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Wisdom-Trek / Creating a LegacyWelcome to Day 1323 of our Wisdom-Trek, and thank you for joining me.This is Guthrie Chamberlain, Your Guide to WisdomTrue Love – 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 1323 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, with it being around Valentine's Day, you hear a lot about giving flowers and chocolates to show love, but that isn’t what love is about. As I suppose with all ages, we hear so much about erotic love today. I know that is an aspect of showing love, but can you give me a description of all-encompassing love for someone?

True LoveThat is a great question, and one that is so appropriate as this podcast will be released on Valentine's Day. For Paula and me, this will be our 41st Valentine's Day together, and we look forward to at least another 41 years. I have to say, that Paula has been truly a blessing to me, and I am certain that Paula would echo my sentiment. To have a spouse that is so dedicated to a pure and loving marriage is a blessing beyond measure. Love for us has been fairly easy because, from the very beginning, we knew that love for each other is a choice that we make each day, and that it is will be that way until God takes us home to be with Him. That being said, our love is also based on the Biblical teachings of what true love is, and what love is not. There are two passages that come to mind when I think about Biblical love. The first one is https://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=John+15%3A9-14andversion=NLT (John 15:9-14,) “I have loved you even as the Father has loved me. Remain in my love. When you obey my commandments, you remain in my love, just as I obey my Father’s commandments and remain in his love. I have told you these things so that you will be filled with my joy. Yes, your joy will overflow! This is my commandment: Love each other in the same way I have loved you. There is no greater love than to lay down one’s life for one’s friends. You are my friends if you do what I command.The second passage is considered the great love chapter and that is 1 Corinthians 13. I will share with you today 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.

If you follow these two passages, and allow them to be integrated into the very fabric of your life, then you will love others properly, and they, in turn, will love and appreciate you.

That is a wrap for today’s question. Join us...

Wisdom-Trek / Creating a LegacyWelcome to Day 1322 of our Wisdom-Trek, and thank you for joining me.This is Guthrie Chamberlain, Your Guide to WisdomI Can't Understand You – 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 1322 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:

I Can’t Understand YouIt was a bitterly cold winter day, but old Mr. Miller was bound and determined to do some ice fishing so he could have some fresh fish for dinner. He got up early and headed to a nearby lake. Mr. Miller walked to his usual fishing spot on the frozen lake. He set up his shelter, cut a hole in the ice, and dropped in his fishing line. He was there for almost an hour, without even a nibble. As he bundled up more trying to keep warm, he noticed little Johnny, a neighbor boy, strutting out onto the ice, pitch a little lean-to, and proceed to cut a hole in the ice not far from him. Mr. Miller thought to himself, yeah, good luck kid, I have been here for over an hour and the fish aren’t biting today. To his surprise, little Johnny dropped his fishing line, and minutes later, he hooked a Largemouth Bass.

Old Mr. Miller couldn't believe his eyes but chalked it up to plain luck. But, shortly thereafter, little Johnny pulled in another large catch.

He watched little Johnny for the next hour and the young boy kept catching fish after fish. Finally, Mr. Miller couldn't take it any longer, so he exited his hut and proceeded over to little Johnny’s lean-to. In a rather loud and irritated voice, he said, “Johnny, I've been here for nearly two hours without even a nibble. You've been here less than an hour and have caught a half dozen fish! How do you do it?”

Little Johnny responded, “Roo raf roo reep ra rums rrarm.”

Mr. Miller, knowing that he was a bit hard of hearing, said, “What was that?”

Again little Johnny responded, “Roo raf roo reep ra rums rarrm.”

“Look,” old Mr. Miller snarled, “Speak clearly, son, I can't understand a word you're saying.”

Little Johnny spat the contents of his mouth into his hand and declared, “You have to keep the worms warm!”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: “Speak clearly, if you speak at all; carve every word before you let it fall.”

https://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=Proverbs+17:27andversion=NLT (Proverbs 17:27)

A truly wise person uses few words; a person with understanding is even-tempered.

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 1321 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...

Wisdom-Trek / Creating a LegacyWelcome to Day 1321 of our Wisdom-Trek, and thank you for joining me.I am Guthrie Chamberlain, Your Guide to WisdomMastering the Bible – Excavations and Timelines – 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. This is Day 1321 of our trek, and it is Worldview Wednesday. Creating a Biblical Worldview is important to have a proper perspective on today’s current events.

