Wisdom-Trek ©

Wisdom-Trek / Creating a Legacy

Welcome to Day 644 of our Wisdom-Trek, and thank you for joining me.

This is Guthrie Chamberlain, Your Guide to Wisdom

Imagine Life as It Could Be – Mindshift Monday

Thank you for joining us for our 5 days per week wisdom and legacy building podcast. This is Day 644 of our trek, and it is time for our Mindshift Monday series. Wisdom-Trek’s primary focus is to assist you in creating your living legacy. Creating your living legacy can only be accomplished by gaining wisdom in many areas of life.  You can only gain wisdom by changing what you allow to go into your mind which is a result of changing the way you think. In other words, to create your living legacy you must choose to be in a continual mode of Mindshift or “changing the way you think.”

It is easy to get stuck in a mindset that your current circumstances cannot be changed. This is not true, but you must understand this fundamental principle…In order to change your life, you must change how you think and what you think about. Our Mindshift Monday podcast and journal will be to provide you practical ways to make a mind-shift to a rich and satisfying life. 

We are broadcasting from our studio at The Big House in Marietta, Ohio. After a warm and rainy week, the weather finally moderated a bit over the weekend, and we were able to get out and do more chainsaw work and mowing. One of the storms on Friday brought down a sizable limb in one of the old majestic oak trees beside our house. Fortunately, it did not hit any of the house. It added to my list of wood that needs cut for firewood, so we will work at this as we have the opportunity.

We are still waiting for Hazel’s blood county and immune system to rebound from the past three weeks of being low. She did have an appointment on Friday, and the oncology team will reassess her situation after her next blood test on Tuesday. If her count is back up, they will continue with the chemo treatments, if not they will investigate as to the cause. The waiting is difficult, but we realize that God is in control of her situation, and physically she seems to be feeling pretty good.

We continue to positively look towards the future. Our mindset is very important with every aspect of life. If your first inclination is to think negatively, then a Mindshift is required. You cannot get trapped by your current situation and feel there is no way to change it. So on our trek today I desire you to have a Mindshift that will allow you to…

Imagine Life As It Could Be

George Bernard Shaw once said, “Some men see things as they are and say ‘Why?’  I dream of things that never were and say ‘Why Not?’”  In order to have this type of thinking, most of us will need a Mindshift. In other words, we need to change how we think and what we think about.

In some area of life, all of us are leaders. That may be in your home with children, a business leader, or a leader of a ministry. John Quincy Adams said it this way, “If your actions inspire others to dream more, learn more, do more, and become more, you are a leader.” Nearly everyone inspires others in some manner.

As a leader, one of your distinguishing characteristics is that you have a vision for the future. Vision is the ability to imagine life as it could be, not to be stuck with life as it is today. Part of vision is realizing that you must accept life today as it is, not what you wish it to be. This does not mean that you need to remain where you are today, just acknowledge it so that you can move forward with a vision to change what otherwise would be your destiny.

True leaders see life as it could be. They always see a little farther with a little more complete than those around them. To change your mindshift, you need to change the way you speak. Most people will say,

Wisdom-Trek / Creating a Legacy

Welcome to Day 643 of our Wisdom-Trek, and thank you for joining me.

This is Guthrie Chamberlain, Your Guide to Wisdom

Freedom from Worry

Thank you for joining us for our 5 days per week wisdom and legacy building podcast. This is Day 643 of our trek, and it is 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.

For the next several weeks we will focus how to live with less fear. We will explore the trails on our trek of life that will help us to be fearless. This does not imply that we will reach the point where were are completely without any fear, for that is not only impossible, but also not wise. There is a time and a place for an appropriate level of fear, but most fear that we experience on a daily basis has no grounding and can be eliminated as we grow in wisdom, insight, and understanding. So our objective for these next several Fridays is to experience a FearLess Friday on our trek of life. Today is our third installment about worry.

