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Wisdom-Trek / Creating a LegacyWelcome to Day 1342 of our Wisdom-Trek, and thank you for joining me.This is Guthrie Chamberlain, Your Guide to WisdomThe Lost Pilot – 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, 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-1342/ (Day 1342) 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 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 Lost Pilot

Hank was flying his Cessna 182 one late afternoon when he got blown off course due to a prevailing headwind. Once he was able to make the correction and get back on course for his small home airport, he realized that he was over a military base and very low on fuel. At about 8 p.m. just as it was getting dark, his plane started to sputter due to lack of fuel, Hank spotted a runway in the distance and headed that direction so that he could make an emergency landing.

Hank tried to talk with the tower on his radio, but he received no replies. What Hank did not realize was that it was at a top-secret government Air Force base. As soon as he landed and brought his plane to a stop, Hank was quickly surrounded by armed military police and roughly taken inside for interrogation. The interrogation was grueling because the Air Force commander wanted to make sure it was an unplanned landing, and he was not a spy or terrorist.

The interrogation lasted all night as they tried to break Hank and get him to confess. At 6 a.m., being reasonably confident that Hank was not all that bright and did not pose a threat, they finally refueled his plane and let him go with his promise never to return.

Wouldn’t you know it though, four hours later, he returned and landed on the same runway? Military police once again met him on the runway and surrounded his plane. This time both Hank and his wife Margaret got out of the plane with their hands in the air. The Commander strolled out to his aircraft with a stern look, and his loud voice bellowed, “Hank, why on earth did you return after we made it very clear that this was a restricted airbase?”

Sheepishly hank said as he looked towards Margaret, “I know I promised never to return, but I brought my wife Margaret. And now you have to convince her where I was all night...”

I hope that brought a smile to your face today. If it did, pass your smile on to someone else, we all could use a kind smile. Our Thursday thought is "my job is so Top Secret even I don’t know what I am doing."

https://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=Ecclesiastes+12:14andversion=NLT (Ecclesiastes 12:14)

God will judge us for everything we do, including every secret thing, whether good or bad.

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 1341 treks or read the Wisdom Journal, they are all available at...

Wisdom-Trek / Creating a LegacyWelcome to Day 1341 of our Wisdom-Trek, and thank you for joining me.I am Guthrie Chamberlain, Your Guide to WisdomMastering the Bible – Most Prophecy is Already Fulfilled – 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 1341 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 – Most Prophecy is Already FulfilledInsight Forty-Five: Old Testament Prophets Preached at Different Times and PlacesSince the books of the prophets are grouped together in English Bibles, it appears to most Bible readers that the prophets lived and ministered at roughly the same time. That isn’t the case.

The biblical prophets are divisible into two categories. First, there are the prophets who didn’t write any books we have in the Old Testament. Some famous prophets like Elijah and Elisha are in that category. They didn’t write anything as far as we know. Then there are the ‘‘writing prophets,” those who left us with material in the Old Testament. The writing prophets are typically categorized into the “major prophets” (the name given to lengthy books like Isaiah, Jeremiah, and Ezekiel) and “minor prophets” (short books like Micah, Habakkuk, and Obadiah).

Regardless of the organizational groupings into which any of the prophets might fall, they lived over a span of hundreds of years. They also ministered in various parts of the promised land.

Most prophetic books contain enough information to situate a prophet chronologically. For example, prophets like Elijah and Elisha lived in the tenth and ninth centuries BC (ca. 950—850 BC). We know that because their ministries overlapped with King Ahab. Isaiah lived in the second half of the eighth century BC since his life intersected with the kings Uzziah, Jotham, Ahaz, and Hezekiah. Prophets like Jeremiah, who mention the end of the line of the kings of Judah, can be safely situated just before the fall of Judah to Nebuchadnezzar of Babylon (ca. 586 BC).

If a prophet lived prior to 722 BC, the date of the fall of the ten-tribe northern kingdom of Israel, they may have ministered to either Israel or Judah. Solving this question depends in part on whether kings of the north or south are mentioned in their written material. It can also be resolved by the mention of a hostile foreign empire, like Assyria (northern kingdom enemy) or Babylon (southern kingdom enemy), or by means of a focus on Israel/Samaria or Judah.For example, Ezekiel’s prophecy opens at the river Chebar in Babylon, allowing us to know he was among the captives taken from Judah. Hosea’s book begins with the list of the same kings who reigned during Isaiah’s lifetime (Uzziah, Jotham, Ahaz, and Hezekiah). Hosea ministered in to the apostate northern kingdom, since he mentions the threat of Assyria (Hosea 8:8—9) and focuses on the northern kingdom of Israel. Isaiah, on the other hand, focuses on Judah and its environs....

