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Wisdom-Trek / Creating a LegacyWelcome to Day 1302 of our Wisdom-Trek, and thank you for joining me.This is Guthrie Chamberlain, Your Guide to WisdomWar Stories – Humor Unplugged

Wisdom - the final frontier to true knowledge. Welcome to Wisdom-Trek! Where our mission is to create a legacy of wisdom, to seek out discernment and insights, 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 1302 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:

War StoriesOne day down at the VFW hall, four old veterans were bragging about the heroic exploits of their ancestors.

Hank started the exploits by saying, “My grandfather was in the infantry during the Battle of Cantigny, where he was engaged in hand to hand combat with Germans. This was the first sustained American offensive during World War 1. He barely escaped with his life.”

Jim followed with his story and declared proudly, “That is interesting, Hank, but my great grandfather, at age 13, was a drummer boy at Shiloh. He came out unscathed during one of the bloodiest battles ever fought in the Civil War.”Sam went next and boasted, “Those are both pretty good story, but my great-great-grandfather was a crucial general in the Battle of Saratoga during the revolutionary war, although he was injured, that battle ended up being the turning point of the entire war.”

Joe was the last one to speak. He sat leaned back in his chair deep in thought, and finally spoke up. "Well, I'm the only soldier in my family, but if my great grandfather was living today, he'd be the most famous man in the world."

Hank, Jim, and Sam all gave Joe a curious look. Finally, Sam said, "Really? What'd your grandfather do?"

Joe scratched his head and then finally said, “Nothing much, really. But he would be 165 years old by now”

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: “https://www.azquotes.com/quote/270116?ref=war-stories (War is cruelty. There is no use trying to reform it. The crueler it is, the sooner it will be over.)”

https://www.azquotes.com/author/13493-William_Tecumseh_Sherman (William Tecumseh Sherman)

https://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=Proverbs+24:6andversion=NLT (Proverbs 24:6)

So don’t go to war without wise guidance; victory depends on having many advisers.

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 1301 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...

Wisdom-Trek / Creating a LegacyWelcome to Day 1301 of our Wisdom-Trek, and thank you for joining me.I am Guthrie Chamberlain, Your Guide to WisdomMastering the Bible – Holy Ground and Sacrifices – Worldview Wednesday

Wisdom - the final frontier to true knowledge. Welcome to Wisdom-Trek! Where our mission is to create a legacy of wisdom, to seek out discernment and insights, 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 1301 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 – Holy Ground and Sacrifices Insight Twenty-Nine: Biblical Writers Took the Concept of Holy Ground Seriously.To the ancient Israelite, the world was a perilous place. Not only did most people live a subsistence lifestyle, where daily bread was a literal concern, but they were surrounded by hostile supernatural forces. God’s choice of Israel was a blessing, but it came on the heels of the terrible judgment at the Tower of Babel, where all the other nations were allotted to the dominion of lesser gods as we looked at in Deuteronomy 32:8-9 in a previous week. At that point it Israel was alone against the world.

This worldview operated in tandem with an idea fundamental to biblical theology: the holiness of God. Last week we discussed how if something was set aside for God was considered holy; therefore, the things associated with him were holy or had to be made holy. Wherever the presence of God was to be found, that place was by definition holy ground. The most obvious example is the territory encompassed by the tabernacle and, later, the temple. Only priests—people who had been made holy that is, set apart or “sanctified” by ritual acts, were allowed on that holy ground.

The concept was actually broader. While the Israelites journeyed to the promised land, “holy ground” was also equated with the entire camp of Israel since the ark located within the Holy of Holies was at the center of the camp (Numbers 2—3). This is why, in the Day of Atonement ceremony, the goat that bore the sins of the nation was driven out of the camp (Leviticus 16). Sin has no place on holy ground.

Once the Israelites settled in the promised land—God’s domain—the entire land was considered holy ground. Everywhere outside Israel was unholy.

Some odd episodes in the Old Testament are understandable in light of this worldview. In 2 Kings 5, we read the story of Naaman, the Syrian captain who had leprosy. Once miraculously healed. Naaman asked the prophet, Elisha, if he could load his mule with dirt to take home with him. The request seems ridiculous, but isn’t. Naaman recognized that Yahweh of Israel was the true God, so Naaman wanted to take some holy ground back with him to Syria, which was ruled by another god, Rimmon. This is found in https://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=2+Kings+5%3A15-18andversion=NLT (2 Kings 5:15-18), Then Naaman and his entire party went back to find the man of God. They stood before him, and Naaman said, “Now I know that there is no God in all the world except in Israel. So please accept a gift from your servant.”...

