts, and Bible-related articles submitted for publication. For some reason, people seem to believe that ‘Bible words’ have some sort of mystical quality that allows us to throw out common sense when doing word studies. Just because a book is sacred doesn’t mean its content must violate what makes a language coherent. Sanctified absurdity would still be an absurdity.

No vocabulary of a language includes all possible meanings in every instance of usage. If you tell someone your wife is fetching, you mean she’s attractive, not the obvious alternative that just popped into your head. If your kids are spoiled, you don’t mean they are no longer edible.

This feature of language doesn’t change when we come to the Bible. A biblical word with a half-dozen senses doesn’t bring them all into a verse simultaneously. Hebrew and Greek words aren’t like the heads of dandelions, waiting to release thousands of meanings into the air when held up to the wind.

The fact that God was providentially behind Scripture’s production doesn’t change what he asked the human authors to do. They produced comprehensible documents, not literary onions that only elite mystics could unpeel and decipher. If Scripture failed to communicate to the masses, the entire enterprise would be pointless.

· Insight Sixty: Genre Is Another Word for Context

Dr. Heiser...

Welcome to Day 1573 of our Wisdom-Trek, and thank you for joining me.This is Guthrie Chamberlain, Your Guide to WisdomRemain Still – Daily WisdomWelcome to Wisdom-Trek with Gramps! Wisdom is the final frontier in gaining true knowledge. Our mission is to create a legacy of wisdom, seek out discernment and insights, and boldly grow where few have chosen to grow before. Hello, my friend; this is Gramps; thanks for coming along on our journey to increase Wisdom and Create a Living Legacy. Today is Day 1573 of our Trek, and it’s time for your daily snippet of wisdom, which includes an inspirational quote along with some wise words from Gramps for today’s trek. If you apply the words you hear today, over time, it will help you become healthy, wealthy, and wise as you continue your daily trek of life. So let’s jump right in with today’s nugget:

Today’s quote is from Meister Eckhart, and it is: The very best and utmost of attainment in this life is to remain still and let God act and speak in thee.

Remain Still

If we are honest with ourselves, I surmise that most of us have difficulty remaining still and being at peace for more than a few moments. I know I certainly have difficulty, although as I am aging, I do find it a bit easier than I used to. Why is it that we have such a problem with remaining still? Part of it is our modern world because we have so many options available each day, even during the pandemic. Once restrictions are lifted, I suspect we will fall back into the regular pandemonium that our lives have become. When I ponder what it takes to create the habit of remaining still, I believe the root cause is much more than the availability of activities. We need to consciously and deliberately choose to allow God to act and speak through us so that we don’t feel the need to stuff our lives full of activity. Too much activity distracts us from being quiet long enough so that God can act and speak through us. We need to take more time for meditative prayer and absorbing God’s Word. When these practices become habits, then we will not be as anxious. We can remain still, even through the storms of life that rage around us. We can have the confidence that although God may not prevent the storms, he will provide shelter so that we can withstand the storms. Within that shelter, we can remain at peace with God, others, and ourselves. God is the God of all creation. The God of storms, and the God of stillness.

Psalm 46:10

“Be still, and know that I am God! I will be honored by every nation. I will be honored throughout the world.”

As you ponder this nugget of wisdom for yourself, I would ask you to please 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 our past 1572 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 that each day will be downloaded to you automatically.

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

As we take this Trek of life together, let us always:

Live Abundantly (Fully)

Love Unconditionally

Listen Intentionally

Learn Continuously

Lend to others Generously

Lead with Integrity

Leave a Living Legacy Each Day

I am Guthrie Chamberlain….reminding you to ’Keep Moving Forward,’ ‘Enjoy your Journey,’ and ‘Create a Great Day…Everyday’! See you on Monday for more daily wisdom!