To establish a Biblical Worldview, you must also have a proper understanding of God and His Word. 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 – Excavations and TimelinesInsight Thirty-Seven: Most of the Cities and Towns Mentioned in the Bible Have Not Been Excavated

If you asked someone where the events of the Bible took place, chances are you’d get an answer like “Israel” or “the Holy Land.” That's, of course, true, but the statement is imprecise and, to a significant extent, quite incomplete.

There are hundreds of sites mentioned in the Bible that are connected to events in the biblical saga. Some are the setting for just one event, while others are crucial focus points for many episodes in the history of Israel or the work of Jesus and the apostles.

Only a small percentage of the places mentioned in the Bible have been excavated by archaeologists. Archaeology regularly yields information that illumines the biblical world and the stories we read in Scripture. The fact that many sites in Israel have not yet been excavated, or even discovered, is important for Bible students in several respects.

First, the circumstances of biblical events are often framed by their location. Biblical places often have a long history (positive or negative), and that history creates the backdrop for why a biblical writer may have included it in the story. By way of a more modern example, Robert E. Lee’s refusal to accept President Lincoln’s offer of command over the Army of the Potomac is comprehensible when we learn Lee was from Virginia.

Lee was no apologist for slavery. Given the proximity the army offered to him to his home state, Lee could not bear the thought of invading his home state and killing fellow Virginians. Lee’s personal attachment to the geography of the situation prompted his decision. In terms of the Bible, when sites cannot be located or go unexcavated, some details of Bible interpretation remain unclear. Archaeology becomes a hermeneutical aid.

Second, excavation of sites often helps clear up a Bible difficulty or perceived error in the biblical text. The history of biblical scholarship has numerous examples of how archaeology clears up an apparent dilemma or lends credibility to biblical details. For example, an inscription discovered at the Tel Dan discovered in 1993 contains what most scholars regard as a verifiable reference to the “house of David.” Seals (small pieces of pressed clay) bearing the names of biblical kings serve to validate their existence.

Archaeological work in Israel is a work in progress. When hostile critics attack the Bible on the flawed presumption that all the data that could illuminate the discussion has been discovered, their...

Wisdom-Trek / Creating a LegacyWelcome to Day 1320 of our Wisdom-Trek, and thank you for joining me.This is Guthrie Chamberlain, Your Guide to WisdomAbundantly Grateful – 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 1320 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 Thomas à Kempis, and it is: Be thankful for the least gift, so shalt thou be ready to receive greater.

Abundantly Grateful

It is only when we are thankful and grateful for the smallest gifts in life can we then be thankful for more when we do receive it. In fact, if we are not thankful for that which is least important, we will never receive anything more. The heart is like a fertile garden. It is only when we plant the tiny seeds of thankfulness will our hearts have the capacity to accept and grow that thankfulness into abundant gratitude. So what are the small things, to which you barely recognize anymore, that you should be grateful for? A brand new day? Being able to breathe? A warm place to live? The love and concern that we have from others, and can show to others? The quiet moment of peace in the midst of this hectic world? There is so much that we can be abundantly grateful for, that thankfulness should gush from our lips at all times. So the next time you find yourself grumbling and complaining, stop and take a moment for gratitude for life and the blessings to be alive so that you can positively impact others. With your mouth praise God, the giver of all gifts, and soon you will find that you are now ready to receive more for which you can be grateful. Let us be abundantly grateful at all times.https://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=Colossians+3:14-16andversion=NLT (Colossians 3:14-16)

Above all, clothe yourselves with love, which binds us all together in perfect harmony. And let the peace that comes from Christ rule in your hearts. For as members of one body, you are called to live in peace. And always be thankful. Let the message about Christ, in all its richness, fill your lives. Teach and counsel each other with all the wisdom he gives. Sing psalms and hymns and spiritual songs to God with thankful hearts.

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 1319 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 1319 of our Wisdom-Trek, and thank you for joining me.This is Guthrie Chamberlain, Your Guide to WisdomHow Do You View Success? – 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-1319/ (Day 1319) 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.

Today we are going a little different angle in our meditation to look at an Old Testament character. We will explore one aspect of Abraham’s promised son, Isaac. I recently read one of my devotionals from the book “Men of the Bible” produced by Ann Spangler, which I found interesting as it considered Isaac’s business success. So today, let us consider…

How Do You View Success?

Let me share some background information about Isaac to refresh your memory.

