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Day 1562 – A Father’s Gift – Daily Wisdom

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Welcome to Day 1562 of our Wisdom-Trek, and thank you for joining me.

This is Guthrie Chamberlain, Your Guide to Wisdom

A Father’s Gift – Daily Wisdom

Welcome to Wisdom-Trek with Gramps! Wisdom is the final frontier in gaining true knowledge. Our mission is to create a legacy of wisdom, seek out discernment and insights, and boldly grow where few have chosen to grow before. Hello, my friend; this is Gramps; thanks for coming along on our journey to increase Wisdom and Create a Living Legacy. Today is Day 1562 of our Trek, and it’s time for your daily snippet of wisdom, which includes an inspirational quote along with some wise words from Gramps for today’s trek. If you apply the words you hear today, over time, it will help you become healthy, wealthy, and wise as you continue your daily trek of life. So let’s jump right in with today’s nugget:

Today’s quote is from  C. Neil Strait, and it is:   The best gift a father can give to his child is the gift of himself — his time. For material things mean little, if there is not someone to share them with. 

A Father’s Gift

There is one item in life that is not renewable, and that is time. We all have 168 hours each week to invest in any manner that you choose. If we have decided to have children, then they are one thing where we should invest our time in abundance. When your children are grown, they will remember very few of the material things you provide them, but investing time with them will reap an abundant harvest of blessings, both for them, but also for you. I understand that we do need to provide our children with food, clothing, and shelter. That requires working and investing time away from them. But are you allowing work to consume you, where you have very little time left to invest in your spouse and children? What your children need most is you, not fancy trinkets that are soon forgotten. If they have all the riches the world affords, but don’t have a dad to share his love with, then all is in vain. Invest wisely, and you are sure to reap a harvest of blessings. Learn to give the good and perfect gift of yourself to those you love.

James 1:17

Whatever is good and perfect is a gift coming down to us from God our Father, who created all the lights in the heavens. He never changes or casts a shifting shadow.

As you ponder this nugget of daily wisdom yourself, I would ask you to 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 1561 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 that 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 through this Wisdom-Trek podcast and journal each day.

As we take this Trek of life together, let us always:

  1. Live Abundantly (Fully)
  2. Love Unconditionally
  3. Listen Intentionally
  4. Learn Continuously
  5. Lend to others Generously
  6. Lead with Integrity
  7. 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 more daily wisdom!

Day 1561 – Hidden in Plain Sight – Worldview Wednesday

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Welcome to Day 1561 of our Wisdom-Trek, and thank you for joining me.

I am Guthrie Chamberlain, Your Guide to Wisdom

Hidden in Plain Sight – Worldview Wednesday

Welcome to Wisdom-Trek with Gramps! Wisdom is the final frontier in gaining true knowledge. Our mission is to create a legacy of wisdom, seek out discernment and insights, and boldly grow where few have chosen to grow before. Hello, my friend; this is Gramps; thanks for coming along on our journey to increase Wisdom and Create a Living Legacy. Today is Day 1561 of our Trek, and it is Worldview Wednesday. Creating a Biblical Worldview is essential to have a proper perspective on today’s current events. To establish a Biblical Worldview, you must have a proper understanding of God and His Word. This week, we will continue reviewing the book from Dr. Michael S Heiser titled “Supernatural.” The book is an abbreviated version of his more comprehensive book, “The Unseen Realm.” I highly recommend both of these books. Creating a Biblical Worldview based on how the Old and New Testaments connect with God’s overall plan for humanity is essential. This book review will help us understand what the Bible teaches about the unseen world, and why it matters.

Hidden in Plain Sight

Since the fall, God had been trying to revive his original goal for Eden: to live with both his divine and human family on earth. God had told Adam and Eve to be fruitful and multiply, thereby spreading God’s good rule over the rest of the planet. God wanted the whole earth to be a place where heaven and earth met, where humanity could enjoy the divine, and where the divine could enjoy earth and humanity. We know how that went.

A History of Failure

Humanity sinned and was expelled from God’s presence. Eden was shut down. The divine enemy, the Serpent, was banished—cast or cut down—from God’s presence to earth, the place where death reigns, where life is not everlasting. He became lord of the dead, and therefore had a claim to every human being who would ever live—because they sin, and sin’s wages is death (Romans 6:23).