We are broadcasting from our studio at The Big House in Marietta, Ohio. The wildlife around our home appears to be flourishing. In addition to the two young hawks, which are very active and vocal, our deer population appears to be growing. I had previously mentioned the two bucks and two doe, and this week we saw another mama doe with two brand new fawns. They are very small, and their coats are spotted with bright white spots. None of the wildlife seems very concerned that we are around and will usually remain within site even when we are outside. It is enjoyable to watch as we go about our normal work duties. Just as the wildlife does not seem to worry about us, we need to take steps in our lives towards…

Freedom from Worry

Not only is worry counterproductive, but it is also a form of disobedience. God has told us not to worry, so to worry is to disregard His guidance. Isn't it strange that we don't usually think of worry as sin? But it is! Confess it as sin. Choose with your will to obey God and by faith depend on Him for the ability. Here are some practical tips that may help you in your pursuit of freedom from worry.

· Meditate on God's Word Daily

Plan a time daily when you can invest some time—even if it's only fifteen minutes—reading the Bible. Think about what you read and go over the phrases. Put your name in place of the pronouns, applying each verse to specific situations in your life. Memorize passages that will help you. God's Word is powerful—it will renew and protect your mind. As King David tells us in Psalm 119:11, “I have hidden your word in my heart, that I might not sin against you.”

· Condition Yourself to Relax

Choose a phrase from Scripture or a hymn that you can repeat to yourself at the first hint of anxiety. Psalms 23:1 – The Lord is my shepherd; I have all that I need. The entire 23rd Chapter is good. As you repeat the phrase, you will encourage yourself with its message and remind yourself to relax. 

· Listen to Soothing Music

Just as David's music on the harp soothed King Saul's anxiety and depression, hymns, and spiritual songs are wonderful tranquilizers for us today. Haven't you had the experience of hearing or singing a hymn that lifted your spirits and eased your mind? You might want to listen to a recording, play an instrument, or sing yourself. Reflect on the words and relax in the melody.

· Talk through Your Problems

When you are worried about an issue or a relationship, don't fail to communicate. If you need to talk with a friend or your spouse, schedule a time when you can honestly tell them your concerns and listen to what they say. If it's necessary, talk with your supervisor or employer about some troublesome aspect of your job.

Wisdom-Trek / Creating a Legacy

Welcome to Day 642 of our Wisdom-Trek, and thank you for joining me.

This is Guthrie Chamberlain, Your Guide to Wisdom

Life and Death – Wisdom Unplugged

 

Thank you for joining us for our 5 days per week wisdom and legacy building podcast. This is day 642 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 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 St. Ambrose, and it is, "To the good man to die is gain. The foolish fear death as the greatest of evils, the wise desire it as a rest after labors and the end of ills."Most people do not like to think about or discuss the issue of our mortality, which is death. This is certainly interesting because all of us will at some point die. While none of us desire to go through a painful death, we must be prepared for the eventuality that it will happen, and there is nothing that will prevent it. While I am a very strong advocate for taking care of our physical bodies so that we do not die prematurely from a cause we may have prevented, the fact is that God knows when our work on earth is complete.

We should be prepared financially, mentally, emotionally, and most importantly, spiritually. If we have accepted Jesus Christ as our substitute and advocate before God, then the spiritual aspect is guaranteed. The Apostle Paul put it this way in 2 Corinthians 5:21, "For God made Christ, who never sinned, to be the offering for our sin, so that we could be made right with God through Christ." Once our standing before God is secured, then it is our responsibility to prepare the other areas of our lives.We should not do foolish things that will hasten our death, but we should also not fear it. As we are faithful in fulfilling God’s purpose in our lives, then when death does come, we are prepared and can look forward to the eternal rest that we will have in God’s presence. No one knows if our deaths will be soon or if we have decades of life ahead of us.

We will all die, so our life objective is to create a legacy that will live on through the lives of others for many generations to come. Your daily impact does matter. When we do come to the end of our lives here on earth, let us be able to say as the Apostle Paul said in 2 Timothy 4:7, "I have fought the good fight, I have finished the race, and I have remained faithful."

That’s a wrap for today’s Wisdom Unplugged quote. If you would like free access to my database of over 10,000 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 our Wisdom-Trek, Creating a Legacy.If you would like to listen to any of our past treks or read the Wisdom Journal, they are available at Wisdom-Trek.com. You can also subscribe on iTunes or Google play so that each day’s trek will be downloaded automatically.