His name means: "He laughs." The reason for this is that his mother laughed when God’s messenger told her that she would have a son, considering she was over ninety years old.

His work: Isaac was an accomplished farmer and herdsman.

His character: The only son of Abraham and Sarah, Isaac, at a young age, witnessed, through the faithfulness of his father, the meaning of obedience. He was gentle and hardworking.

His sorrow: As an old and feeble man, Isaac was victimized by the deception of his son Jacob and to his later dismay, gave him the blessing that he had intended for his older son, Esau.

His triumph: Isaac is considered one of the three great patriarchs. For millennia his progeny have revered him.

Key Scriptures: http://links.biblegateway.mkt4731.com/ctt?kn=27andms=NjMwNDIzOTcS1andr=MjgwMDY3MDI2NzcS1andb=0andj=MTgwNDQwNjA5OQS2andmt=1andrt=0 (Genesis 25-27)

Now let’s continue on with the story of his business success. Ask yourself how you would respond to this scenario. When a man or woman is hugely successful in their work, everyone notices. Some of those people celebrate their prosperity; others hate them for it. What would your response be?

This is what Isaac experienced. He is one of the early farmers in the Scriptures with a remarkable green thumb. Genesis 26:12-13 says, "When Isaac planted his crops that year, he harvested a hundred times more grain than he planted, for the Lord blessed him. He became a very rich man, and his wealth continued to grow." Isaac had a secret formula – something more powerful than a precise crop rotation strategy or specially formulated fertilizer: The Lord blessed him.

Godly excellence in the marketplace and the generous compensation that often follows it has been the subject of controversy among believers for centuries. Surely Christians are supposed to aspire to serving professions like physicians, missionaries, nurses, and teachers. But is there a place for successful, competitive businesspeople in God's plan as well?

The story of Isaac and his wife Rebekah's years in the land of the Philistines illustrates the answer to these questions – and the reason why. As Isaac and Rebekah were leaving Canaan and looking for a...

Wisdom-Trek / Creating a LegacyWelcome to Day 1318 of our Wisdom-Trek, and thank you for joining me.This is Guthrie Chamberlain, Your Guide to WisdomCreating Peace – 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, 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-1318/ (Day 1318) of our trek, and it is time for our Philosophy Friday series. Each Friday, we ponder some of the basic truths and mysteries of life and how they can impact us in creating our living legacy. As we continue on this trek called life, sometimes we have questions about life, so our Friday trek is a time when we can “Ask Gramps.” Gramps will answer questions that you would like to ask your dad or granddad, but for whatever reason, you are unable to. No matter how old we are, I know that all of us would like the opportunity to ask Dad or Gramps questions about life in many areas.

We may mix it up a bit on our Friday episodes, but we 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, life seems so busy and hectic. I don’t seem to have any time of peace from the time I get up, until I fall exhausted in my bed at night. I would like to learn how to have peace, even in the middle of chaos. What wise tips do you have to help?”

Creating Peace

Come with me in your mind and picture yourself sitting on the fishing deck of a nearby lake immersing yourself in the peaceful and serene setting. A light breeze stirs the surface to quiet ripples as the sun creeps over the horizon. Flags on the docks of the lake-dwellers indicate an early start to the winds that will follow. An egret glides smoothly across a small inlet to fish in the shallow water. What could be more peaceful?

As you sit there in the quiet of the early morning, somewhere in the distance, there is the sound of what is to come. A motor ignites with a healthy roar and the day is on. Shortly, the lake will be filled with the noise of boats — ski boats, fishing boats, and those angry little hornets called Sea-doos, the motorcycles of the waterways. This rhythm is the daily cycle, the transformation from peace to chaos and back again.

This rhythm of a day on the lake will help you to realize that life is not so different. Few of us can hold on to those peaceful moments very long without interruption. Most of us must have the promise of the return of peace.

For some, however, a time of peace never seems to appear. Their lives are stressful from daybreak to dark — and often stressful through the night. Those long stretches without peace are difficult times! Most of us have experienced them for periods, but no one can withstand them forever.

Is there hope for you and others stuck in the long stretches of life without peace? Days grow into weeks and then months…Without realizing it your life has very little peace for what seems to be years on end. Stop for a moment and realize that as with all choices and decisions that we make in life, the amount and level of peace, is, at least somewhat, dependent on you.

