Day 131 – Proverbs 2:16-22 The Benefits of Wisdom #2

October 9, 2015 by H. Guthrie Chamberlain, III 2 Comments

Wisdom-Trek / Creating a Legacy

Welcome to Day 131 of our Wisdom-Trek, and thank you for joining me.

This is Guthrie Chamberlain, Your Guide to Wisdom.

Proverbs Chapter [2:16]-22

Thank you for joining us for our 7 day a week, 7 minutes of wisdom podcast. This is Day 131 of our Trek. Yesterday we remained at camp and dug for the nuggets of wisdom contained within the book of Proverbs, and we will continue to do so for the next couple of days. Once we complete the entire book of Proverbs, we will make the entire commentary available in an eBook. If you have any of your own observations, comments, or questions as we explore these nuggets of wisdom, please share them on the comment section of our daily journal pages.

We are recording our podcast from our studio at Home2 in Charlotte, North Carolina. It was a late night of work last night and will probably be again tonight. We did have the pleasure of having pizza last evening with our oldest son Harry, his wife Chelimo, and their son Kip. Regardless of how busy our schedules are, we treasure these times that we can spend with our kids. Staying focused on what is most important is so crucial in living a rich and satisfying life.

I was also interviewed today on The Heart of the Matter podcast hosted by Brian King. It was conducted over a new technology called “Blab,” which allows up to four people to have a live video and audio chat while others can observe. It can also be recorded so that it can be replayed. If you are interested in watching this episode, check it out here.

The Heart of the Matter Podcast

As we sit around the campfire today, let’s continue to study our treasure map which is found in the book of Proverbs as we seek the hidden treasures that are contained in the book. We should seek these wisdom nuggets as if they were actually nuggets of gold because they are so much more valuable.

The title for Proverbs Chapter 2 is the “Benefit of Wisdom,” and we looked at verses 1-15 yesterday. So, let’s continue in the section titled “The Journey of Life” as we start with verse 16 today.

The Benefits of Wisdom

From here let’s move on to the “Journey of Life” in verses 16-19.

1. The journey of life

¹⁶Wisdom will save you from the immoral woman,
from the seductive words of the promiscuous woman.
¹⁷She has abandoned her husband
and ignores the covenant she made before God.
¹⁸Entering her house leads to death;
it is the road to the grave.
¹⁹The man who visits her is doomed.
He will never reach the paths of life.

In these verses, a woman tries to tempt a man. Deuteronomy 5 lists 10 commands that God gave. One command was, “Do not have sex with someone else’s wife or husband,” Deuteronomy [5:18]. The woman in the Book of Proverbs refuses to follow this command. A man who goes to her is in danger.

Solomon is teaching us about other wrong actions. Sometimes wrong actions are attractive. Sometimes evil thoughts tempt us. Sometimes we might think that God’s law is not fair. Perhaps the man likes the woman. However, he must not go to her.

Sometimes wrong actions are attractive, but in the end they will turn ugly.

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We must not do wrong actions when evil thoughts test us. The devil even tested Jesus (Matthew 4:1-11). But, Jesus did nothing that was wrong against God. God gives his wisdom to us. His Word teaches us how we should live.

If we turn from God, it is like leaving your husband or wife. When you became a Christian, you promised to follow God. Evil thoughts may still tempt you. Other religions may tempt you. Sex may tempt you. Do not break your promise to God! ⁶“Jesus told him, ‘I am the way, the truth, and the life. No one can come to the Father except through me,’” John 14:6.

Even Solomon, who wrote the Book of Proverbs, turned away from God in the end. He had many wives. Some followed other religions. With his wives, Solomon prayed to other gods. The Bible says that Solomon’s actions were evil (1 Kings 11:1-13). We should learn from Solomon’s mistake. Although we may not clearly understand the purpose of God’s decrees, we must follow them anyway.

Although we may not clearly understand the purpose of God’s decrees, we must follow them anyway.

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God gave great wisdom to Solomon. Solomon taught wisdom. His Book of Proverbs still teaches wisdom to us today. We must follow God. We must desire God’s wisdom. We must not be like Solomon when he turned from God.