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

This is Guthrie Chamberlain reminding you to Keep Moving Forward, Enjoy Your Journey, and Create a Great Day Every Day! See you tomorrow for Fearless Friday!

Wisdom-Trek / Creating a Legacy

Welcome to Day 641 of our Wisdom-Trek, and thank you for joining me.

I am Guthrie Chamberlain, Your Guide to Wisdom

Being Wise Before God - Proverbs 16

Thank you for joining us for our 5 days per week wisdom and legacy building podcast. Today is Day 641 of our trek, and it is Wisdom Wednesday. Every Wednesday along life’s trails we dig for the nuggets of wisdom that are found within the book of Proverbs. Today we will explore Proverbs 16 from The Voice Translation, which will give us a fresh perspective on this book of timeless wisdom.

We are broadcasting from our studio at The Big House in Marietta, Ohio. As we celebrate Independence Day in the United States this week, it does give us an opportunity to pause, reflect, and be grateful for the freedoms that we enjoy. If you live elsewhere in the world, I pray that you also have the opportunity to enjoy the freedom to live, work, play, and worship without fear of reprisal. Regardless of our societal freedoms that we have, as Christ followers we do have freedom from the bondage and penalty of our unwise choices and actions. This freedom comes through the perfect advocate, Jesus Christ. As the Apostle Paul wrote in his letter in Galatians 5:1, "So Christ has truly set us free. Now make sure that you stay free, and don’t get tied up again in slavery to the law." Understanding and accepting this freedom is found in our topic for today in Proverbs 16 which is...

Being Wise Before God

Chapters 10-15 contained proverbs that use contrast as a teaching tool. Here Chapter 16 shifts to a comparison style model. Basically, the “but, but, but” of Chapter 12 is replaced with “and, and, and.” These comparison sayings often state one basic idea and go on to explore it in two ways. It’s like studying an object first with one eye shut and then again with both eyes open. You gain a new appreciation for its depth and substance.

This chapter continues to frequently use God’s personal covenant name, Yahweh. Of the 375 Proverbs of Solomon (10:1-22:16) only 55 use the name Yahweh, and nearly half of those are in these two chapters (9 times in Chapter 15, 11 times in Chapter 16). What do you think accounts for this high concentration of God’s name?

This collection of proverbs has three main sections: wisdom for living before Yahweh (verses 1-9), wisdom for how to behave in the presence of a king (verses 10-15), and wisdom for getting along in God’s world (16-33). These proverbs are trying to point us down the path of wisdom in three significant realms of life: God, authority, and our community.

Finally, notice the recurring theme of God’s sovereignty that’s peppered throughout, interspersed in verses 1 and 9 as well as verses 25 and 33. The underlying point is clear, “Hey, don’t forget!” the author reminds us, “People make many plans, but the final say is up to God.”

Listen intently as I read Proverbs 16:

1 People go about making their plans,

but the Eternal has the final word.

2 Even when you think you have good intentions,

He knows your real motives.

3 Whatever you do, do it as service to Him,

and He will guarantee your success.

4 The Eternal made everything for a reason.

Even wrongdoers fit in His plans; troubled times await them.

5 He abhors arrogant people.

Make no mistake about it! They will be punished!

6 The penalty of sin is removed by love and loyalty;

and by devotion to the Eternal, evil is avoided.

7 When people make good choices, He is pleased;

He even causes their enemies to live peacefully near them.

8 Better to have little and stand for what is right

than to become rich by doing what is wrong.

9 People do their best making plans for their lives,

Wisdom-Trek / Creating a Legacy

Welcome to Day 640 of our Wisdom-Trek, and thank you for joining me.

