Wisdom-Trek ©

Wisdom-Trek / Creating a LegacyWelcome to Day 1382 of our Wisdom-Trek, and thank you for joining me.This is Guthrie Chamberlain, Your Guide to WisdomThe Demise of the Doughboy – Humor UnpluggedWisdom - 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, 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 1382 of our Trek, and 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 give a bit a levity in your life. We are told in https://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=Proverbs+15:30andversion=NLT (Proverbs 15:30) A cheerful look brings joy to the heart; good news makes for good health. We are also encouraged in https://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=Proverbs+17:22andversion=NLT (Proverbs 17:22) A cheerful heart is good medicine, but a broken spirit saps a person’s strength. Consider this your vitamin supplement of cheer for today. So let’s jump right in with today’s funny which is titled:

The Demise of the DoughboyIt seems that there is an announcement every few days of a well-known actor, musician, or sports celebrity that has died recently. Most were not Covid-19 related, and is probably just a sign of the times with so many baby boomers reaching the end of their natural life. I am afraid that I have one more to announce today. It is the death of our beloved Pillsbury Doughboy. I know that all of us morn his passing.

Please join me in remembering a great icon of the entertainment community. Here is Doughboy’s obituary.

The Pillsbury Doughboy died yesterday of a yeast infection and trauma complications from repeated pokes in the belly. He was 71. Doughboy was buried in a lightly greased coffin. Dozens of celebrities turned out to pay their respects, including Mrs. Butterworth, Hungry Jack, the California Raisins, Betty Crocker, the Hostess Twinkies, and Captain Crunch. The gravesite was piled high with enriched flour.

Aunt Jemima delivered the eulogy, and lovingly described Doughboy as a man who never knew how much he was kneaded. Born and bread in Minnesota, Doughboy rose quickly in show business, but his later life was filled with turnovers. He was not considered a very smart cookie, wasting much of his dough on half- baked schemes.

Despite being a little flaky at times, he still was a crusty older man and was considered a positive roll model for millions.Doughboy is survived by his wife Play Dough, three children: John Dough, Jane Dough, and Dosey Dough, plus they had one in the oven. His elderly father, Pop Tart, also survived him.

The funeral was held at 3:50 for about 20 minutes.

If you smiled while reading this, please rise to the occasion and pass it on to someone having a crumby day that kneads a lift.

Our Thursday thought is, “The Pillsbury Doughboy was a perfect man. He’s cute, and he’s sweet, and best of all, he’s rolling in dough.”

Here is our verse for today is referring to false teaching:

https://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=Luke+13:21andversion=NLT (Luke 13:21)

It is like the yeast a woman used in making bread. Even though she put only a little yeast in three measures of flour, it permeated every part of the dough.

Just as you enjoy these nuggets of humor, please encourage your friends and family to join us and then come along tomorrow for another day of ‘Wisdom-Trek, Creating a Legacy.’ If you would like to listen to any of our past 1381 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...

Welcome to Day 1381 of our Wisdom-Trek, and thank you for joining me.I am Guthrie Chamberlain, Your Guide to WisdomMastering the Bible – Paul's Letters in Context and The Tower of Babel Reversed – Worldview WednesdayWisdom - 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, 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. Today is Day 1381 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. Our focus for the next several months on Worldview Wednesday is Mastering the Bible, through a series of brief insights. These insights are extracted from a book of the same title from one of today’s most prominent Hebrew Scholars, Dr. Micheal S. Heiser. This book is a collection of insights designed to help you understand the Bible better. When we let the Bible be what it is, we can understand it as the original readers did, and as its writers intended. Each week we will explore two insights.

Mastering The Bible – Paul’s Letters in Context and The Tower of Bable ReversedInsight Sixty One: The Book of Acts Provides the Context for Many of Paul’s LettersThe book of Acts picks up the New Testament story after the resurrection of Jesus. The book opens with the resurrected Christ giving his disciples instructions on spreading the good news of the cross, and his resurrection in the familiar verse Acts 1:8 But you will receive power when the Holy Spirit comes upon you. And you will be my witnesses, telling people about me everywhere-in Jerusalem, throughout Judea, in Samaria, and to the ends of the earth.”