After the flood, God had repeated the goal of Eden to Noah and his family: be fruitful and multiply. It was a do-over. Instead, humanity rebelled. Rather than obey God and spread the knowledge and rule of God everywhere, they would build a tower where God could come to them.

Failure again. God wouldn’t go for it. He mixed up the nations’ languages and turned the nations over to his divine council to rule. Then he decided to start over with a new human family—through Abraham and Sarah. He would get back to the other nations—through Abraham’s descendants—once his kingdom rule was revived (Genesis 12:3).

Abraham and Sarah, too, were a failure. So was the next attempt, bringing Israel out of Egypt, then to Sinai, and then finally to the Promised Land. Israel failed. Eventually, God raised up David, and then Solomon. But after Solomon died, Israel followed other gods and the Israelites turned on each other. God had to expel them from the Promised Land in exile.

The human story, apart from God’s presence, is the story of failure. This is because humanity is lost since the fall. All humans are imperfect and estranged from God. No human leader could be trusted with starting and maintaining God’s kingdom. They would resist loyalty to God alone. They would go their own way. Humans would sin, fail, and join the lord of the dead, God’s great enemy. But God’s vision of sharing the blessing of being steward-kings over a new Eden couldn’t happen without humans. The only way humans would ever be able to hold up their end of God’s plan would be for them to be made new again. The curse of the fall must be lifted. And for that, God had a plan.

The Solution—and a Problem

God needed a man who was more than man—someone who could resist temptation, who would always obey, who was fit for kingship, who could reverse the curse of death by dying and then rising again by his own power. All of that could happen in only one way: God himself would become human. God would fulfill his own plan, as a man, for all humankind, and restore Eden. Only when humans were forgiven and made divine like Jesus through resurrection power (1 John 3:1–3) could Eden be a reality.

But there was a problem. If the plan were discovered‌—‌that the man who was God was here to die and rise again to ensure that God’s original vision would be restored‌—‌the forces of darkness wouldn’t fall for it.

This is precisely what Paul said in a letter to the Corinthian church in 1 Corinthians 2:7-8: No, the wisdom we speak of is the mystery of God[a]—his plan that was previously hidden, even though he made it for our ultimate glory before the world began. But the rulers of this world have not understood it; if they had, they would not have crucified our glorious Lord.

Who is Paul talking about? The word rulers can refer to human authorities—such as Pontius Pilate and the Jewish leaders—but Paul also has divine, demonic powers in view (Ephesians 2:2). God’s enemies, human and divine, had to be kept in the dark. Everything depended on the death and resurrection of the God-man. But how do you keep that a secret?

The Cryptic Messiah

The God-man upon whom the restoration of Eden depended was, of course, the Messiah—Jesus of Nazareth. But did it surprise you that I suggested that the messianic plan was secret? Can’t we just read the Old Testament and see the whole plan? No, we can’t.

Believe it or not, there is no verse in the Old Testament that uses the word messiah of a man who was actually God and who would die for the sins of humanity. Not even Isaiah 53:11 with its portrait of a “suffering servant.” The word messiah never appears in that chapter, and elsewhere in Isaiah, the “servant” refers to the nation of Israel, not an individual savior (Isaiah 41:8; 44:1–2, 21; 45:4; 48:20; 49:3). The word messiah, which means “anointed,” nearly always refers only to David or one of his descendants who reigned as king after him.

The proof of what I’m saying—that the profile of a divine messiah who would die and rise again is hard to find in the Old Testament—is apparent in the New Testament.

Think of how the disciples responded to Jesus when he told them he was going to Jerusalem to die. The announcement mystified and distressed them (Matthew 17:22–23; Mark 9:30–32). They didn’t respond by saying, “Oh, right, we read that in the Scriptures.” Peter even rebuked Jesus for saying it (Matthew 16:21–23).

The disciples had no sense, no clue, of this new plan of God’s. They thought of Jesus only as David’s son and rightful heir to his throne, someone who performed miracles just as the Old Testament prophets did.

Even after the resurrection, the disciples had to have their minds supernaturally opened to see a suffering messiah. After Jesus had risen from the dead, he appeared to them and said in Luke 24:44-45: Then he said, “When I was with you before, I told you that everything written about me in the law of Moses and the prophets and in the Psalms must be fulfilled.” Then he opened their minds to understand the Scriptures.

The “new plan” of God’s—that he would die and then rise from the dead to reverse the curse of the fall—isn’t at all evident in the Old Testament. Instead, clues are scattered throughout the Old Testament in dozens of places. Never is it all revealed in one place. The messianic profile is only evident in hindsight—and even then only to someone who already knows what to look for and expect.