Wisdom-Trek / Creating a LegacyWelcome to Day 1300 of our Wisdom-Trek, and thank you for joining me.This is Guthrie Chamberlain, Your Guide to WisdomOnly With Gratitude – Wisdom Unplugged

Wisdom - the final frontier to true knowledge. Welcome to Wisdom-Trek! Where our mission is to create a legacy of wisdom, to seek out discernment and insights, 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 1300 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 Dietrich Bonhoeffer, and it is: In ordinary life, we hardly realize that we receive a great deal more than we give, and that it is only with gratitude that life becomes rich. It is very easy to overestimate the importance of our own achievements in comparison with what we owe others.

Only With GratitudeRegardless of our personal situation or station in life, we all have so much to be grateful for. Most of us don’t take the time to ponder how blessed we really are. All of those who have gone before us, and those who are now impacting our lives have provided much to us and have contributed to who we are today. We need to be thankful for this. If we desire to be truly rich in life, it will always stem from a heart and soul of gratitude, regardless of what we have in the way of money or material possessions. So often, we become self-absorbed to the point where we think that our contribution to others is much greater than what we receive. This is usually not the case. In our lives, we receive so much from others and we need to set aside a few moments each day to consider and be grateful for all the blessings in our lives. Indeed, every breath that we take, is given to us from God. Every achievement we reach is a gift from God. Regardless of our lot in life, or our current circumstances, let us make the decision that each day we will set time aside to be thankful for all of God’s blessings that cascade through our lives. 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 1299 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 1299 of our Wisdom-Trek, and thank you for joining me.This is Guthrie Chamberlain, Your Guide to WisdomBattles and Blessings – Meditation Monday

Wisdom - the final frontier to true knowledge. Welcome to Wisdom-Trek where our mission is to create a legacy of wisdom, to seek out discernment and insights, and to boldly grow where few have chosen to grow before. Hello, my friend, I am Guthrie Chamberlain, your captain on our journey to increase wisdom and create a living legacy.

Thank you for joining us today as we explore wisdom on our 2nd millennium of podcasts. This is https://wisdom-trek.com/captivate-podcast/day-1299/ (Day 1299) 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.

One of my devotionals this year discussed how each of us has good times and difficult times in our lives as if it were an either/or situation. In our meditation today, let us consider…

Battles and Blessings

Sometimes in the Christian life, it seems like we are on a constant roller coaster of “battle and blessing, battle and blessing, battle and blessing…”

When we are in the battle, there are many who find it hard to believe that it will ever come to an end. When we are in a period of blessing the same thought comes to many, and they expect it will go on forever. But life is not like that. There are battles and blessings.

Pastor Rick Warren says that he used to think that the Christian life was a succession of battles and blessings, whereas now he thinks of life as being on two parallel tracks. At any given moment in life, there are usually blessings but also battles to face.

He gives the example of the huge blessing that came to him through the publication of The Purpose Driven Life, which became the fastest-selling Christian book of all time. It gave him enormous influence. But at the same time, he found out that his wife, Kay, had cancer. On one track of his life, there was great blessing; on the other track, there was a massive battle to face.

https://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=Proverbs+1%3A1-7andversion=NLT (Proverbs 1:1-7) will help us to learn to steer through battles and blessings. The purpose of the book of Proverbs is stated right from the start in verses 1-3.

These are the proverbs of Solomon, David’s son, king of Israel.

Their purpose is to teach people wisdom and discipline,

to help them understand the insights of the wise.

Their purpose is to teach people to live disciplined and successful lives,

to help them do what is right, just, and fair.

These Proverbs tell you how life usually works. They provide pragmatic and wise advice learned from a lifetime of experience. They help you attain “wisdom and discipline,” two very vital aspects of life, which do not happen overnight.

Verses 4-6 continue this thought.

These proverbs will give insight to the simple,

knowledge and discernment to the young.

Let the wise listen to these proverbs and become even wiser.

Let those with understanding receive guidance

by exploring the meaning in these proverbs and parables,

the words of the wise and their riddles.