Jesus promises to send the Spirit after he ascends, something that happens on the Day of Pentecost (Acts2:1-13) The events of Pentecost mark the birth of the early apostolic church in Jerusalem. The book of Acts follows the triumphs and travails of the followers of Jesus, empowered by the Spirit to advance the kingdom of God. The central characters through the first twelve chapters are Stephen, Peter, and James. That changes in Acts 13, when the Jerusalem church sends Paul and Barnabas to preach to the gentiles.

Paul’s conversion had been recorded earlier in Acts 9, but Acts 13 changes the focus of the early Jesus-movement to the journeys of Paul. While Acts includes other figures who traveled with Paul, such as Barnabas, Silas, John Mark, Luke, Timothy, Paul is the central figure of the book from that point on.

Anyone who reads through Acts will know that Paul traveled widely, preaching the gospel of Israel’s Messiah to people of all nations. Acts tells us Paul went on three “missionary journeys” to gentile nations. Acts 13:1-14:28 chronicles the first trek, during which Paul visited places like Antioch, Perga, Pisidian Antioch (which is in Phrygia), Iconium, Lystra, and Derbe. His second journey is the focus of Acts 15:36-18:22. His itinerary included Philippi. Thessalonica, Berea. Athens, Corinth, and Ephesus. His third and final trip, one that ended in Jerusalem with his imprisonment, is described in Acts 18:23-21:14. Paul revisited places he’d previously ventured as well as new locales; Macedonia, Philippi, Troas, Rhodes, Tyre, and Ephesus are among them. Paul spent three years in this last city.

Experts in Paul’s life and ministry have been able to determine that these missionary trips spanned roughly ten years. If we restrict ourselves to the churches named in Acts 13-21, Paul started just over a dozen churches. Chances are good he started more since he visited regions during his journeys on which Acts offers no additional details. Many of the

Wisdom-Trek / Creating a LegacyWelcome to Day 1380 of our Wisdom-Trek, and thank you for joining me.This is Guthrie Chamberlain, Your Guide to WisdomYour True North – Wisdom UnpluggedWisdom - 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, 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 1380 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 J. I. Packer, and it is: Disregard the study of God, and you sentence yourself to stumble and blunder through life, blindfolded, as it were, with no sense of direction and no understanding of what surrounds you.

Your True NorthYou may have heard of the phrase when referring to a person or leader, that is his True North, and this is what it means.

True North is your orienting point, your fixed point in a spinning world - that helps you stay on track as a person or leader. It is derived from your most deeply held beliefs, values, and the principles you live or lead by. It is your internal compass, unique to you, representing who you are at your deepest level. Some may refer to it as your integrity. Your Worldview controls this True North. If you are a Christ-follower, then your True North must be defined by God’s Word. In our wisdom quote for today, J.I. Packer is correct. If you do not study and apply God’s Word to your life, you will be like a compass that is broken where the needle just randomly swings one way and then another. You will end up stumbling and bumbling through life. It will be the same as being blind, or at least blindfolded. You will have no real sense of direction or understanding of what is around you. Your decision-making ability will be significantly impaired. So follow your True North, which is based on God’s Word.

https://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=Psalm+119:105andversion=NLT;LEB (Psalm 119:105)

Your word is a lamp to guide my feet and a light for my path.

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 ‘Wisdom-Trek, Creating a Legacy.' If you would like to listen to any of our past 1379 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 in 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 tomorrow for Worldview Wednesday!

Wisdom-Trek / Creating a LegacyWelcome to Day 1379 of our Wisdom-Trek, and thank you for joining me.This is Guthrie Chamberlain, Your Guide to WisdomChosen to Rule – Meditation MondayWisdom - 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, 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 1379 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.

Most Christ-followers don’t realize or understand how great of high privilege and responsibility that God has granted us. He has crowned us to rule over His kingdom on earth. Today let us meditate on:

Chosen to RuleTo set the stage for today’s Meditation, let me first read Psalm 8

O Lord, our Lord, your majestic name fills the earth!

Your glory is higher than the heavens.

You have taught children and infants

to tell of your strength,

silencing your enemies

and all who oppose you.

When I look at the night sky and see the work of your fingers—

the moon and the stars you set in place—

what are mere mortals that you should think about them,

human beings that you should care for them?

Yet you made them only a little lower than God

and crowned them with glory and honor.

You gave them charge of everything you made,

putting all things under their authority—

the flocks and the herds

and all the wild animals,

the birds in the sky, the fish in the sea,

and everything that swims the ocean currents.

O Lord, our Lord, your majestic name fills the earth!