1. The land

Let’s continue on searching for additional nuggets in verses 20-22.

²⁰Follow the steps of good men instead,
and stay on the paths of the righteous.
²¹For only the godly will live in the land,
and those with integrity will remain in it.
²²But the wicked will be removed from the land,
and the treacherous will be uprooted.

God gave land to the nation of Israel. He warned them to follow his commands. If the nation turned away from God, then they would lose their land (Deuteronomy 28). Solomon knew that God had warned them.

After Solomon, the people served false gods. Some kings were good, but most were evil. God did not punish that nation immediately. God told the people to return to him. They did not return. After a war, they lost their land.

As Christians, our land is not this world. We are only visitors because we belong elsewhere. Our real home is in heaven. “All these people died still believing what God had promised them. They did not receive what was promised, but they saw it all from a distance and welcomed it. They agreed that they were foreigners and nomads here on earth. Obviously people who say such things are looking forward to a country they can call their own. If they had longed for the country they came from, they could have gone back. But they were looking for a better place, a heavenly homeland. That is why God is not ashamed to be called their God, for he has prepared a city for them,” Hebrews [11:13]-16.

We must follow God. He will lead us to heaven. He has prepared a place for us in heaven. “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. And you know the way to where I am going,” John 14:1-4.

This passage comes to my mind often as I renovate The Big House in Marietta. As we prepare additional rooms, it is our hearts desire to make it a place where family and friends can stay for rest and relaxation and feel like they are coming home.

Today we continued on our Trek of Proverbs and the journey of life and further discovered we have to be vigilant to do what is right, regardless of whether it is attractive. In doing so, we will be following the trails that lead us to the good land. Think about these points for today, and join us tomorrow as we continue with Proverbs 3 on another day of our Wisdom-Trek, Creating a Legacy.

That will finish our podcast for today. Remember to listen to your daily dose of wisdom on Wisdom-Trek.com, or subscribe on iTunes, Stitcher, SoundCloud, Spreaker, or YouTube so the episodes will be downloaded to you automatically each day. Please share Wisdom-Trek with your family and friends through email, Facebook, Twitter or in person so they can come along with us each day.

Thank you 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 each day.

As we take this Trek 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!

Day 130 – Proverbs 2:1-15 The Benefits of Wisdom #1

October 8, 2015 by H. Guthrie Chamberlain, III 1 Comment

Wisdom-Trek / Creating a Legacy

Welcome to Day 130 of our Wisdom-Trek, and thank you for joining me.

This is Guthrie Chamberlain, Your Guide to Wisdom.

Proverbs Chapter 2:1-15

Thank you for joining us for our 7 day a week, 7 minutes of wisdom podcast. This is Day 130 of our Trek. Yesterday we hiked the trail of Be->Do->Have and learned why it is so important to follow those steps each day to have a rich and satisfying life. Today and for the next few days, we will remain at camp and dig for the nuggets of wisdom contained within the book of Proverbs starting today in Chapter 2. Once we complete the entire book of Proverbs, we will make the entire commentary available in an eBook. If you have any of your own observations, comments, or questions as we explore these nuggets of wisdom, please share them in the comment section of our daily journal pages.

We are recording our podcast from our studio at Home2 in Charlotte, North Carolina, and as we prepare for our short trip to Phoenix this weekend, I will be recording a few episodes in advance since I will not have the time to prepare and record while traveling. The next few days are jammed packed with work, so it will require a couple of late nights this week.

As we remain at camp during our study of Proverbs, it is similar to taking the proper time to study the trail maps so that we can have a safe and expedient hike. The book of Proverbs provides us a wisdom map so that we can navigate life safely and expediently as we gain wisdom, insight, and discernment.

The title for Proverbs Chapter 2 is the “Benefit of Wisdom,” and we will see there are many benefits for our life’s daily trek as we study Proverbs.

The Benefits of Wisdom

I will begin our discussion today by reading Verses 1-4.

¹ My child, listen to what I say,
and treasure my commands.
²Tune your ears to wisdom,
and concentrate on understanding.
³Cry out for insight,
and ask for understanding.
⁴Search for them as you would for silver;
seek them like hidden treasures.