Of course, intelligent supernatural evil beings knew David’s prophesied son had arrived (Matthew 8:28–29; Luke 4:31–35). That much they could grasp from the Old Testament. But nothing the demons ever say creates the impression that they understood Jesus was come to earth to die and rise again, reversing the curse.

As Paul said, had they and Satan understood that, they would never have moved people like Judas to betray Jesus to those who wanted him dead. The Devil and those aligned with him are lots of things, but they aren’t morons. They were duped into killing Jesus, just as God had planned. They launched the series of events that would lead to their demise. It was divinely designed misdirection.

Parts of the Profile

In hindsight, we can see the messianic profile pieces with more clarity than the disciples could. While no verse describes a divine messianic son of David dying and rising to reverse the curse, those threads run throughout the Old Testament. Having already seen how the plan played out, you can find a thread and start following patterns.

For example, ask, “Who is the son of God?” The answer isn’t “Jesus” in the Old Testament. Adam was God’s son—he was the first man. Israel is called God’s son (Exodus 4:23; Hosea 11:1). The Israelite king is called God’s son (Psalm 2:7). In the New Testament, Jesus is “the second Adam” and the “Son of God” (Romans 1:4; 1 Corinthians 15:45; 2 Corinthians 1:19; Hebrews 4:4).

We might ask, “Who is God’s servant?” Adam served God (Genesis, 2:15). Israel was called God’s servant (Isaiah 41:8; 44:1–2, 21; 45:4; 48:20; 49:3). David and other Israelite kings in his lineage were called God’s servant (2 Samuel 3:18; Psalm 89:3; 1 Kings 3:7; 2 Chronicles 32:16). Jesus was also the servant (Acts 3:13; 4:30; Phil. 2:1–8).

Did these sons of God and servants of God suffer? Did their earthly existence end at some point? Was that existence renewed? Do they have a future in a new Eden? The answers are all yes. Adam, Israel, and the Davidic kings were all exiled from God’s presence—the place on earth where he dwelled (Eden and the Promised Land). Yet they were and will be redeemed in a new Eden to live with God and the risen Jesus.

All these figures point to Jesus in some manner, and he completes the patterns. He is the unified picture that becomes visible when the pieces are all detected and put in their proper places. Everything was in plain sight, yet undetectable without hindsight.

Why This Matters

Intelligent evil—Satan, demons, the lesser gods who rule the nations—do not know everything. They do not have the mind of God, nor can they penetrate it. We tend to presume that because they are supernatural, they are all-knowing. Not true. There is only one omniscient being—God. And he happens to be on our side.

Because of the fall, Satan had rightful jurisdiction over us all. What do I mean? Because of Adam’s sin, “death spread to all” (Romans 5:12). The Serpent was cursed, cast down to rule over the realm of the dead—the underworld, or what we refer to as hell. Because of the fall, everyone is destined to die and go to the realm of the dead—where the Devil reigns.

That all changed when Jesus came the first time and fulfilled God’s plan of salvation by dying on the cross and rising from the dead. The first step to restoring Eden was to provide a means for humanity to escape the curse of death. All who believe, who are made members of God’s family and kingdom, are no longer hostage to the curse of death and the lord of the dead. This is why Jesus, when beginning his ministry of reviving the kingdom (Luke 10:1–9), said: “Yes,” he told them, “I saw Satan fall from heaven like lightning! (Luke 10:18). Jesus knew his death and resurrection would pay the sinner’s debt, leaving Satan with no claim on our souls. The kingdom was the beginning of the end for the lord of the dead.

We must, again, remember who we are—and where our identity comes from. Believers, collectively as the church, are called the body of Christ. And Jesus’ body was raised. We will rise because he has risen (1 Corinthians 15:20–23). He is the firstborn of the dead. We are “the assembly of the firstborn who are enrolled in heaven” (Hebrews 12:22–24). As John said in John 1:12, But to all who believed him and accepted him, he gave the right to become children of God. Satan has no claim on the children of God because they will rise from death. There is no reason to look for the living in the realm of the dead.