This Psalm begins and ends with the same phrase about God’s majestic name and how it encompasses or fills the entire earth. Not only that, but His glory also encompasses all of the heavens. God’s majesty and glory are so grand, yet simple enough that it can be taught to children and even infants. When God’s story is that simple, it silences even the loftiest arguments of those who oppose God.

All we need to do is to look at the night sky, and we see such grandeur, that it is impossible not to see and acknowledge God. The moon and stars are a silent witness that shouts to all creation of God’s glory and majesty.

As a mere mortal, created being, I am awestruck when I witness the entirety of God’s creation. Why would God hold us in such lofty esteem? Why would God care for us so intensely when we turn our backs on Him so often? It is because God created us for a specific purpose that fulfills His plan for all of His creation. He made humankind just a little lower than His heavenly council, who were created to fulfill their divine roles ruling over the heavens, as we were created for the specific purpose of ruling over His earthly domain. God crowned us humans with glory and honor as Kings to rule over his earthly abode. We are kings who have charge over everything He made, putting all things on earth under our authority. Our rule includes the entire earthly domain, domestic and wild animals, birds in the sky, fish in the sea, and everything that swims in the ocean.

God has two abodes. The first is His heavenly realm in which His divine council dwells and assist with the governance. The second is His earthly realm,

Wisdom-Trek / Creating a LegacyWelcome to Day 1378 of our Wisdom-Trek, and thank you for joining me.This is Guthrie Chamberlain, Your Guide to WisdomEssential or Non-Essential – Ask GrampsWisdom - 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, 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 1378 of our Trek and time for our Philosophy Friday series. Each Friday, we will ponder some of the fundamental 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 where we can ‘Ask Gramps.’ Gramps will answer questions that you would like to ask your dad or granddad, but for whatever reason, this is not possible. No matter how old we are, I know that all of us would like the opportunity to ask dad or gramps questions about life in many areas.

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

So the question for this week is:

“Hey, Gramps, “I just don’t feel like I’ve done anything significant for God. I’ve tried to live a good life, but I just don’t see how it matters. I don’t feel like I have really contributed or made much of a difference. How can I be sure that what I am doing is having an impact on God’s kingdom here on earth?

Essential or Non-Essential

I cannot tell you how many times I’ve heard these words or words like them. What rips my heart out is that they are often spoken by people who are precious to me and others in God’s family. They do things that are sweet, sacrificial, serving, and tender to people when they need it most. Yet because their acts of service are done quietly or don’t seem to be a big deal to them, they think they don’t matter that much to God.

One of the many positive results from the worldwide Covid-19 pandemic is that most of us will never again view our workforce in the same manner. In a matter of fewer than two months, it is so evident that many of the essential contributors to our society were the unforgotten ones. Those individuals who have had little or no formal education and training. The truck drivers, the grocery store clerks, the gas station attendants, the janitors in hospitals, and those who were able to prepare meals at our favorite carryout restaurants. These are the essential workers of today, and let’s hope we continue to see them as such for many years. Yes, many others are considered professionals in the medical field that have sacrificed even their lives to save the lives of others. They will never be considered in the same light but as the heroes that they are.

Some of the most critical people in any story go unnoticed and under-appreciated. Yet these people are vital to the story unfolding in the way it does. Without them, the most important things would never happen. This is true whether the story is a movie or a novel or our own personal story. I believe that for many of you who have been on the front line during this pandemic should re-evaluate your impact on God’s kingdom, for it is excellent. This is quite often true of God’s story in the Bible.One of the most amazing stories in Scripture is the conversion of Saul. Saul is the fiercest, most passionate persecutor of the early followers of Jesus as described in the book of Acts. Of all the initial problems Jesus’ followers had to overcome, Saul was one of the dangerous and troubling ones. Yet in one event, Jesus turns Saul from his most significant problem into his most excellent spokesman!...