You have to get to the point where you create your own peace. For me, my time of peace starts at 4:45 am each morning. My time of peace must be before the world wakes up. Before, I am constantly bombarded with messages, emails, calls, and other work-related demands. This early morning peacetime is a time of quiet devotion and exercise time. A time to communion with God alone.

Perhaps we should learn a lesson here. To seek quiet in a time of noise can be...

Wisdom-Trek / Creating a LegacyWelcome to Day 1317 of our Wisdom-Trek, and thank you for joining me.This is Guthrie Chamberlain, Your Guide to WisdomThe Friendly Deacon – 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 1317 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:

The Friendly DeaconYoung Deacon Jones was ushering one Sunday morning when he noticed an elderly woman walking towards the front door of Crossroads Country Church. The front steps of the church were quite steep and long, so Deacon Jones rushed out to help the older lady. He greeted her warmly and asked her name as he assisted up the stairs. She responded a bit curtly, just call me Maggie, but she said little else.

As they walked into the sanctuary, Deacon Jones asked politely, “Where would you like to sit, Maggie?”

Maggie replied, “The front row please.”

With a bit of a grin on his face, Deacon Jones bent down and whispered in Maggie’s ear, “You really don't want to do that, the pastor is really boring.”

Maggie turned her head and stared right into Deacon Jones’s eyes and said: “Do you happen to know who I am young man?” Taken back a bit, Deacon Jones replied, “well, no.”

“Well, I'm the pastor's mother,” Maggie replied indignantly.

Blushing, Deacon Jones asks, “Do you know who I am?”

“No,” Maggie replied Maggie.

“That’s good” Deacon Jones answered, “Let me show you the front pew.”

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: “If you keep your mouth shut, you will never put your foot in it.”

Proverbs 20:15

Wise words are more valuable than much gold and many rubies.

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 1316 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 (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 Philosophy Friday!

Wisdom-Trek / Creating a LegacyWelcome to Day 1316 of our Wisdom-Trek, and thank you for joining me.I am Guthrie Chamberlain, Your Guide to WisdomMastering the Bible – When Israel is not Israel – 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 1316 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 – When Israel Is Not IsraelInsight Thirty-Five: “Israel” Doesn’t Always Mean “Israel” in the Old TestamentMost Bible students will know that Israel’s first three kings were Saul, David, and Solomon. They were the only three kings to rule over all twelve tribes, what scholars call the united monarchy. The complete kingdom was known in the Old Testament as Israel, since the twelve tribes of Israel swore allegiance to the same king. Solomon’s reign ends in l Kings 11. That means the united monarchy - the lives of Saul, David, and Solomon - are covered in 1-2 Samuel and l Kings 1-10.

After Solomon died, ten of the tribes seceded from the nation and formed their own kingdom. From that point on, the way biblical writers referred to both political entities can be confusing.

The two tribes left after the secession were Judah and Benjamin. The latter was a tiny tribe and geographical area. Judah was much larger and the place where Jerusalem, the former capital of the united monarchy, was located. Judah was the tribe of David, whom God had chosen and whose lineage God had declared by a covenant was the only legitimate dynasty for rule over his people (2 Samuel 7). Both Judah and Benjamin were located in the southern section of the promised land. As a result, the southern kingdom of these two tribes became known as Judah.

The ten tribes who had defected from David's dynasty were a different story. Since they comprised the bulk of the land and the tribes, they retained the name “Israel” as a political entity. That means that, after the kingdom split in 1 Kings 11, “Israel” often refers only to the ten tribes. Most of the territory covered by these ten tribes covered the northern part of the promised land, and so this “Israel” is also referred to as the northern kingdom.To make things more complicated, the ten-tribe nation of “Israel” also went by other names. The central hill country of the land was dominated by the territory of the tribe of Ephraim. Jereboam, the first king of the renegade ten tribes, built his capital, Shechem, in Ephraim. However, Ephraim’s own capital had been Samaria. After the time of Jereboam, Samaria became the capital of the northern kingdom. Consequently, the ten-tribe northern kingdom of “Israel” was also known as Ephraim and Samaria.