God wouldn’t reveal his hand to anyone—be they human or divine, loyal, or adversarial. The specifics of how the Messiah would accomplish God’s purposes had to be hidden. But God would let them know in absolute terms that when the Messiah appeared, he would be God in human flesh, and the restoration of the Edenic kingdom was the endgame. As we’ll see in the next two chapters, that was just enough information to prompt faith in people’s hearts and to bait the powers of darkness into putting their own destruction into motion.[1]

That will finish our study for this week’s worldview Wednesday. Join us again next week as we continue with the next chapter in Supernatural in our quest to build our Biblical Worldview. Tomorrow we will ponder another bit of wisdom from Gramps. So encourage your friends and family to join us and then come along with us tomorrow for another day of ‘Wisdom-Trek, Creating a Legacy.’

If you would like to listen to any of our past 1560 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 so much for allowing me to be your guide, mentor, and, most of all, your friend as I serve you through this Wisdom-Trek podcast and journal.

As we take this Trek together, let us always:

  1. Live Abundantly (Fully)
  2. Love Unconditionally
  3. Listen Intentionally
  4. Learn Continuously
  5. Lend to others Generously
  6. Lead with Integrity
  7. 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!

[1] Heiser, M. S. (2015). Supernatural: What the Bible Teaches about the Unseen World—And Why It Matters. (D. Lambert, Ed.) (pp. 97–105). Bellingham, WA: Lexham Press.

Day 1560 – Aging Gracefully – Daily Wisdom

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Welcome to Day 1560 of our Wisdom-Trek, and thank you for joining me.

This is Guthrie Chamberlain, Your Guide to Wisdom

Aging Gracefully – Daily Wisdom

Welcome to Wisdom-Trek with Gramps! Wisdom is the final frontier in gaining true knowledge. Our mission is to create a legacy of wisdom, seek out discernment and insights, and boldly grow where few have chosen to grow before. Hello, my friend; this is Gramps. Thanks for coming along on our journey to increase Wisdom and Create a Living Legacy. Today is Day 1560 of our Trek, and it’s time for another snippet of wisdom, which includes an inspirational quote along with some wise words from Gramps for today’s trek. If you apply the words you hear today, over time, it will help you become healthy, wealthy, and wise as you continue your daily trek of life. So let’s jump right in with today’s nugget:

Today’s quote is from  Michel de Montaigne, and it is:  Take care that old age does not wrinkle your spirit even more than your face.    

Aging Gracefully

Even with today’s technological advances, every person on earth is aging a bit more each day. There is no way to completely stop or reverse the aging process completely, but if we take care of ourselves physically, we may slow it somewhat. Lifespans are certainly being extended, but there is no fountain of youth. We may not be able to stop the wrinkles and other physical signs of aging, but with those wrinkles and white hair, we should be growing in wisdom. As we grow in wisdom, there is a more critical aspect to aging that we do have some control over, which is the aging of our spirit. We don’t have to let the aging process destroy our spirit. We can remain youthful in our souls based on the wisdom we gain with our age. Each day our spirit can be re-energized and renewed. We can allow the experiences in our lives and the lessons that we have learned from them to smooth out our internal wrinkles. With age comes maturity; at least that should be a by-product of age. Maturity does not have to dampen our spirit but can energize us to make a more significant impact on our world, no matter how large or small our world is. Few people understand the impact their lives have on their world. The more we age, the more significant impact we will have on eternity. One movie that portrays this concept so well is my favorite Christmas movie, ‘It’s a Wonderful Life.’ Jimmy Stewart, who plays George Bailey, gets to experience how his life impacted the entire town of Bedford Falls.  He was just an ordinary person whose impact was immense and the lives of many others.   As I am now on my 65th revolution around the sun, I am reminded daily how my legacy will impact my world. Both physically and within my spirit, I still see myself as forever young. While I pray that God will grant me at least another 65 years to impact eternity, I have to live each day with the realization of what I do today is important. May God grant you a wrinkle-free spirit and me.

Job 12:12

Wisdom belongs to the aged, and understanding to the old.

Psalm 92:12-15

But the godly will flourish like palm trees

and grow strong like the cedars of Lebanon.

For they are transplanted to the Lord’s own house.

They flourish in the courts of our God.

Even in old age, they will still produce fruit;

they will remain vital and green.

They will declare, “The Lord is just!

He is my rock!

There is no evil in him!”

As you ponder this nugget of wisdom for yourself, 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 1559 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 through this Wisdom-Trek podcast and journal each day.