Wisdom-Trek / Creating a LegacyWelcome to Day 1377 of our Wisdom-Trek, and thank you for joining me.This is Guthrie Chamberlain, Your Guide to WisdomThe Race Was On! – Humor UnpluggedWisdom - 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, 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 1377 of our Trek, and 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 give a bit a levity in your life. We are told in https://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=Proverbs+15:30andversion=NLT (Proverbs 15:30) A cheerful look brings joy to the heart; good news makes for good health. We are also encouraged in https://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=Proverbs+17:22andversion=NLT (Proverbs 17:22) A cheerful heart is good medicine, but a broken spirit saps a person’s strength. Consider this your vitamin supplement of cheer for today. So let’s jump right in with today’s funny which is titled:

The Race Was On

Jim was driving down the highway late one night when his mini-van broke down, so he coasted to the side of the road. He turned on his flashers and tried to call Sally his wife, but there was no cell signal. Jim wasn’t sure what he was going to do, since it was 10 miles to the nearest town. Jim decided that he would stand in the headlights, just slightly ahead of the van, and would try to get someone’s attention to help him as they drove by. He heard off in the distance what sounded like a high speed sports car, and sure enough, he soon saw a car racing towards him. Jim stood close to the road and waved his arms frantically, hoping to be seen. The driver in the car, which happened to be a Lamborghini Countach, starts to slow down and pulls up beside the mini-van and rolls down the passenger window. Jim approaches tentatively and says, “I’m Jim Snow, and my van won’t start. I hate to impose, but any chance I could get a lift into town?”

The other driver, always glad to show off his Lamborghini, said, “Nice to meet you, Jim, I am Stanley Rothchild, and I can do better than that. I’ve got a V-12 under this hood, and a tow bar in the trunk, I can tow you to the nearest town, no problem.” Jim and Stanley worked together and got the mini-van securely fastened. Stanley told Jim, “you get in the driver seat of your van to keep an eye on everything, and just honk your horn and flash your lights if I start going too fast.” At that, Stanley jump in his Lamborghini, and they were off down the road.

About halfway to town, they came to a red light and up pulls a Ferrari F40 with a V-10. Stanley looked over to see that it was his friend Jordon from the Country Club. Jordon amused by Stanley’s situation couldn’t help himself, and with a big smile on his face begins to rev his Ferrari F40 engine. He motioned to Stanley to race. Both Stanley and Jordon were very competitive, so Stanley revs his Lamborghini Countach engine just as the light turns green. With the squealing of tires, they both fly out of there, and the race was on. Little did they suspect it about a half a mile down the road they pass a speed trap with Office Taylor calmly sitting in his patrol car with his lights off, but the radar on.

Officer Taylor watches them pass at such a high speed that it startled him, and he knew that he would be very hard-pressed to catch up with them. After a few seconds, he radios to base, saying, “Base, this is Officer Taylor, you will not believe what I just saw. A Ferrari F40 and a Lamborghini Countach were driving down the road doing about 120 with a mini-van honking its horn...

Welcome to Day 1376 of our Wisdom-Trek, and thank you for joining me.I am Guthrie Chamberlain, Your Guide to WisdomMastering the Bible – Old Testament Jesus and His Parables – Worldview WednesdayWisdom - 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. Today is https://wisdom-trek.com/captivate-podcast/day-1376/ (Day 1376) 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.

Our focus for the next several months on Worldview Wednesday is Mastering the Bible, through a series of brief insights. These insights are extracted from a book of the same title from one of today’s most prominent Hebrew Scholars, Dr. Micheal S. Heiser. This book is a collection of insights designed to help you understand the Bible better. When we let the Bible be what it is, we can understand it as the original readers did and as its writers intended. Each week we will explore two insights.

Mastering The Bible – Old Testament Jesus and His ParablesInsight Fifty-Nine: Gospel Writers Connect Jesus to the Old Testament in Both Transparent and Roundabout Ways

Since the New Testament begins with the Gospels, and Jesus is the focus of those first four books, we tend to think of Jesus exclusively in New Testament terms. That’s too narrow a perspective. The coming of the Messiah, the Son of God, is rooted in the Old Testament, not only in terms of prophecy but also imagery.

We’ve already talked about the most obvious way the Gospel writers associate Jesus with the Old Testament: calling him the Anointed One (“Christ”). Other transparent correlations extend from that messianic title. The Gospel writers quote specific prophecies about the birthplace of the Messiah (Matthew 2:6: John 7:42; cf. Micah 5:2) and the lineage of the Messiah (Matthew 1:1; cf. 2 Samuel 7:12-16; Psalm 132:11; Isaiah. 11:1).

Less obvious, but still familiar, connections are made between Jesus and the Old Testament in other ways. When John calls Jesus the “Word,” that label is not original to him. The God of Israel appeared to people in the Old Testament as the “Word” (John 1:1, 14: cf. Genesis 15:1-6: Jeremiah 1:1-9). And the title “Son of Man” had royal messianic meaning (Matthew 26:64; Daniel 7:13—14).