1. The search for wisdom

We must greatly desire wisdom. We must listen to it. We must desire it. We must ask questions so that we can learn more. We must hunt for wisdom like someone who searches for gold.

We must greatly desire wisdom. We must listen to it. We must desire it.

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Psalm 42:1 is similar, “As the deer longs for streams of water, so I long for you, O God.”

Also see Job 28. A man digs deep into the earth. He breaks through the rock. He enters places that no animal has seen. He finds gold and silver. He discovers many things. However, he cannot find wisdom there. Wisdom is not in the deep sea. You cannot buy wisdom, not even with gold. But Job tells us how to find wisdom in 28:28, “And this is what he says to all humanity: ‘The fear (respect) of the Lord is true wisdom; to forsake evil is real understanding.’”

Let’s move onto Verses 5-8.

2. The reward of wisdom

⁵Then you will understand what it means to fear the Lord,
and you will gain knowledge of God.
⁶For the Lord grants wisdom!
From his mouth come knowledge and understanding.
⁷He grants a treasure of common sense to the honest.
He is a shield to those who walk with integrity.
⁸He guards the paths of the just
and protects those who are faithful to him.

If we respect God, then we shall become wise. God gives his wisdom to us. We are his people, and he guards us. He defends us, and he protects us. Psalm 23 compares God to a man who owns sheep. The farmer looks after his sheep. He provides their food and water. He cares about them. In the same way, God looks after us. When we are in danger, God protects us.

Psalm 23

A psalm of David.

¹The Lord is my shepherd;
I have all that I need.
²He lets me rest in green meadows;
he leads me beside peaceful streams.
³He renews my strength.
He guides me along right paths,
bringing honor to his name.
⁴Even when I walk
through the darkest valley,
I will not be afraid,
for you are close beside me.
Your rod and your staff
protect and comfort me.
⁵You prepare a feast for me
in the presence of my enemies.
You honor me by anointing my head with oil.
My cup overflows with blessings.
⁶Surely your goodness and unfailing love will pursue me
all the days of my life,
and I will live in the house of the Lord
forever.

From here let’s move onto the journey of life in verses 9-15.

3. The journey of life

⁹Then you will understand what is right, just, and fair,
and you will find the right way to go.
¹⁰For wisdom will enter your heart,
and knowledge will fill you with joy.
¹¹Wise choices will watch over you.
Understanding will keep you safe.

¹²Wisdom will save you from evil people,
from those whose words are twisted.
¹³These men turn from the right way
to walk down dark paths.
¹⁴They take pleasure in doing wrong,
and they enjoy the twisted ways of evil.
¹⁵Their actions are crooked,
and their ways are wrong.

The Bible often compares life to a journey. Abraham’s whole life was a journey. He traveled from Ur to Haran and then to Canaan.¹⁰“Abraham was confidently looking forward to a city with eternal foundations, a city designed and built by God,” Hebrews 11:10. He did not find this place on earth. ¹⁶“But they were looking for a better place, a heavenly homeland. That is why God is not ashamed to be called their God, for he has prepared a city for them,” Hebrews [11:16].

Jesus compared life to a journey. ¹³“You can enter God’s Kingdom only through the narrow gate. The highway to hell is broad, and its gate is wide for the many who choose that way. ¹⁴But the gateway to life is very narrow and the road is difficult, and only a few ever find it,” Matthew [7:13]-14.

The Book of Proverbs also tells us about two ways. In verse 13, evil men walk in dark paths. They hide from the light because light would show up their evil behavior. In verse 15, Solomon says that evil men choose the wrong paths. It is easy to choose the wrong path in the dark! This wrong path is like their evil behavior. Their behavior is like a road that leads to death and hell (verse 18), which we will look at tomorrow.

If we follow God’s wisdom, then our paths are good (verse 9). We are like travelers who choose the right way. We know where we are going. We act fairly. Our decisions are good. This is the right road for life’s journey. It leads to heaven (verse 19), which we will also look at tomorrow.