Wisdom-Trek / Creating a LegacyWelcome to Day 1340 of our Wisdom-Trek, and thank you for joining me.This is Guthrie Chamberlain, Your Guide to WisdomCreated In Love – 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 1340 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 Catherine of Siena, and it is: A soul cannot live without loving. It must have something to love for it was created in love.

Created In LoveOur soul, that is who we are at our very essence, was created in love. What I am referring to here is the love that can only come from God. It is beautifully described in https://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=1+John+4%3A16-19andversion=NLT (1 John 4:16-19) We know how much God loves us, and we have put our trust in his love. God is love, and all who live in love live in God, and God lives in them. And as we live in God, our love grows more perfect. So we will not be afraid on the day of judgment, but we can face him with confidence because we live like Jesus here in this world. Such love has no fear, because perfect love expels all fear. If we are afraid, it is for fear of punishment, and this shows that we have not fully experienced his perfect love. We love each other because he loved us first.We cannot live properly until we know how to love properly. Perfect love is not based on conditions, but is unconditional. Perfect love is not afraid, because perfect love expels all fears. Once we experience God’s perfect love, we can live properly, because we will know how to love properly. It is best summed up in https://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=1+Corinthians+13%3A4-7andversion=NLT (1 Corinthians 13:4-7) Love is patient and kind. Love is not jealous or boastful or proud or rude. It does not demand its own way. It is not irritable, and it keeps no record of being wronged. It does not rejoice about injustice but rejoices whenever the truth wins out. Love never gives up, never loses faith, is always hopeful, and endures through every circumstance.

That’s a wrap for today’s Wisdom Unplugged quote. If you would like free access to my database of over 11,000 inspirational quotes, the link is available on the main page of Wisdom-Trek.com. 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 1339 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 1339 of our Wisdom-Trek, and thank you for joining me.This is Guthrie Chamberlain, Your Guide to WisdomMoving Mountains – 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 1339 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.

How much faith is enough to live a righteous life? It may surprise you, but a very tiny amount is needed. So today, let us consider:

Moving MountainsWe all have faith in our lives, even when we do not recognize that we do. When was the last time you thought whether your favorite chair would hold you when you sat in it? When was the last time, when going to bed, that you wondered if it would collapse? Probably a very long time, if ever. How much faith do you need to sit in your chair, or lie down in your bed? I would venture to say, very little faith. Why is that? It is because you are familiar with your chair and bed, and based on many days or nights of trusting them, you are confident that they would support you.

Our faith in God should be no different. It takes practically no faith to both believe and trust in God, or to trust that Jesus Christ is our substitution for falling short of God’s righteous requirements.

Let me read to you a story about faith. This takes place immediately following what is referred to as the transfiguration, where Peter, James, and John had the ultimate mountain top experience. They had just witnessed the glorified Jesus speaking with Moses and Elijah. Then they came back to reality. https://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=Matthew+17%3A14-20andversion=NLT (Matthew 17:14-20), At the foot of the mountain, a large crowd was waiting for them. A man came and knelt before Jesus and said, “Lord, have mercy on my son. He has seizures and suffers terribly. He often falls into the fire or into the water. So I brought him to your disciples, but they couldn’t heal him.” Jesus said, “You faithless and corrupt people! How long must I be with you? How long must I put up with you? Bring the boy here to me.” Then Jesus rebuked the demon in the boy, and it left him. From that moment, the boy was well. Afterward the disciples asked Jesus privately, “Why couldn’t we cast out that demon?” “You don’t have enough faith,” Jesus told them. “I tell you the truth, if you had faith even as small as a mustard seed, you could say to this mountain, ‘Move from here to there,’ and it would move. Nothing would be impossible.

Do you have the faith to move mountains? Mountains are huge, and we are pretty small in comparison. Besides that, we are emotional and fickle creatures. Our faith ebbs and flows. Sometimes we feel strong in our faith; other times, we have next to none.