But the Gospel writers tether Jesus to the Old Testament in cleverer, less overt ways. For example, Matthew wants readers to identify Jesus with the nation of Israel. He accomplishes that in his story of Jesus’s childhood. After Joseph and Mary had to flee to Egypt to escape Herod, Matthew quotes https://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=Hosea+11%3A1andversion=NLT (Hosea 11:1,) "When Israel was a child, I loved him, and I called my son out of Egypt," to

recount how they returned to the Promised Land. But God’s son in Hosea 11:1 wasn’t the Messiah; it was the nation of Israel. Matthew used the analogy for several reasons, but one of them was that Jesus had appeared on the scene supernaturally, just like Israel appeared as the result of divine intervention with Abraham and Sarah. Israel would later pass through the sea and then journey into the desert where the nation would be tried and tempted (Exodus 14-15; Numbers 14:26 ff.). After Jesus was baptized, he was driven into the wilderness to be tempted by Satan (Mark 1:9-13).

Jesus is also cast as a new Moses by the Gospel writers. When Moses was born, Pharaoh had all the infant boys killed (Exodus 1:22-2:10), and Jesus was likewise threatened by Herod (Matthew 2:13-18). Moses went up on a...

Wisdom-Trek / Creating a LegacyWelcome to Day 1375 of our Wisdom-Trek, and thank you for joining me.This is Guthrie Chamberlain, Your Guide to WisdomA Coward or Valiant Person – Wisdom UnpluggedWisdom - 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 https://wisdom-trek.com/captivate-podcast/day-1375/ (Day 1375) 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 William Shakespeare, and it is, "Cowards die many times before their deaths; the valiant never taste of death but once."

A Coward or Valiant Person

Most people are familiar with William Shakespeare as one of the most famous playwrights, poets, and actors. Many of his sayings are repeated even today. You may ask, what did Shakespeare mean by this? This phrase occurs in the play Julius Caesar. In Julius Caesar, the implication is that a person "dies" a little inside each time he or she chickens out, meaning that he or she loses a little strength of character each time he or she refuses to face a challenge of life. So it is with many of us even today.

Every time we do not pursue opportunities to fulfill our God-given abilities and destiny because we are fearful of failure, or what others may think or say, then a piece of us dies within. If you are driven by fear instead of courage, you will die many times throughout your life. Fear is a prolonged, agonizing death that, like untreated cancer, may take decades to progress until you become an empty shell, with no will to carry on.

In contrast, a valiant person, that is, a person with courage may fail many more times than a fearful person will. But each time they will become stronger. Failure can be compared to what happens when you are bodybuilding. Each workout tears down the muscles so that as they reconstruct, they become larger and stronger. Each day that we choose courage over fear, we build up our resolve, and our inner spirit is strengthened.

When you are spiritually, mentally, emotionally, and physically healthy, you will live a fulfilling, vibrant, and satisfying life. A person with courage may experience failures, but they always get back up to fight yet another day. A valiant person only dies when they have completed their God-given purpose, and their journey on earth has been completed.

https://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=Joshua+1:9andversion=NLT (Joshua 1:9)

This is my command—be strong and courageous! Do not be afraid or discouraged. For the Lord your God is with you wherever you go.

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 Wisdom-Trek, Creating a Legacy.

If you would like to listen to any of our past 1374 treks or read the Wisdom Journal, they are available at https://wisdom-trek.com/captivate-podcast/day-1373/ (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:

Live Abundantly...

Wisdom-Trek / Creating a LegacyWelcome to Day 1374 of our Wisdom-Trek, and thank you for joining me.This is Guthrie Chamberlain, Your Guide to WisdomThe Church as a Tumbleweed – Meditation MondayWisdom - 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 https://wisdom-trek.com/captivate-podcast/day-1374/ (Day 1374) 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.

If we are honest with ourselves, none of us like to sacrifice our comforts. Very few desire to sacrifice by hunkering down in our own “shelter,” but there are many people that would love to have a few days at home. I realize that we all desire for the world’s economy to get back to work, so we can return to a schedule that is comfortable for us. Even this temporary inconvenience, though, is nothing compared to what the early church faced and what many churches face today under repressive regimes, such as in China. You would think that these crazy times would snuff out the church, but the opposite is true. Today let us meditate on a strange parable called...