Today we continued on our Trek of Proverbs and learned about the benefits of wisdom through the search for wisdom and the rewards of wisdom on our journey of life. Think about these points for today, and join us tomorrow as we continue with Proverbs 2 on another day of our Wisdom-Trek, Creating a Legacy.

Thank you for allowing me to be your guide, mentor, and most of all your friend as I serve you in through this Wisdom-Trek podcast and journal each day.

As we take this Trek 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!

Day 129 – Follow the Trail of Be -> Do -> Have

October 7, 2015 by H. Guthrie Chamberlain, III 1 Comment

Wisdom-Trek / Creating a Legacy

Welcome to Day 129 of our Wisdom-Trek, and thank you for joining me.

This is Guthrie Chamberlain, Your Guide to Wisdom.

Follow the Trail of Be->Do->Have

Thank you for joining us for our 7 day a week, 7 minutes of wisdom podcast. This is Day 129 of our Trek. Yesterday we completed our fifth and final day on the trail of our reality, which is based on our beliefs. If you missed any of the episodes on this five day trek, it would be worthwhile for you to go back and listen to them or read the daily journals to get a complete picture.

If you have any of your own observations, comments, or questions as we spend time together on our daily trek, please share them in the comment section of our daily journal pages. Today we are going to extend the concept of how our beliefs create our reality as we investigate the principles or trail of “Be –> Do –> Have.” Many times we get these principles out of order and then wonder why our lives are not what we expect.

We are recording our podcast from our studio at Home2 in Charlotte, North Carolina, and the weather has certainly made an abrupt change to fall. We also had a significant amount of rain the past few days primarily due to the hurricane that skirted the east coast. However, the Charlotte area was spared from flooding, unlike many areas on the eastern seaboard. Our workload this week remains very heavy, but we are taking it one day at a time. As we discussed on Day 65 of our Trek, the best way to eat an elephant is one bite at a time.

It is time to break camp for today and head back out onto the trail in pursuit of wisdom, insight, and understanding that will help us as we create our living legacy. I would encourage you to keep your eyes focused on the trail today because it is important that we follow the trail of “Be –> Do –> Have” in the proper order. On our way out of camp, I want to ask you this question, “Are you BEING the person you truly want to be?”

It is important that we follow the trail of Be –> Do –> Have in the proper order.

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Take a few moments and really think about who you are being right now and compare that to who you really want to be. Do you want to be a better father/mother; be happier than you are right now; be wealthier, healthier, and skinnier? Or, do you want to be better at your job or to be a better business owner?

Most of us have been taught that we need to have things in our life to allow us to do what we want, allowing us to be who we want to be. For example, “When I have more time, I will be able to do more activities with my children, therefore I will be a better father.”

In reality, we will never be the person we want to be if we wait to have first.

If you really want to have ultimate success in ALL areas of your life (personal and in business), you really need to start being the person you want to be right now!

You really need to reverse this teaching of having, doing, and then being and begin with being the person you should be. This will drive you to do the things that reflect your character and integrity, so you can have the results that you desire in life. To switch the previous example, “I am being the best father I can be allowing me to do more activities with my children and now I have the time necessary for them.”

Our wisdom nugget for today is to flip the Have –> Do –> Be teaching on its head and explore the Be –> Do –> Have principle. As we examine this nugget, let’s look at why this principle is so successful in reaching goals and hopefully get inspired to start living the life we truly want without waiting until we have everything in place before we start living the lives we really want to live.

Start living the life you truly want today without waiting until you have everything in place.

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· Have –> Do –> Be – The Trail to Misery and Failure

This thinking holds you back from reaching your goals. When you ask most people what they would like to have in their lives, most reply, “I would like to have more money and happiness!”

And when you ask why they don’t have that in their life right now, they would probably say that is because they are waiting to have something first. And when they have it in place, it will then allow them to start doing what they want and being who they want.

Most people believe if they “have” a thing (such as more time, money, love, whatever), then they can finally do a thing (such as take up a hobby, go on holidays, buy a home, undertake a relationship), which will allow them to be a thing (such as happy, peaceful, content, or in love). And, people wonder why they are not happy, not doing the things they love, and haven’t gotten what they want in life (be it money or love).