Here is the good news: It is not up to our faith to move mountains, because we have nothing to do with it. God does. Only God is in the mountain-moving business. Since we are created to be imagers of God, we tend to usurp that which can only come from God. We may feel that it is up to us to muster up the faith

Wisdom-Trek / Creating a LegacyWelcome to Day 1338 of our Wisdom-Trek, and thank you for joining me.This is Guthrie Chamberlain, Your Guide to WisdomExercising Your Soul, Mind, and Body – 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 1338 of our Trek and time for our Philosophy Friday series. Each Friday, we will ponder some of the basic truths and mysteries of life, and how they can impact us in creating our living legacy. As we continue on this trek called life, sometimes we have questions about life, so our Friday trek is a time 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, during the winter months, it is difficult to remain active. It seems like my energy levels really plummet. It not only affects me physically, but also mentally, and spiritually. What tips do you have that will help to build my energy levels?

Exercising Your Soul, Mind, and BodyThis is natural, and happens to all of us at times. When we are lacking energy, we tend to put off what will actually re-energize us. Although it seems contrary, physical exercise actually will boost your energy levels. It does seem backward. You would think that exercise would make you feel more tired. For most people, however, it actually gives them more energy. Since I broke my femur bone almost three years ago, I still have pain in that leg, which I would not have had otherwise. The interesting aspect of this is that when I do not exercise, the pain actually becomes worst. Here is why physical exercise will give you more energy, not less. It does not require extensive cross-fit type training to be effective.

Any exercise or physical activity that gets the heart rate up and the blood flowing and releases endorphins is going to raise your energy level. Good cardiovascular exercises will strengthen your heart and give you more stamina. In addition to that, aerobic exercise has been shown to be among the best when it comes to helping ease symptoms of depression. So this will not only help your physical energy level, but also your renew your mind. Lower-intensity exercise, such as yoga, has also shown potential benefits when it comes to mood. Research suggests yoga may help reduce depression and anxiety. Physical activity, even if it’s not intense, routine exercise, was associated with lower levels of depression.

Which are the best energy-boosting exercises? It's really up to you and what you like to do. “It's not going to work if you don't like it. It's got to be something that's enjoyable that serves the aerobic goal.” It is also important to maintain a healthy diet, cut out the sweets, and increase protein to rebuild muscles to reap the most benefits from your workouts. As far as what type of physical activity is best for you. Pick something that you enjoy. Play a game of basketball, football, or tennis. Go jogging or walking with a friend, or go for a bike ride. Take some time for yourself and rock out to music or watch a favorite TV show while you step away the miles on an elliptical or stair-climbing machine at the gym. Go for a hike, or take your kids outside to the park and play with...

Wisdom-Trek / Creating a LegacyWelcome to Day 1337 of our Wisdom-Trek, and thank you for joining me.This is Guthrie Chamberlain, Your Guide to WisdomYour Face Tells The Story – 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 1337 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 provide 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:

Your Face Tells The Story

Miss Smith gazed out her classroom window as her class of third graders played on the playground during recess. Her attention landed on Jimmy and Sammy, who were in a tussle at the far end. They chased each other back and forth, so Miss Smith thought she should nip it in the bud before it got out of hand, and one of them got hurt.

As she approached them, Jimmy and Sammy saw her coming, and they sat at opposite sides of a bench and made terrible faces at each other. Miss Smith sat down between them and asked, “now Jimmy and Sammy, what seems to be the problem between you two.” Neither of them spoke, but just continued to make horrid faces at each other. Trying not to put more fuel on the fire, and wanting to help them to learn how to get along with each other, Miss Smith smiled sweetly at both of them and said. “Now Jimmy and Sammy, when I was a child, I was told if I made ugly faces, it would freeze, and I would stay like that.”

Both Jimmy and Sammy stared at her intently for what seemed a very long time. Finally, Sammy looked at her with all seriousness and said: “Well, Miss Smith, you can't say you weren't warned.”Both Jimmy and Sammy stared at her intently for what seemed a very long time. Finally, Sammy looked at her with all seriousness and said: “Well, Miss Smith, you can't say you weren't warned.”

I hope that brought a smile to your face today. If it did pass your smile onto some else, we all could use a good smile. Our Thursday thought is: Keep your face always toward the sunshine - and shadows will fall behind you.

https://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=James+1:22-24andversion=NLT (James 1:22-24)

But don’t just listen to God’s word. You must do what it says. Otherwise, you are only fooling yourselves. For if you listen to the word and don’t obey, it is like glancing at your face in a mirror. You see yourself, walk away, and forget what you look like.

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 1331 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, 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...