This is Guthrie Chamberlain, Your Guide to Wisdom

A Fool May Talk, But a Wise Man Speaks – Wisdom Unplugged

Thank you for joining us for our 5 days per week wisdom and legacy building podcast. This is day 640 of our trek, and it is time for a 3-minute mini-trek called Wisdom Unplugged. This short nugget of wisdom includes an inspirational quote with a little 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 Ben Jonson who said, "To speak and to speak well are two different things. A fool may talk, but a wise man speaks."Based on my observations, it is evident that most of us speak much more than is necessary or advisable. We all want to pontificate and air our opinions on a myriad of life issues, even if we do not have the wisdom or knowledge in that particular area.  We are so ready to speak and add our 2 cents worth that we really don’t even listen to what another person is really saying.

I refer to this as verbal diarrhea as it adds little value and becomes unpleasant to others that are part of the conversation. This happens when we engage our tongue before we engage our brains…we are all prone to fall into this trap.

It would do all of us well to truly listen to what is being said and only add to the conversation if it will be beneficial and encouraging to those with whom we are speaking. There is nothing wrong or awkward to allow silence to permeate a conversation so that we can really understand. A person who has learned to bridle his tongue is a mature, wise, and discerning person. The next time that you are having a conversation with someone or are part of a group conversation, try only adding to the conversation when it will truly benefit those who are there. I believe that you will find that you are speaking much less and learning much more. This is how wisdom is increased in our lives.

The Book of Wisdom, Proverbs, is full of warnings to those who speak too much or inappropriately. Here are a three that apply to today's thoughts:

Proverbs 10:19

Too much talk leads to sin. Be sensible and keep your mouth shut.

Proverbs 17:27

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

Proverbs 29:20

There is more hope for a fool than for someone who speaks without thinking.That’s a wrap for today’s Wisdom Unplugged. If you enjoy these quotes, I have created and published a searchable database of over 10,000 quotes that I have collected for many years. If you would like free access to my database of inspirational quotes, the link is available on the main page of Wisdom-Trek.com.

As you enjoy these nuggets of wisdom, 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 treks or read the Wisdom Journal, they are available at Wisdom-Trek.com. You can also subscribe at iTunes or Google Play so that each day’s trek will be downloaded automatically.

Thank you so much for allowing me to be your guide, mentor, and most of all your friend as I serve you through the Wisdom-Trek podcast and journal.

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

This is Guthrie Chamberlain reminding you to Keep Moving Forward, Enjoy Your Journey, and Create a Great Day Every Day!

Wisdom-Trek / Creating a Legacy

Welcome to Day 639 of our Wisdom-Trek, and thank you for joining me.

This is Guthrie Chamberlain, Your Guide to Wisdom

You Can Be Better Than Average – Mindshift Monday

 

Thank you for joining us for our 5 days per week wisdom and legacy building podcast. This is Day 639 of our trek, and it is time for our Mindshift Monday series. Wisdom-Trek’s primary focus is to assist you in creating your living legacy.

Creating your living legacy can only be accomplished by gaining wisdom in many areas of life. You can only gain wisdom by changing what you allow to go into your mind. In other words, to create your living legacy, you must choose to be in a continual mode of Mindshift, or “changing the way you think.”

It is easy to get stuck in a mindset that your current circumstances cannot be changed. This is not true, but you must understand this fundamental principle, “In order to change your life, you must change how you think and what you think about.” Our Mindshift Monday podcast and journal will provide you practical ways to make a mind-shift to a rich and satisfying life. 

We are broadcasting from our studio at The Big House in Marietta, Ohio. We were able to get some work around the house accomplished this past weekend including transplanting three small vegetable kits that our grandkids Paul, Gideon, and Aurora planted a couple of weeks ago. We dug up a small patch of ground near the back of the house, so we hope that the 18 different vegetable and herb plants survive the transplanting process. This is the same little area where my granny had a mint bed. Paula and I hope to start a mint bed there also in the next couple of years, so it was nice to be able to use that area again.

Our other grandson Kip heads back home today after a two-week stay with us. It was such a blessing to have him here, and we enjoyed many precious moments together. My desire is to be a living legacy to all my children and grandchildren. What I desire is to be much better than the average person to everyone I impact. So on our trek today I desire you to have a Mindshift that will allow you to realize that…

You Can Be Better Than Average

One definition of the word average is, “Average is the best of the worst and the worst of the best.” Is that what you really desire for your life?