· Be –> Do –> Have – The Trail to Success

In actuality, they are reversing the Be->Do->Have paradigm. In the world as it really is (as opposed to how many people think it is), “having” does not produce “being,” but the other way around. For example, happiness is a state of mind that we choose to be in. What you choose to have in your mind will manifest into reality.

What you choose to have in your mind will manifest into reality.

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As an example, when you think like the rich and adopt their habits of wise spending and frugality, that’s when you start becoming rich. Then you need to take action. That’s the do part. You do it with passion and purpose (whether you get paid or not).

As you begin to add value to other people’s lives, then money, time, and love will be the natural harvest of what you planted earlier. This harvest is the have in the equation. What you have is a result of who you have become and what you have done. So, if you are wondering why you’re not having the life you always wanted, ask yourself, “Am I following the Be->Do->Have principle, or am I trying to do it the other way round?”

Start by being the person you want to be. Then make the decisions to do what this person would do. Then you will gradually have the type of life that you desire.

As we continue on our Be->Do->Have trail today, we see farmers working hard harvesting their crops in the fields in the valley. A farmer knows the principles of planting and harvesting. A farmer understands that he cannot have a harvest in the fall without first doing the planting in the spring by being a farmer by his very nature.

As Jesus’s brother James wrote in his letter to the scattered believers in Chapter 5 verses 7-8,“Dear brothers and sisters, be patient as you wait for the Lord’s return. Consider the farmers who patiently wait for the rains in the fall and in the spring. They eagerly look for the valuable harvest to ripen. You, too, must be patient. Take courage, for the coming of the Lord is near.”

One of my favorite phrases is, “You’ve got to be before you can do and do before you can have.” In short, you have to be a person of character and do the right things, and then you can have the things you really desire.

I trust that this principle will resonate with you and help you to keep the proper order in your pursuit for wisdom and growth. Join us tomorrow for another day of our Wisdom-Trek, Creating a Legacy. Over the next few days, we will switch back to our commentary in the book of Proverbs to dig up some additional nuggets of wisdom.

That will finish our podcast for today. Remember to listen to your daily dose of wisdom on Wisdom-Trek.com or subscribe on iTunes, Stitcher, SoundCloud, Spreaker, or YouTube so the episodes will be downloaded to you automatically.

I would really appreciate it if you would help Wisdom-Trek grow by sharing Wisdom-Trek with your family and friends through email, Facebook, or Twitter so they can come along with us each day.

Thank you 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 each day.

As we take this Trek 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!

Day 128 – Your Beliefs Create Your Reality (5)

October 6, 2015 by H. Guthrie Chamberlain, III 2 Comments

Wisdom-Trek / Creating a Legacy

Welcome to Day 128 of our Wisdom-Trek, and thank you for joining me.

This is Guthrie Chamberlain, Your Guide to Wisdom.

Your Beliefs Create Your Reality (5)

Thank you for joining us for our 7 day a week, 7 minutes of wisdom podcast. This is Day 128 of our Trek. Yesterday was day four of five on the trail of our reality, which is based on our beliefs. Our focus throughout this five day trek is to help you to realize how crucial it is that your belief system is based on a solid foundation of truth. Yesterday we explored how to upgrade your beliefs so that you can change limiting beliefs into empowering beliefs.

Today is our last day of our current trek, and we will determine how we can make the growing of your beliefs a regular part of your life’s trek. If you missed any of the previous episodes on this trek, make sure you go back and listen to them all to get a complete picture. If you have any of your own observations, comments, or questions as we share time together on our daily trek, please share them in the comment section of our daily journal pages.

We are recording our podcast from our studio at Home2 in Charlotte, North Carolina, and it is starting out to be a week completely full with our client workload and many other activities. I was the guest on another podcast, which was released over this past weekend. The podcast is titled The Steep Side of the Mountain with host Manny Wolfe, and we discussed our lives and how we are able to integrate with the difficult times.

cover170x170 — Interview with Guthrie Chamberlain

Now it is time to break camp for today and head back out for our fifth and final day on our reality trail. So far on our Trek, we have focused mainly on the role of our internal map of reality. We have also talked about how our beliefs serve as our internal map makers.