Wisdom-Trek / Creating a LegacyWelcome to Day 1336 of our Wisdom-Trek, and thank you for joining me.I am Guthrie Chamberlain, Your Guide to WisdomMastering the Bible – Prophecy and Prophets – 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. This is Day 1336 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, it is required that you also 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 – Prophecy and ProphetsInsight Forty-Three: Most of the Material in the Prophetic Books Isn’t about Predicting the FutureAs we begin a new section in Dr. Heiser’s book, our focus now turns to the prophets of the Old Testament. In popular usage, Christian or otherwise, the word “prophet” is associated with foretelling the future. That’s understandable when it comes to the Bible, since both testaments have prophetic figures making predictive statements about what will come to pass in the future. Despite that truth, it doesn’t take long when reading the prophets to discern that most of what they do isn’t about predicting anything. More than anything else, prophets were actually preachers. Scholars like to say that a prophet spent more time “forth-telling” than “fore-telling.”

What did prophets preach about? Righteousness, mostly. To be more precise, prophets spent most of their ministry railing against the sin and idolatry of the people of Israel and Judah. They were constantly reminding the people of their covenant relationship to God—how they had been rescued from Egypt, delivered at the Red Sea, and given the Law so that they could live happy, productive lives in accord with the God who loved them.

Israel, as a nation, had publicly proclaimed at Sinai that they would obey God’s law (Exodus 24). Prophets were vocal reminders of that promise. In that respect, they were basically covenant enforcers. They demanded that the people honor their relationship to God. In essence, they were preachers.It’s because of this role that we have the modern expression about “speaking with a prophetic voice.” When you hear that phrase, it doesn’t concern predicting the future. Rather, the point is that some man or woman is bold enough to tell the truth when it’s unpopular or even dangerous. That’s what prophets did, and they paid dearly for it.

Modern Bible readers have largely lost the correct orientation for reading the prophets. Talk about the future and discerning “the signs of the times” is more titillating than having someone tell you about your sin. But that’s crucial for walking with God. Someone needs to tell the truth. Prophets didn’t do it because they enjoyed it. They knew their ministry wasn’t going to make them popular. They did it because God wanted to rescue people from judgment.

That alone is a lesson for us today. Most contemporary preaching is about making us feel good about ourselves. There is no warning. It’s more important to realize that God loves us and wants us to turn from sin so he can bless us. Our Maker knows that a

Wisdom-Trek / Creating a LegacyWelcome to Day 1335 of our Wisdom-Trek, and thank you for joining me.This is Guthrie Chamberlain, Your Guide to WisdomA Grateful Thought – 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 1335 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 Gotthold Ephraim Lessing, and it is: A single grateful thought raised to heaven is the most perfect prayer.

A Grateful ThoughtGratefulness is important, yes, very important. What are some of the reasons we do not express our gratitude more frequently? Are we too proud? Are we too selfish? Are we so wrapped up within ourselves that it doesn’t even come to mind? Until we realize that all that we have, including the very next breath that we take, comes from God, we will not be as grateful as we should be. https://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=James+1:16-18andversion=NLT (James 1:16-18) puts it this way. So don’t be misled, my dear brothers and sisters. Whatever is good and perfect is a gift coming down to us from God our Father, who created all the lights in the heavens. He never changes or casts a shifting shadow. He chose to give birth to us by giving us his true word. And we, out of all creation, became his prized possession.In other words, all that we have, or ever hope to be, comes from a gracious and loving God. When we acknowledge this, and thank God for it, then that becomes a most perfect prayer. As we read in https://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=Psalm+50:14andversion=NLT (Psalm 50:14) Make thankfulness your sacrifice to God, and keep the vows you made to the Most High.

Once we get our vertical thanksgiving correct, that is between ourselves and God, then we can turn our gratitude horizontally. We should easily, freely, and often express our gratitude to our fellow humans. This gratitude needs to be both in word and in deed.Even if some days are difficult, and it is hard to be thankful, there is always someone or something in our lives to be grateful for. Especially on those dark days, instead of seeking someone to show kindness to you, turn the tables and show kindness to someone else. In doing so, you will soon realize that the blessings are returned to you, and be thankful. https://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=1%20Thessalonians+5:18andversion=NLT (1 Thessalonians 5:18)

Be thankful in all circumstances, for this is God’s will for you who belong to Christ Jesus

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 1334 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...