I have heard people say, “What’s wrong with being average?” My reply to that is, “If you are not a Christ follower, then there is nothing wrong with being average. If you are a Christ-follower, then you must not be content until you develop to the fullest your God-given potential.” In doing this, you will bring glory to God and be lifted above the average.

I am not saying that you’ll be more intelligent or better looking because you are a Christ follower. What should be reflected in your life is your outlook and attitude towards life, your consecration in service, and your abundant love – that is what will lift you above the average person. Let’s look at three areas where you can rise above average.

1. To rise above being average, you will need more determination.

Great people are just ordinary people with an extraordinary amount of determination. When others would quit and “throw in the towel,” grit your teeth and dig a little deeper. Success is achieved and maintained by those who keep trying, even when they don’t feel like it. There is nothing wrong with admitting that as of today you may not be what you want to be, hope to be, or dream of becoming, but the one key to achieving your dream is determining not to quit.

Ralph Waldo Emmerson said it this way, “A man is a hero not because he is braver than anyone else, but because he is brave for ten minutes longer.” A track star who runs long distances learns to depend on his “second wind.

Wisdom-Trek / Creating a Legacy

Welcome to Day 638 of our Wisdom-Trek, and thank you for joining me.

This is Guthrie Chamberlain, Your Guide to Wisdom

Don't Worry About Tomorrow

Thank you for joining us for our 5 days per week wisdom and legacy building podcast. This is Day 638 of our trek, and it is time for our Philosophy Friday series. Each Friday we pondered some of the basic truths and mysteries of life and how they can impact us in creating our living legacy.

For the next several weeks, we will focus on how to live with less fear. We will explore the trails on our trek of life that will help us to be fearless. This does not imply that we will reach the point where were are completely without any fear, for that is not only impossible, but also not wise. There is a time and a place for an appropriate level of fear, but most fear that we experience on a daily basis has no grounding and can be eliminated as we grow in wisdom, insight, and understanding. So our objective for these next several Fridays is to experience a Fear Less Friday on our trek of life.

We are broadcasting from our studio at The Big House in Marietta, Ohio. Surprisingly to us, the two hawks which were born this year returned to our property to search for additional food. They have been quite vocal and visible. Although I don’t believe they are staying in the nest they were hatched in, they must be staying fairly close. We have also had a two-year-old buck and a year old buck and doe that are frequent visitors near our home. It is enjoyable to watch the various wildlife that frequent our property. It is a peaceful setting for all of us.

Peace is the opposite of worry. As we break camp and head out on our trail today, we will be focusing on this topic of worry, and our lesson title for today is…

Don’t Worry About Tomorrow

One of the most powerful forces that cause us to worry needlessly is that of money…or should I say, the perceived lack of money. As it has been since the beginning of time, we will never feel that we have enough money. Many of the money problems we see, especially in the western world, are self-inflicted. Most people spend more than they earn because of the easy availability of credit and their unwillingness to be patient and delay obtaining stuff that they can live without. How about you? Are your spending habits the cause of much of your money worries?

If your focus is on making money and providing for your own future, then your eyes are focused on the wrong goal, and you are in spiritual darkness. Your love of money and your devotion to it will steal your heart; it will replace your love for God and devotion to Him. Jesus said the love of money and love of God cannot coexist in the human heart. Having said this, Jesus explained it so well in Matthew 6:19-34,

"Don’t store up treasures here on earth, where moths eat them and rust destroys them, and where thieves break in and steal. Store your treasures in heaven, where moths and rust cannot destroy, and thieves do not break in and steal. Wherever your treasure is, there the desires of your heart will also be."

"Your eye is like a lamp that provides light for your body. When your eye is healthy, your whole body is filled with light. But when your eye is unhealthy, your whole body is filled with darkness. And if the light you think you have is actually darkness, how deep that darkness is!"