Learning to create a reality that empowers us rather than limits us is certainly a powerful and advanced life skill. This skill, perhaps more than any other, has the ability to totally transform the quality of our lives.

As the TV infomercials would say…

But wait, there’s more!

Creating an internal map of reality based on empowering beliefs is definitely something everyone should endeavor to do. With that said, I don’t want you to conclude that mastering this ability constitutes the final frontier because it doesn’t.

In fact, the real key to a rich and satisfying life is not found within the confines of an intricately detailed map of reality where every square inch is ruled over by some established law or belief. God created us with a free will to make choices in our lives. Following the strict written code of the law has been replaced by the freedom we have in Christ. We do have freedom and flexibility in the choices that we make. We may not all agree in what constitutes a rich and satisfying life, or even what constitutes a life of faith, but we should choose to live a life that empowers us to fulfill our God-given potential. To choose less would be a disservice to our creator. The real key to such a life actually lies…

Part 5: Beyond the Map

The problem with being too locked into a minutely detailed map is that everything is (seemingly) accounted for. Perhaps this point can be best made by looking at our earth.

What happens to people’s perception in areas where every square inch of land is accounted for? Don’t they tend to live and be restricted by precisely drawn boundaries or sets of laws? And, doesn’t that reality have a way of fostering preconceived ideas about how things are supposed to be? This type of mindset causes most people to become very judgmental of anyone that does not have the same strict belief system. Except those clearly defined moral codes set out within Scripture, we need to be careful in attempting to implant our beliefs on others. To a large extent, those boundaries put very real limits on our life experiences.

Boundaries can be good but also restrictive.

When working with other people and their belief systems, we would do well to follow what Jesus taught in the good news according to Matthew 22:37-40, “Jesus replied, ‘You must love the Lord your God with all your heart, all your soul, and all your mind. This is the first and greatest commandment. A second is equally important: ‘Love your neighbor as yourself. The entire law and all the demands of the prophets are based on these two commandments.’”

1. A different perspective

To extend the previous analogy, if you look at a world globe or map of the world, you will see all of the clearly marked dividing barriers of countries and states. Now, what happens to our perception of the earth when we view it from space? About the only boundaries we can still see are the continents and oceans. And from that vantage point, what is our impression of the planet? It’s much more beautiful, right?

The point is, too many details and boundaries tend to shrink our focus. They can easily blind us to the beauty that surrounds us. If everything is precisely defined, we can quickly lose our sense of wonderment and awe. If we limit our beliefs to a strict set of laws, rules, and regulations, it is very difficult to allow our beliefs to grow and change as we gain wisdom, insight, and understanding.

If everything is precisely defined, we can quickly lose our sense of wonderment and awe.

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2. Balancing beliefs and boundaries

What does it take to experience life in a productive and meaningful way and still maintain our sense of discovery and adventure? At what point do the boundaries on our internal map of reality cross the line from empowering to limiting?

On days 3 and 4 of this trek, we established that it is our beliefs about who we are and what we are capable of that are either empowering or limiting. So, once again, it all comes back to how our beliefs create our reality. Only this time we are looking at the concept of limiting and empowering from a completely different angle.

3. Treasure hunting

When you think of a treasure map, what kind of image does it conjure up? Usually, it’s a map with some notable place markers, but not too many details. At least that’s how it is in the movies!

Finding the treasure always involves an adventure of discovery. The treasure hunters have barely enough details to keep them moving in the right direction. Everything else is discovered along the way. It’s the adventure that keeps them fully engaged and living in the moment.

As a Christ follower, I consider the Bible as my primary treasure map for discovery of that rich and satisfying life. As is written in Psalms 119:105, “Your word is a lamp to guide my feet and a light for my path.”

4. Your internal treasure map of reality

For life to be an adventure of wonderment and awe, we need to treat it like a treasure hunt. We need our empowering beliefs to keep us headed in the right direction. To maintain our sense of adventure, we also need to avoid the trap of beliefs that create too many precise boundaries and preconceived ideas.