As we take this Trek of life together, let us always:

  1. Live Abundantly (Fully)
  2. Love Unconditionally
  3. Listen Intentionally
  4. Learn Continuously
  5. Lend to others Generously
  6. Lead with Integrity
  7. 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!

Day 1559 – Bible Study – Nonliteral Real Interpretations – Meditation Monday

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Welcome to Day 1559 of our Wisdom-Trek, and thank you for joining me.

This is Guthrie Chamberlain, Your Guide to Wisdom

Bible Study – Nonliterial Real Interpretations – Meditation Monday

Welcome to Wisdom-Trek with Gramps! Wisdom is the final frontier in gaining true knowledge. Our mission is to create a legacy of wisdom, seek out discernment and insights, and boldly grow where few have chosen to grow before. Hello, my friend; this is Gramps; thanks for coming along on our journey to increase Wisdom and Create a Living Legacy Today is Day 1559 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.

 We are continuing our series this week on Meditation Monday as we focus on Mastering Bible Study through a series of brief insights from Hebrew Scholar, Dr. Michael S. Heiser. Our current insights are focusing on accurately interpreting the Bible. Today let us meditate on:

Bible Study – Nonliterial Real Interpretations

·      Insight Fifty-Three: Nonliteral Doesn’t Mean “Not Real.”

I talked earlier about how “literal interpretation” isn’t easy to define. The whole idea of what “literal” interpretation means needs interpretation. The frequent insistence on thinking only in literal terms (whatever that means) has led to the caricature of other kinds of interpretation. Nonliteral interpretation, many are told, is just a strategy to avoid what the Bible clearly says. When something in the Bible threatens people (e.g., makes them draw a different conclusion than the one they favor), those panicked souls resort to “allegorizing” or “spiritualizing” the text. That’s nonsense.

I do not deny that people do come up with weird interpretations to avoid something they don’t like in Scripture. I deny that this is an acceptable portrayal of nonliteral interpretation. It had better be, since New Testament writers do at times take their Old Testament nonliterally.

The myth is that “nonliteral” somehow means “not real” or “I don’t want what I’m reading to be real.” The kind of nonliteral interpretation the New Testament writers sometimes engage in is hardly the result of wishing something in the Bible isn’t true.

The idea behind the kind of nonliteral interpretation you’ll find in the Bible is that sometimes the text’s meaning transcends what we would expect the passage to “literally” mean. The text means more than what immediately pops into our head. Nonliteral interpretation presumes that what God means by a statement might go beyond what humans presume. Since the spiritual realm is just as real as our physical, embodied existence, we have no right to make such presumptions. Nonliteral doesn’t mean not real. It often means more real than you imagined.

For example, there is a considerable debate over the nature of the Antichrist figure in the New Testament. Some say the Antichrist will be a man, perhaps the Devil incarnate. Others say that Antichrist is a symbol of evil. In both perspectives, believers’ suffering that ensues from the appearance of this man/evil is real. It would be dishonest for the “literal man” perspective to argue that the “symbol of evil” side wants to escape what the text says. Whatever the text means, the evil will be a clear and present danger.

Don’t embrace caricatures of interpretive approaches you don’t like or have little experience with. Find out what an approach really says.

·      Insight Fifty-Four: Be Open to Nonliteral Inpertretation – the Biblical Writers Used It On Occasion

I just made the point that “nonliteral” doesn’t mean “not real.” When that interpretive approach happens in the New Testament, the meaning of a passage goes beyond a mundane “literal” expectation.

One of the more dramatic examples of a more-than-literal interpretation is what Luke does with Amos’s prophecy. In Amos 9:11-12, a prophecy about a time far distant to the prophet himself, God says through Amos:

“In that day I will restore the fallen house of David.

I will repair its damaged walls.

From the ruins, I will rebuild it

and restore its former glory.

And Israel will possess what is left of Edom

and all the nations I have called to be mine.”

The Lord has spoken,

and he will do these things.

On the surface—literally, one might say—the prophecy seems to be about repairing a physical structure, perhaps a damaged tent or a wall. This restoration’s purpose is that Israel may possess the remnant of Edom and all the nations called by God’s name. Given the history of Edom, one expects Israel is the one who will possess Edom. That creates the possibility that the fallen house of David may be metaphorical for David’s dynasty.