"No one can serve two masters. For you will hate one and love the other; you will be devoted to one and despise the other. You cannot serve God and be enslaved to money. 'That is why I tell you not to worry about everyday life—whether you have enough food and drink, or enough clothes to wear. Isn’t life more than food, and your body more than clothing? Look at the birds. They don’t plant or harvest or store food in barns,

Wisdom-Trek / Creating a Legacy

Welcome to Day 637 of our Wisdom-Trek, and thank you for joining me.

This is Guthrie Chamberlain, Your Guide to Wisdom

Conquer Fear – Wisdom Unplugged

 

 

Thank you for joining us for our 5 days per week wisdom and legacy building podcast. This is day 637 of our trek, and it is time for a 3-minute mini-trek called Wisdom Unplugged. This short nugget of wisdom includes an inspirational quote with a little 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 Bertrand Russell, and it is, "To conquer fear is the beginning of wisdom."Fear is so prevalent in today’s world, even among those who consider themselves Christ followers. This should not be. Most of what we fear is based on an incident or circumstance that has not even happened yet. Many of these situations will never happen.

When we were young, we feared monsters in our closets or under our beds. As adults, these monsters are now residing in our heads. The problem is most of the time we are the creators of these monsters, and we have convinced ourselves that they are real.  One acronym for fear is "False Evidence Appearing Real." We as humans have the capability of telling ourselves lies and then believing them to be the truth. This is a result of allowing falsehoods to seep into our minds without allowing God’s Word to filter them out through a proper understanding of faith in God.  None of us is immune to this type of thinking. Even Joshua who invested every day for over 40 years with Moses still allowed the monster of fear to seep into his mind after he was commissioned by God to take over the leadership of the nation of Israel.

Joshua who had been in the presence of God Almighty was reminded by God himself not to fear as we read in 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."So my encouragement to you today is to obey all God’s instructions found in His Word. It is then that you will be wise and able to conquer fear for the Lord your God is with you always.

That’s a wrap for today’s Wisdom Unplugged quote. If you would like free access to my database of over 10,000 inspirational quotes, the link is available on the main page of Wisdom-Trek.com. As you enjoy these nuggets of wisdom, encourage your friends and family to join us and then come along tomorrow for another day of our Wisdom-Trek, Creating a Legacy.

If you would like to listen to any of our past treks or read the Wisdom Journal, they are available at Wisdom-Trek.com. You can also subscribe at iTunes or Google Play so that each day’s trek will be downloaded automatically.

Thank you so much for allowing me to be your guide, mentor, and most of all your friend as I serve you through the Wisdom-Trek podcast and journal.

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

This is Guthrie Chamberlain reminding you to Keep Moving Forwa...

Wisdom-Trek / Creating a Legacy

Welcome to Day 636 of our Wisdom-Trek, and thank you for joining me.

I am Guthrie Chamberlain, Your Guide to Wisdom

God's Wisdom, Your Wisdom - Proverbs 15

Thank you for joining us for our 5 days per week wisdom and legacy building podcast. Today is Day 636 of our trek, and it is Wisdom Wednesday. Every Wednesday along life’s trails we dig for the nuggets of wisdom that are found within the book of Proverbs. Today we will explore Proverbs 15 from The Voice Translation, which will give us a fresh perspective on this book of timeless wisdom.

We are broadcasting from our studio at The Big House in Marietta, Ohio. It is another busy week of work and investing additional time with our grandson Kiprono. He continually absorbs everything that he hears, sees, and experiences. It would do us all well, as adults, to foster this passion for learning in each of us.

Our granddaughter Hazel has been feeling fairly well the past couple of weeks, but her blood counts remain a bit on the low side, so it is a holding period for us and a planning time for the oncology team before they determine her next extensive regimen of treatments. For those of us that like to take action and solve problems, these periods of waiting are extra difficult. We know that God is in control of Hazel’s situation, so we must be patient and wait.

During these days when our wisdom falters, all we can do is call on the Eternal and allow Him to work His will and way, knowing His wisdom prevails. This is the topic for today as we explore Chapter 15 of Proverbs and our focus will be…

God’s Wisdom, Your Wisdom

This chapter is marked by the frequent use of God’s personal covenant name “Yahweh” (translated as “Lord” in most English translations and the Eternal in the Voice translation). It is repeated 9 times in this chapter, which is almost as many as the preceding 5 Chapters altogether!