Living beyond the map does not mean that we don’t have a map. It means that we choose to discover the details along the way to enjoy our journey rather than try to fill them in ahead of time.It means approaching situations, people, and experiences with a sense of open curiosity. It means that we look for the treasures that are unfolding with each new day.

For life to be an adventure of wonderment and awe, we need to treat it like a treasure hunt.

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5. A shift in perception

When we are truly empowered by our beliefs, life gets simpler. We tend to let go of judgments and expectations and replace them with compassion and curiosity.

When we look at the earth from space, there are no national boundaries, conflicts, agendas, or disappointments. There is only beauty! Once we learn to view life from beyond the map, it’s pretty much the same scenario. It’s a beautiful treasure of wonderment and awe.

This was our fifth and final day on the trail of reality. If you would like to add to the discussion or have questions, please leave them in the comment section of today’s journal. I hope that this trek has provided you with some points to ponder that will help you to gain wisdom and insight. Join us tomorrow for another day of our Wisdom-Trek, Creating a Legacy, and we will explore the concept that if you want to have a rich and satisfying life, you have to do what is necessary by being the person that can make it possible. Be, do, and then have is the proper order.

I would really appreciate it if you would help Wisdom-Trek to grow by sharing Wisdom-Trek with your family and friends through email, Facebook, or Twitter so they can come along with us each day.

Thank you 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 each day.

As we take this Trek 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!

Day 127 – Your Beliefs Create Your Reality (4)

October 5, 2015 by H. Guthrie Chamberlain, III 1 Comment

Wisdom-Trek / Creating a Legacy

Welcome to Day 127 of our Wisdom-Trek, and thank you for joining me.

This is Guthrie Chamberlain, Your Guide to Wisdom.

Your Beliefs Create Your Reality (4)

Thank you for joining us for our 7 day a week, 7 minutes of wisdom podcast. This is Day 127 of our Trek.Yesterday was day three of five on the trail of our reality, which is based on our beliefs. Our focus throughout this five day trek is realizing how crucial it is that your belief system is on a solid foundation of truth.

This is day four of five on our exploration into the concept that our beliefs create our reality. Today we will discover how to upgrade our beliefs so that our realities are based on a solid foundation of truth. If you missed any of the previous episodes on this trek, make sure you go back and listen to them all to get a complete picture. If you have any of your own observations, comments, or questions as we share time together on our daily trek, please share them in the comment section of our daily journal pages.

We are recording our podcast from our studio at Home2 in Charlotte, North Carolina. Sunday we headed back to Charlotte after a busy and productive time in Marietta the past 10 days. We have a very busy week coming up with our client workload, including three interviews on other podcasts, and a trip to Phoenix, Arizona, to spend four days with our friends and business partners Charles and Alison Mecom on Friday. We have been working together on various construction projects for about 10 years and are doing some planning on a large project began this past summer.

Now it is time to break camp for and head back out on day four on our reality trail. As we start out I would like to ask you another question. “If your beliefs create your reality, doesn’t that open up a whole world of possibilities?” So, the next question I will follow up with is “What kind of reality have you created?”

By simply asking that question, we are actually accomplishing two important steps. First, we are acknowledging our creative ability, and at the same time, we are accepting responsibility for our current reality or situation on our trek of life.

During days 1 -3 of this trek, we examined several fundamental ways in which your beliefs influence our reality. One thing that should be abundantly clear by now is the fact that the quality of your life is a reflection of the quality of your beliefs about who you are and what you are capable of.

The quality of your life is a reflection of the quality of your beliefs about who you are and what you are capable of.

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Knowing that empowering beliefs create a desirable reality and limiting beliefs do the opposite is a good place to start. Obviously, the next step needs to be learning how to eliminate the beliefs that don’t serve you and replacing them with beliefs that do. This brings us to our 4^th major mile marker on our Trek today.

Part 4: Upgrading Your Beliefs

There is an essential first step that must be taken before you can even think about upgrading your beliefs. Do you know what that step is? It’s simple really, you need to identify your current beliefs and figure out which ones need an upgrade.