The Church as a Tumbleweed

You are probably thinking, “What a strange analogy…What could the church possibly have in common with a tumbleweed?” This story came to mind after reading information about the attributes of the tumbleweed. While working with a client in Kingman, Arizona, a few years back, I used to see tumbleweed on windy days, like in the old westerns rolling by in the open plains. The wind blew there often, so it was a fairly common occurrence during the dry seasons. We also traveled across the entire state of Texas to spend time with our oldest son and his family last Christmas. And once again, the wind was sailing down the plains, and you could see the tumbleweed bouncing along the ground.

I recently read a story from a man who grew up in Texas, and this is what he said. “We had 70 acres on our ranch to explore, fish, make forts, and play. Anytime we had to make a fire when camping, we would find a tumbleweed, stomp it into small pieces, and use it as fire-starter for dead mesquite limbs. We learned that you NEVER put a full-sized tumbleweed on a burning fire. As it burned, the tumbleweed would pop and shower the air with red-hot embers that floated on the wind threatening to start a wildfire. The more you tried to stomp out the burning tumbleweed, the more you spread the embers on the wind.”

This reminded me of a book written by the New Testament scholar, F.F. Bruce called “The Spreading Flame.” Let me read to you https://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=+Acts+8%3A1-4andversion=NLT (Acts 8:1-4). Meditate on it to see if you can understand the analogy of the church to a tumbleweed.

Saul was one of the witnesses, and he agreed completely with the killing of Stephen. A great wave of persecution began that day, sweeping over the church in Jerusalem, and all the believers except the apostles were scattered through the regions of Judea and Samaria. (Some devout men came and buried Stephen with great mourning.) But Saul was going everywhere to...

Wisdom-Trek / Creating a LegacyWelcome to Day 1373 of our Wisdom-Trek, and thank you for joining me.This is Guthrie Chamberlain, Your Guide to WisdomHope Beyond The Horizon – Ask GrampsWisdom - 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, 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 1373 of our Trek and time for our Philosophy Friday series. Each Friday, we will ponder some of the fundamental 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 where we can ‘Ask Gramps.’ Gramps will answer questions that you would like to ask your dad or granddad, but for whatever reason, this is not possible. No matter how old we are, I know that all of us would like the opportunity to ask dad or gramps questions about life in many areas.

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

So the question for this week is:

“Hey, Gramps, I am struggling with keeping my hope alive with the social-distancing restrictions in place. Even though there seems to be some possibility of slowly lifting those restrictions, what advice do you have to help me strengthen my hope?

Hope Beyond The HorizonThe entire world is still, for the most part, under shelter in place orders due to the Covid-19 pandemic. This has been such a trying and uncertain time for so many people. I see that many have lost their hope. Some have lost their jobs. Some may lose their businesses. Some have become ill, and yes, some have lost their life. It is so easy to lose hope during these times.

It appears that throughout the world, these sacrifices have prevented many from becoming ill and dying. While there is a glimmer of hope on the horizon because it seems that some business can start gradually opening back up, there is in the back of our minds, will this cause a resurgence of the virus. This certainly creates a dampening of that hope.

If we put our hope solely in government officials, disease experts, statistics, modeling, and news reports, it becomes difficult to maintain that hope. It seems like their stories change every week. As Christ-followers, our hope is not based on any of these, although they may keep us informed. We are not responsible for this virus and its restrictions, but we are responsible for how we react to our current situation. https://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=1+Peter+3%3A14-15andversion=NLT (1 Peter 3:14-15) But even if you suffer for doing what is right, God will reward you for it. So don’t worry or be afraid of their threats. Instead, you must worship Christ as Lord of your life. And if someone asks about your hope as a believer, always be ready to explain it.I have to admit, though, even for the most mature Christ-followers, there are days where it is difficult to maintain a reasonable level of hope. Our world, as we knew it will probably never return to what was normal. We have to make sure that we are prepared, in our minds and heart, for whatever our new normal becomes. Nobody on earth, at this point, knows what that will be. So today, I would like to offer four steps along the road of having a life with hope, meaning, and purpose, even during these days.

I believe that the first thing we must accept is that hope exists. There is hope. Before we can decide what to believe in, we need to understand that there is something to believe in. Some people look at the world and dismiss hope, choosing to focus on