Wisdom-Trek / Creating a LegacyWelcome to Day 1334 of our Wisdom-Trek, and thank you for joining me.This is Guthrie Chamberlain, Your Guide to WisdomFix Your Thoughts – 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-1334/ (Day 1334) 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 order to properly meditate, we must have a proper mindset or attitude. We must fix our thoughts on appropriate life attributes. So today, let us consider…

Fix Your Thoughts

To fix something, that either implies that something is broken or it needs our undivided attention so that it does not become broken. Both of these concepts could be applied to today’s meditation. Before we can fix or focus our thoughts, we must plug into the proper mindset. This is what meditation allows us to do. Before we study this further, let me set the background by reading https://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=Philippians+4%3A4-9andversion=NLT (Philippians 4:4-9), "Always be full of joy in the Lord. I say it again — rejoice! Let everyone see that you are considered in all you do. Remember, the Lord is coming soon. Don't worry about anything; instead, pray about everything. Tell God what you need, and thank him for all he has done. Then you will experience God's peace, which exceeds anything we can understand. His peace will guard your hearts and minds as you live in Christ Jesus.

And now, dear brothers and sisters, one final thing. Fix your thoughts on what is true, and honorable, and right, and pure, and lovely, and admirable. Think about things that are excellent and worthy of praise. Keep putting into practice all you learned and received from me — everything you heard from me and saw me doing. Then the God of peace will be with you."

This is a great passage to establish a mindset of meditation. First, we clear our minds of that which is detrimental, then we fill our minds with that which is beneficial.

Sometimes the trials and pressures of life make it almost impossible to be happy. But Paul did not tell his readers to be happy. He encouraged them to be full of joy in the Lord. In fact, he said it twice in verse 4. Not some of the time, but always. Not just a little joy, but full of joy. Christ is the One in whom the sphere of rejoicing was to take place. Surely there are many circumstances in which Christians cannot be happy. But they can always be full of joy in the Lord and delight in Him. Paul himself was an excellent example of one who had inner joy when external circumstances—such as persecution, imprisonment, the threat of death—were against him.

In addition to joy, believers are to be considerate or gentle, which should be evident to everyone. This suggests a forbearing, non-retaliatory spirit. Joy, an inner quality in relation to circumstances, may not always be seen; but the way one reacts to others, whether in gentleness or harshness, will be noticed. Why be gentle? Because the Lord is coming soon.

Joy and...

Wisdom-Trek / Creating a LegacyWelcome to Day 1333 of our Wisdom-Trek, and thank you for joining me.This is Guthrie Chamberlain, Your Guide to WisdomOvercoming Being A Coward – 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 1333 of our Trek and time for our Philosophy Friday series. Each Friday, we will ponder some of the basic truths and mysteries of life, and how they can impact us in creating our living legacy. As we continue on this trek called life, sometimes we have questions about life, so our Friday trek is a time 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, there are times when I feel like a coward. I don’t stand up for what I feel is important even when it comes to defending my faith. Do you have tips that can help me gain courage?

Overcoming Being a CowardFor most people, they struggle with fear, self-doubt, and a lack of faith that God has everything under control. Even Joshua, who was Moses's understudy for nearly 40 years, needed God’s encouragement before taking over as the leader of the nation of Israel. https://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=Joshua+1%3A6-9andversion=NLT (Joshua 1:6-9) “Be strong and courageous, for you are the one who will lead these people to possess all the land I swore to their ancestors I would give them. Be strong and very courageous. Be careful to obey all the instructions Moses gave you. Do not deviate from them, turning either to the right or to the left. Then you will be successful in everything you do. Study this Book of Instruction continually. Meditate on it day and night so you will be sure to obey everything written in it. Only then will you prosper and succeed in all you do. 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.”

Let me tell you about another story. John Callender was a young officer under George Washington in the Revolutionary War. He failed miserably during the Battle of Bunker Hill and was dismissed from the army for behaving as a coward. On his papers, Gen. Washington wrote this: "Cowardice a crime, of all others the most injurious, and the last to be forgiven."

To his credit, Callender allowed his shame and embarrassment to move him to try to make up for what he had done and to redeem his good name. He didn't join the Redcoats. He didn't commit suicide. Instead, he re-enlisted as a private and behaved with such obvious courage at the Battle of Long Island that Washington revoked his earlier sentence and reinstated him as a captain.

The story of John Callender has a lesson in it for all of us. Nobody goes through life without episodes of weakness, failure, and humiliation. Those with the courage to begin again are people to be respected.It isn't easy, to be honest with oneself about failure and sin. The tendency is to be defensive and proud. Scripture holds that such a spirit hinders forgiveness in https://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=James+4%3A6-10andversion=NLT (James 4:6-10): And he gives grace generously. As the Scriptures say,

“God opposes the proud

but gives grace to the...