On the surface, this sounds easy enough. But beliefs are shrouded in all kinds of confusing disguises. In fact, have you ever noticed that the word “lie” is at the center of the word belief?

So, how do we get around the deceptive power of our limiting beliefs?

1. Look at the results!

The easiest way to identify your own limiting beliefs is to look at the results they produce. Any area in your life where you are producing good results is probably anchored to an empowering belief. Likewise, any area in your life that is plagued with unsatisfactory or frustrating results is likely anchored to a limiting belief. The results you produce always reveal your underlying beliefs.

The results you produce always reveal your underlying beliefs.

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This reminds me of the parable that Jesus taught of the 3 workers in Matthew [25:14]-30. All three workers had the opportunity to work hard and invest their boss’s money which they were entrusted with. Two of them had an abundance mindset or belief and gained a good return for their boss. The third one had a scarcity mindset or belief and buried the money because he was afraid. The consequences for the third worker was not favorable. What little he had was taken and given to the one that had done the best. Which of the workers would you be? (I encourage to read this passage.)

Also the 2^nd letter from the Apostle Paul to the church in Corinth clearly shows the principle of “what we plant we harvest” in Chapter 9 verse 6,“Remember this — a farmer who plants only a few seeds will get a small crop. But the one who plants generously will get a generous crop.”

What are you planting? Now it’s time for you to examine and list the areas of life that are lackingas well as the beliefs and feelings that support them. These areas are currently emotional liabilities. They are the beliefs that limit you, and need to be changed.

2. Identify your limiting beliefs.

Apply the following 7 questions to every area of your life that leaves you feeling limited, incompetent, unqualified, or afraid. Make a list that includes the unfulfilling activity and the limiting belief associated with the negative feelings behind it.

What do you feel you are not very good at, and why do you think that is so?
What areas of your life leave you feeling incompetent or unqualified and why?
What new activity are you afraid to try but would like to? Why do you feel afraid?
What is your least favorite activity, and why do you dislike it so much?
In what area do you want to improve, and what do you feel is holding you back?
What do you avoid helping others with, and why do you feel unable to help them?
When you want to make a good impression, what do you try to hide and why?

3. Dismantle these limiting beliefs.

To begin dismantling your limiting beliefs, you need to link them to a painful, negative, emotional anchor. The more painful the anchor, the more effective it will be. Start by asking yourself some pointed questions about each belief such as:

What price have I paid because of believing this?
How is what I believe affecting me financially, physically, and emotionally?
Why did I get anchored in this limiting belief to begin with?

Continuing to question the validity and consequences of any limiting belief will expose a wide array of negative emotional anchors for those beliefs. Once they come to represent pain, it becomes much easier to move away from them and move toward more empowering beliefs.

· Look for empowering replacements.

Next, ask yourself a few simple questions.

What would I have to believe in order to succeed in this area of my life?
What would I have to do differently in order to produce the results I want?
Which of my existing empowering beliefs can I apply to these areas of my life?

As you answer these 3 questions, allow yourself to develop a sense of certainty that by changing your beliefs, you will be able to produce positive results. Make a list of these new beliefs so you have them as a reference. Review this list often, especially if you find yourself slipping into a negative mindset.

By changing your beliefs, you will be able to produce positive results.

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· Look for improved results.

Adopting these new empowering beliefs will change the results you produce. In turn, being alert to those changes will help reinforce and validate your new beliefs. Soon, your new beliefs will be totally accepted into your subconscious and be reflected in your new internal map of reality

Please check out the journal page for today’s trek and review the questions that we discussed during our time together today.

Two additional questions I would like to ask are:

Did you discover any hidden limiting beliefs?
Do you agree that your beliefs create your reality?

This was our fourth day on the trail of reality. If you would like to add to the discussion or have questions, please leave them in the comment section of today’s journal. In order to learn more about how our beliefs create our reality, join us tomorrow for another day of our Wisdom-Trek, Creating a Legacy, and we will explore “Beyond the Map,” where we are going to look at the amazing possibilities that exist at the next level of creating your reality.

Thank you 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 each day.

As we take this Trek 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!

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