The purpose of the book is to enable you to gain Wisdom, which is the art of steering through the battles and blessings of life and living skillfully in whatever conditions you find yourself. Wisdom is choosing to do now what you will be happy and content with later on.

Verse 7...

Wisdom-Trek / Creating a LegacyWelcome to Day 1298 of our Wisdom-Trek, and thank you for joining me.This is Guthrie Chamberlain, Your Guide to WisdomLife Happens Fast – Ask Gramps

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

Hello, my friend, I am Guthrie Chamberlain, your captain on our journey to increase wisdom and create a living legacy. Thank you for joining us today as we explore wisdom on our 2nd millennium of podcasts. This is https://wisdom-trek.com/captivate-podcast/day-1298/ (Day 1298) 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 just seems to slip by faster each year. I want to live a life of purpose, but most of the time, it seems like I am just racing from one event onto another, with little time to breathe, let alone reflect on what is most important. What wise tips can you give me to help slow down and live a full life, not a fast life?”

Life Happens Fast

I am not sure that I am the best qualified to answer this, but I doubt that few of us have the speed of life under as much control as we should. We hear the admonition to stop and smell the roses, or the coffee, but few of us really do. I love to smell both roses and coffee, but I have to ask myself, do I invest enough time doing so?

We all need to learn to watch more closely, to pay attention, to slow down, and to invest our time wisely. For most of us, life comes at us full force from our first breath and does not slow down until our last. We think in our minds, “There is no time to waste.” It is time we consider and practice the art of investing our time so that it daily reaps rewards that are eternal. That can’t happen when life is a blur.

Yes, scripture informs us that life is short, but we will make it shorter if we do not invest time properly. It is eternal kingdom work that we need to focus on as https://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=James+4%3A14-15andversion=NLT (James 4:14-15) says, "How do you know what your life will be like tomorrow? Your life is like the morning fog—it’s here a little while, then it’s gone. What you ought to say is, 'If the Lord wants us to, we will live and do this or that.'"

Since we do not know how our lives will impact eternity, we must invest our lives carefully with wisdom as https://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=Ephesians+5%3A15-16andversion=NLT (Ephesians 5:15-16) reminds, "So be careful how you live. Don’t live like fools, but like those who are wise. Make the most of every opportunity in these evil days."

When we live life on a treadmill or hamster wheel running ever faster but getting nowhere, we lose our joy and purpose for living and will have little impact on eternity. The evil one is a joy robber. https://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=John+10%3A10andversion=NLT (John 10:10) tells us, "The thief’s purpose is to steal and kill and destroy. My purpose is to give them a rich and satisfying life." Jesus cares little for how fast we rush through life, but instead, he wants our lives to be rich and satisfying. Lives that are...

Wisdom-Trek / Creating a LegacyWelcome to Day 1297 of our Wisdom-Trek, and thank you for joining me.This is Guthrie Chamberlain, Your Guide to WisdomCountryside Community Church – Humor Unplugged

Wisdom - the final frontier to true knowledge. Welcome to Wisdom-Trek! Where our mission is to create a legacy of wisdom, to seek out discernment and insights, 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 1297 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:

Countryside Community ChurchOn Sunday, Pastor Jones, the new young pastor at Countryside Community Church, arrived at church and found that the only who had shown up so far was old farmer Smith who owned a nearby small dairy farm.

After waiting a while, hoping that others would show up, pastor Jones was really disappointed. Finally, exasperated, Pastor Jones remarked to old farmer Smith, "Well, it appears no one else is coming, so we should probably cancel service today."

Farmer Smith stared at Pastor Jones for a bit, then he looked down at his clothes, knowing he was dressed in his Sunday best, he thought for a moment more then looked at the young Pastor Jones and said, "Well pastor, I don't know much 'bout preachin', but I do know something bout farmin' and if I went out in the field and found only one cow, I'd still feed 'em."

All excited, young Pastor Jones ran up to the pulpit and proceeded to preach for the next 45 minutes a fierce fire and brimstone sermon like he had never preached before. Once Pastor Jones finally wrapped up his sermon, including an invitation, he proceeded off the platform. Feeling really good about his message, he went and shook old Farmer Smith’s hand and asked the old farmer what he thought.