There’s something significant about that. In Chapters 10-14 we heard a lot about morality and good behavior, but now it’s all being connected to our personal relationship with the God of the Bible. The book of Proverbs isn’t simply about being a decent person, but a person who is being changed by a relationship with Yahweh.

The major themes in this chapter include:

The power of a well-chosen response (verses 1-4)

The critical need for instruction (verses 5-12)

The blessing of a cheerful disposition (verses 13-18)

The secret of a successful path (verses 19-24)

The favor that comes to the humble heart (verses 25-33)

While these are great principles, they are meaningless and empty if a relationship with God is not the motivation behind them.

As I read through these various themes, pay attention to how the author weaves devotion to Yahweh, the Eternal, into these principles of life. What do these proverbs reveal about the Eternal’s character? What strikes you most personally?

Listen intently as I read Proverbs 15:

1 A tender answer turns away rage,

but a prickly reply spikes anger.

2 The words of the wise extend knowledge,

but foolish people utter nonsense.

3 The Eternal can see all things;

His gaze is fixed on both the evil and the good.

4 A word of encouragement heals the one who receives it,

but a deceitful word breaks the spirit.

5 Fools refuse their parents’ guidance,

but sensible children accept correction.

6 Great treasure may be found where the right-living make their home,

but trouble awaits the wicked at every turn.

7 When the wise speak, knowledge spreads far and wide,

but fools care nothing about such matters.

8 When the wicked offer sacrifices, they disgust the Eternal,

Wisdom-Trek / Creating a Legacy

Welcome to Day 635 of our Wisdom-Trek, and thank you for joining me.

This is Guthrie Chamberlain, Your Guide to Wisdom

Wisdom Before Knowledge – Wisdom Unplugged

Thank you for joining us for our 5 days per week wisdom and legacy building podcast. This is day 635 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 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 Fuller who said, "Tis not knowing much, but what is useful, that makes a wise man."With a world of information literally at our fingertips, we can gain a wealth of knowledge about any subject matter. The question that comes to my mind is, "What is the value in the accumulation of knowledge, facts, information, and many times misinformation? Does this accumulation allow us to become wise?"

While it is admirable and generally considered positive to gain knowledge, we should not pursue the gaining of knowledge without a purpose and practical application of that knowledge. The practical application of knowledge will result in wisdom. Our pursuit of knowledge should be for the purpose of impacting the lives of others positively. I think we get the order mixed up. It is easy to think that if you gain knowledge, then you will also gain wisdom. While the two are inherently linked, we first need to seek and obtain wisdom, which will then lead us to gain knowledge which is useful to you and those you impact. The proper order for gaining wisdom and knowledge is found in Proverbs 2:2-8,

2 Tune your ears to wisdom,

and concentrate on understanding.

3 Cry out for insight,

and ask for understanding.

4 Search for them as you would for silver;

seek them like hidden treasures.

5 Then you will understand what it means to fear the Lord,

and you will gain knowledge of God.

6 For the Lord grants wisdom!

From his mouth come knowledge and understanding.

7 He grants a treasure of common sense to the honest.

He is a shield to those who walk with integrity.

8 He guards the paths of the just

and protects those who are faithful to him.

That’s a wrap for today’s Wisdom Unplugged. If you enjoy these quotes, I have created and published a searchable database of over 10,000 quotes that I have collected for many years. If you would like free access to my database of inspirational quotes, the link is available on the main page of Wisdom-Trek.com.

As you enjoy these nuggets of wisdom, 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 treks or read the Wisdom Journal, they are available at Wisdom-Trek.com. You can also subscribe at iTunes or Google Play so that each day’s trek will be downloaded automatically.

Thank you so much for allowing me to be your guide, mentor, and most of all your friend as I serve you through the Wisdom-Trek podcast and journal.

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

This is Guthrie Chamberlain reminding you to Keep Moving Forward, Enjoy Your Journey, and Create a Great Day Every Day! See you tomorrow for Wisdom Wednesday!