Luke doesn’t see any of that in Acts 15. In that chapter, Peter relates the vision God showed him about the message of salvation being for Gentiles, not Jews only. Right after that, when the apostle James hears about Paul’s new ministry to the Gentiles, he sees what God has accomplished through Peter and Paul as the fulfillment of Amos 9! Luke writes in Acts 15:15-17:

And this conversion of Gentiles is exactly what the prophets predicted. As it is written:

 Afterward, I will return

and restore the fallen house of David.

I will rebuild its ruins

and restore it,

so that the rest of humanity might seek the Lord,

including the Gentiles—

all those I have called to be mine.

The Lord has spoken—

Luke (and James) don’t balk at accepting a dramatically abstracted interpretation (Edom becomes Nations and, more specifically, Gentiles). This is quite different than what one would “literally” expect as a prophetic outcome, but it is quite real since the gospel was truly for everyone. When we study Scripture, we need to be open to other passages, especially those involving prophecy, working this way too.

Joshua 1:8

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.

That is a wrap for today’s Meditation. Next week we will continue our trek on Meditation Monday as we take time to reflect on what is most important in creating our living legacy. Thank you for joining me on this trek called life. 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 the past 1558 daily treks or read the daily 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 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 through this Wisdom-Trek podcast and Journal.

As we take this Trek of life together, let us always:

  1. Live Abundantly (Fully)
  2. Love Unconditionally
  3. Listen Intentionally
  4. Learn Continuously
  5. Lend to others Generously
  6. Lead with Integrity
  7. 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!

Day 1558 – Small Opportunities – Daily Wisdom

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Welcome to Day 1558 of our Wisdom-Trek, and thank you for joining me.

This is Guthrie Chamberlain, Your Guide to Wisdom

Small Opportunities – Daily Wisdom

Welcome to Wisdom-Trek with Gramps! Wisdom is the final frontier in gaining true knowledge. Our mission is to create a legacy of wisdom, seek out discernment and insights, and boldly grow where few have chosen to grow before. Hello, my friend; this is Gramps; thanks for coming along on our journey to increase Wisdom and Create a Living Legacy. Today is Day 1558 of our Trek, and it’s time for your daily snippet of wisdom, which includes an inspirational quote along with some wise words from Gramps for today’s trek. If you apply the words you hear today, over time, it will help you become healthy, wealthy, and wise as you continue your daily trek of life. So let’s jump right in with today’s nugget:

Today’s quote is from Demosthenes, a Greek statesman and orator of ancient Athens during the 4th century BC. It is:   Small opportunities are often the beginning of great enterprises.  

Small Opportunities

As with anything that turns out great, it starts with something small. Even in nature, this is true. The great and mighty oak trees that grow to be 50 or 100 feet in height and up to 10 feet in diameter begin with a single tiny acorn that can be crushed underfoot.  A large, successful business enterprise begins with a germ of thought, then to a small tangible business, and then continues to grow and excel as it is nurtured. A successful marriage starts with nothing but love, hopes, and dreams but can then grow and flourish to bring a life full of happiness and contentment. So it is with the kingdom of God. It started with one man, Jesus Christ, who was also God in the flesh. He began with a handful of faithful disciples, and the Christian movement has spread throughout the entire world to every tribe and nation. We have yet to see what the kingdom of God will fully become, but it continues to increase and flourish, even under intense persecution in some parts of the world. Jesus used an example of the smallest of seeds and a pinch of yeast on how such a small item can impact its world to a great measure.  So let me ask you, what small opportunities are you taking advantage of in all areas of life to significantly impact your world? Be a mustard seed or a pinch of yeast.

Matthew 13:31-33

Here is another illustration Jesus used: “The Kingdom of Heaven is like a mustard seed planted in a field. It is the smallest of all seeds, but it becomes the largest of garden plants; it grows into a tree, and birds come and make nests in its branches.”

Jesus also used this illustration: “The Kingdom of Heaven is like the yeast a woman used in making bread. Even though she put only a little yeast in three measures of flour, it permeated every part of the dough.”

As you ponder this nugget of wisdom for yourself, I would ask you to please encourage your friends and family to join us and then come along on Monday for another day of ‘Wisdom-Trek, Creating a Legacy.’

If you would like to listen to any of our past 1557 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 that 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 through this Wisdom-Trek podcast and journal each day.

As we take this Trek of life together, let us always:

  1. Live Abundantly (Fully)
  2. Love Unconditionally
  3. Listen Intentionally
  4. Learn Continuously
  5. Lend to others Generously
  6. Lead with Integrity
  7. 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 on Monday for more daily wisdom!