All of this has an impact on our reading of the Old Testament’s historical material after l Kings 11, as well as books of the prophets who lived after the original kingdom split. “Israel” in those books mostly refers to only ten tribes and is interchangeable with Ephraim and

Wisdom-Trek / Creating a LegacyWelcome to Day 1315 of our Wisdom-Trek, and thank you for joining me.This is Guthrie Chamberlain, Your Guide to WisdomLiving By Gratitude – 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 1315 of our Trek, and it is time for our 3-minute mini trek called Wisdom Unplugged. This short nugget of wisdom includes an inspirational quote with a little bit of additional content for today’s trek. Consider this your vitamin supplement of wisdom for today. So let’s jump right in with today’s nugget:

Today’s quote is from John F. Kennedy, and it is: As we express our gratitude, we must never forget that the highest appreciation is not to utter words, but to live by them.

Living By GratitudeWe should always express our gratitude each time that someone does something for us, not just a one-time acknowledgment of it. It is great to verbally express our gratitude, but if it becomes just redundant platitudes without living a life of gratitude, it will not mean nearly as much. The best way to continually show gratitude is to live in a manner that reflects true gratitude. Let me give an example from my childhood. As I mentioned last week, I was one of ten children and grew up poor on an apple orchard. We lived in an old farmhouse with only one bathroom. This was quite a challenge. Although it was difficult at times to show our appreciation for each other and our parents. We learned throughout our lives that we needed to express our gratitude in word and deed. We didn’t always get along, but it was instilled in us from an early age that we also needed to show our gratitude by helping and assisting each other with all of the farm duties, and household tasks. To survive, it was vitally important for each of us to pitch in our do our part. Our love for and helping each other was a priority that our parents instilled in us throughout our lives. Although my dad is now in a nursing home, with severe dementia, and very acute hearing loss, the nurses frequently make comments on how pleasant and appreciative dad is to everyone there as they care for him. Both verbally expressing and living a life of gratitude is part of the very fabric of dad’s life. We need to make sure that we make it part of the very fabric of our lives also.As Christ taught us in the New Testament, which is referred to as the Golden rule, https://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=Matthew+7:12andversion=NLT (Matthew 7:12)

Do to others whatever you would like them to do to you. This is the essence of all that is taught in the law and the prophets.

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 1314 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...

Wisdom-Trek / Creating a LegacyWelcome to Day 1314 of our Wisdom-Trek, and thank you for joining me.This is Guthrie Chamberlain, Your Guide to WisdomWeddings and Funerals – 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 1314 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.

Two occasions that bring families and friends together is when we unite to the one we love, and when we have to say goodbye to the one we love in this world. So today, let us consider:

Weddings and FuneralsWhen a man and a woman marry, the two become one. Those who were separate, are now united. It is a life that is meant to be lived happily ever after. That is, at least, until death once again separates them. We should not fear that death, though, because Jesus promised, not just an afterlife, but a better life. This promise of Christ is found in https://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=John+14%3A1-3andversion=NLT (John 14:1-3): Don’t let your hearts be troubled. Trust in God, and trust also in me. There is more than enough room in my Father’s home. If this were not so, would I have told you that I am going to prepare a place for you? When everything is ready, I will come and get you, so that you will always be with me where I am.

We who live in the western world might miss the wedding images that are described in this passage, but Jesus’ listeners didn’t. This was a groom-to-bride promise. Upon receiving the permission of both families, the groom returned to the home of his father and built a home for his bride. He “prepared a place.”By promising to do the same for us, Jesus elevates funerals, which is his imminent death, to the same hope level as weddings. From his perspective, the trip to the grave and the walk down the aisle warrant identical excitement.

Weddings are great news! Jesus says, so are burials. Both celebrate a new era, name, and home. In both, the groom walks the bride away on his arm. Jesus is our coming groom. He said, I am going to prepare a place for you, and then “I will come and get you.” He will meet us at the altar. Your final glimpse of life will trigger your first glimpse of him.

But how can we be sure he will keep this pledge? Do we have any guarantee that his words are more than empty poetry or vain superstition? Dare we set our hope and hearts in the hands of a small-town Jewish carpenter? The answer rests in the Jerusalem grave. If Jesus’ tomb is empty, then his promise is not. Leave it to the apostle Paul to reduce the logic to a single sentence in https://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=1+Corinthians+15%3A23andversion=NLT (1 Corinthians 15:23): But there is an order to this resurrection: Christ was raised as the first of the harvest; then all who belong to Christ will be raised when he comes back.

Paul was writing to Corinthian Christians, people who had been schooled in the Greek philosophy of a shadowy afterlife. Someone was convincing them that corpses couldn’t be raised, neither theirs nor Christ’s. The apostle couldn’t bear such