Farmer Smith thought a bit as he looked into the distance and then said, "Well, Pastor Jones, I don't know much bout preachin', but I do know somethin' 'bout farmin' and if I went out in the field and found only one cow, I wouldn't give 'em the whole bale of hay."

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 I ever wrote a book on preaching, it would contain three words: Preach the Word. Get rid of all the other stuff that gets you sidetracked; preach the Word.

https://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=2+Timothy+4%3A2andversion=NLT (2 Timothy 4:2)

Preach the word of God. Be prepared, whether the time is favorable or not. Patiently correct, rebuke, and encourage your people with good teaching.

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 1296 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...

Wisdom-Trek / Creating a LegacyWelcome to Day 1296 of our Wisdom-Trek, and thank you for joining me.I am Guthrie Chamberlain, Your Guide to WisdomMastering the Bible – Holiness and Theology– Worldview Wednesday

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

Hello, my friend, I am Guthrie Chamberlain, your captain on our journey to increase wisdom and create a living legacy. Thank you for joining us today as we explore wisdom on our 2nd millennium of podcasts. This is Day 1296 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 – Holiness And Theology Insight Twenty-Seven: The Biblical Concept of Holiness Includes, But Is Not Limited to, Moral Behavior

Holiness is one of the more frequent characterizations of God in the Bible.

Unfortunately, what the concept actually means is frequently misunderstood. In our modern context, holiness is typically associated with moral behavior, particularly in a negative sense—avoiding certain behaviors produces or demonstrates holiness. The behaviors to be avoided are either the moral prohibitions in the Bible or the activities a Christian subculture does not associate with God’s own character.

Holiness in the Bible relates to personal conduct, but the concept is much broader. The description "holy” is applied to an amazingly diverse list of things, including: God (Leviticus 11:44—45); people (Leviticus 21:7), days (Genesis 2:3), ground (Exodus 3:5), offerings (Leviticus 2:3), garments (Exodus 28:2), oil (Exodus 30:25), events (Exodus 12:16; Leviticus 23:27), structures (Exodus 26:33; Psalm 5:7) water (Numbers 5:17), divine beings (Deuteronomy 33:2), utensils (1 Kings 8:4), and bread (Exodus 29:34). Since many of these items are inanimate objects, moral purity is not in the picture.

In simplest terms, one thing unites the items on this list: they are all associated with God. Holiness is therefore linked to the person and presence of God. For that reason, scholars have concluded that the best way to understand holiness is God’s utter uniqueness—his “otherness” in relation to all things. When a person, place, or thing is called holy, the point is that the person, place, or thing is set aside exclusively for God’s use, service, or remembrance. Whatever is holy is by definition not to be used by, attributed to, or associated with any other person, place, or thing. Holiness speaks of uniqueness because God is unique.

For this reason, the antonym of holiness is not a word like “evil” or “wickedness.” Rather, terms like “common” or “ordinary” better describe the polar opposite of holiness. If something was for everyday use in Israel, it was not holy. That which was holy was exclusively devoted to God and his service and worship. There was no middle ground.

Behavior becomes part of a discussion of holiness in its relationship to other concepts, such as clean and unclean or purity and impurity, terms that spoke of one’s ritual fitness for being in God’s presence (which was considered “sacred space”) or participating in religious rituals and practices.

The list above demonstrates that holiness encompassed every area of...

Wisdom-Trek / Creating a LegacyWelcome to Day 1295 of our Wisdom-Trek, and thank you for joining me.This is Guthrie Chamberlain, Your Guide to WisdomAnother Fresh Year – Wisdom Unplugged

Wisdom - the final frontier to true knowledge. Welcome to Wisdom-Trek where our mission is to create a legacy of wisdom, to seek out discernment and insights, 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/day-1295/ (Day 1295) 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 Arthur Ward, and it is "Another fresh new year is here...another year to live! To banish worry, doubt, and fear, to love and laugh and give! This bright New Year is given to me to live each day with zest...to daily grow and try to be My highest and my best! I have the opportunity once more to right some wrongs, to pray for peace, to plant a tree, and sing more joyful songs."

Another Fresh Year

There is always something special about new beginnings that brings excitement and vigor into our lives. I think of the first crocus that pokes its bloom through the still cold ground as it is one of the first signs of spring and signals that warm weather and new growth will soon be seen everywhere.

We have just begun a brand new year, and with a brand new decade ahead of us, to me, it is really an exceptionally exciting time. As I age and gain wisdom that comes with years of living, I see this as a very exciting time to be alive. This is the most exciting time in history to be alive.

Technology breakthroughs in the form of medicine, farming, energy, environment, finances, communication, and a slew of other areas are globally providing more freedom, reducing poverty, extending life spans, providing energy, and connecting all nations in a more peaceful world than has ever been the case in all of human history.

You may not get this message from the major media outlets or the internet, but the true facts tell us a different story. There has never been a better time to be alive, and this really is exciting for me.

We all have to make a choice in how we will view this new year and new decade. You have another year to be alive! To banish worry, doubt, and fear, to love and laugh and give! This bright New Year is an opportunity to live each day with zest...to daily grow and try to be your highest and your best! You have the opportunity once more to right some wrongs, to pray for peace, to plant a tree, and sing more joyful songs. My admonition to you is to “Make it so!”

https://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=1%20Corinthians+2:9andversion=NLT (1 Corinthians 2:9)

That is what the Scriptures mean when they say, “No eye has seen, no ear has heard, and no mind has imagined what God has prepared for those who love him.”

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 https://wisdom-trek.com (Wisdom-Trek.com). As you enjoy these nuggets of wisdom, encourage your friends and family to join us and then come along tomorrow for another day of our Wisdom-Trek, Creating a Legacy.

If you would like to listen to any of our past 1294 treks or read the Wisdom Journal, they are available at https://wisdom-trek.com (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,...

Wisdom-Trek / Creating a LegacyWelcome to Day 1294 of our Wisdom-Trek, and thank you for joining me.This is Guthrie Chamberlain, Your Guide to WisdomBearers of God's Image – Meditation Monday

Wisdom - the final frontier to true knowledge. Welcome to Wisdom-Trek! Where our mission is to create a legacy of wisdom, to seek out discernment and insights, 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 1294 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.

In our meditation today, let us consider:

Bearers of God’s Imagehttps://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=Genesis+1%3A26-27andversion=NLT (Genesis 1:26-27) Then God said, “Let us make human beings in our image, to be like us. They will reign over the fish in the sea, the birds in the sky, the livestock, all the wild animals on the earth,and the small animals that scurry along the ground.”

So God created human beings in his own image.

In the image of God he created them;

male and female he created them.

It is so easy to allow the world to slip by as I attend to what I deem my very important tasks. Every day we pass by those who are less fortunate and down-trodden. We forget how simple it is to stop and look a person in the eye and recognize them as significant because they are also bearers of God’s image. It costs me so little to do so. What right do I have to devalue someone whom the Creator has deemed as valuable?

Mother Teresa saw Jesus in the poorest of the poor. When she picked up a person on the street, she was picking up Jesus. When she fed a person, she was feeding Jesus. When she bound the wounds of a leper, she was tending to Jesus. When they opened a Sisters of Charity House in the states for the first time, she said that the poverty of the wealthy nations was different from that of the third world countries. She said the greatest poverty in those nations is loneliness.

People are forgotten and dismissed. They are invisible. Jesus, however, seemed to see this type of person more than most. He served people at every level of socioeconomic status, yet he spent most of his time with the marginalized. His interactions had a common pattern. He looked at the person, touched them, and spoke to them. He recognized the value each person has before God.

We may not all have the opportunity to befriend the marginalized in the manner of Mother Teresa. However, we must come to terms with our compassion for others being part of the work of God in this hurting world.In what way can we join in?

Giving financially is one way, of course. There are many organizations that need our help as they work on the front lines with people in need.

Another way is to open our eyes to those who are “invisible” in our context. There are so many! This personal contact is a way that we can join this work of God in a more direct manner. We can find a myriad of other ways to connect to the invisible, left out, and forgotten.

Ask yourself, do I know the name of the person from whom where I shop for my daily needs. Have I asked about them and their family? When I am waiting for the check after meal out, is there an opportunity to bless the frazzled waitstaff?

How well do I know my fellow work

Wisdom-Trek / Creating a Legacy Welcome to Day 1293 of our Wisdom-Trek, and thank you for joining me. This is Guthrie Chamberlain, Your Guide to Wisdom The Right Response – Ask Gramps Wisdom – the final frontier to true knowledge.  Welcome to Wisdom-Trek! Where our mission is to create a legacy of wisdom, to seek […]