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Day 1277 – It Is the Results That Count – Humor Unplugged

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Wisdom-Trek / Creating a Legacy

Welcome to Day 1277 of our Wisdom-Trek, and thank you for joining me.

This is Guthrie Chamberlain, Your Guide to Wisdom

It Is the Results That Count – Humor Unplugged

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

Hello, my friend, I am Guthrie Chamberlain, your captain on our journey to increase wisdom and create a living legacy. Thank you for joining us today as we explore wisdom on our 2nd millennium of podcasts. This is Day 1277 of our trek, and it is time for our 3-minute mini-trek called Humor Unplugged. Our Thursday podcast will provide a short and clean funny story to help you lighten up and live a rich and satisfying life – something to cheer you and provide a bit a levity in your life.

We are told in Proverbs 15:30, “A cheerful look brings joy to the heart; good news makes for good health.” We are also encouraged in Proverbs 17:22, “A cheerful heart is good medicine, but a broken spirit saps a person’s strength.” Consider this your vitamin supplement of cheer for today. So let’s jump right in with today’s funny, which is titled…

It Is the Results That Count

Pastor Joseph Snow dies and is waiting in line at the Pearly Gates. Ahead of him is a guy dressed in sunglasses, a loud shirt, leather jacket, and jeans.

Saint Peter says to this guy, “Who are you, so that I may know whether to admit you to the Kingdom of Heaven?”

The guy replies, “I’m Joe Cohen, taxi driver, of Noo Yawk City.”

Saint Peter consults his list. He smiles and says to the taxi driver, “Take this silken robe and golden staff and enter the Kingdom of Heaven.”

The taxi driver goes into Heaven with his robe and staff, and it’s the pastor’s turn.

He stands erect and booms out, “I am The Reverend Joseph Snow, pastor of First Baptist Church for the last 43 years.”

Saint Peter consults his list. He says to the pastor, “Take this cotton robe and wooden staff and enter the Kingdom of Heaven.”

“Just a minute!” says the pastor. “That man was a taxi driver, and he gets a silken robe and golden staff. How can this be?”

“Up here, we work by results,” says Saint Peter. “While you preached, people slept. While he drove, people prayed.”

I hope that brought a smile to your face today. If it did, pass your smile on to someone else. We all could use a good smile. Our Thursday thought is “We’re called to be faithful, to take those first difficult steps–and to leave the results up to God.”

Matthew 20:16, “So those who are last now will be first then, and those who are first will be last.”

As you enjoy these nuggets of humor, please encourage your friends and family to join us and then come along tomorrow for another day of our Wisdom-Trek, Creating a Legacy.

If you would like to listen to any of our past 1276 treks or read the Wisdom Journal, they are all available at Wisdom-Trek.com.   I encourage you to subscribe to Wisdom-Trek on your favorite podcast player, so each day will be downloaded to you automatically.

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

As we take this trek 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 Philosophy Friday!

Day 1276 – Mastering the Bible – Writers Used Translations – Worldview Wednesday

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Wisdom-Trek / Creating a Legacy

Welcome to Day 1276 of our Wisdom-Trek, and thank you for joining me.

I am Guthrie Chamberlain, Your Guide to Wisdom

Mastering the Bible – Writers Used Translations – Worldview Wednesday

What is a Biblical Worldview 1

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

Hello, my friend, I am Guthrie Chamberlain, your captain on our journey to increase wisdom and create a living legacy. Thank you for joining us today as we explore wisdom on our 2nd millennium of podcasts. This is Day 1276 of our trek, and it is Worldview Wednesday. Creating a Biblical worldview is important to have a proper perspective on today’s current events.

To establish a Biblical Worldview, you must also have a proper understanding of God and His Word. Our focus for the next several months on Worldview Wednesday is Mastering the Bible, through a series of brief insights. These insights are extracted from a book of the same title from one of today’s most prominent Hebrew Scholars, Dr. Micheal S. Heiser. This book is a collection of insights designed to help you understand the Bible better. When we let the Bible be what it is, we can understand it as the original readers did, and as its writers intended. Each week we will explore two insights.

Mastering the Bible – Writers Used Translations

Insight Twenty-One: The Biblical Writers Used Translations of the Bible

Dr. Heiser shares his own experience as a Bible teacher. He says, “When I was teaching full-time, I’d occasionally hear students lament having to read the Bible in translation. Some would even wonder if they could trust their translations. I would tell students they need not worry about the issue since biblical writers used them.”

Dr. Heiser was speaking primarily about how the New Testament writers quote the Old Testament. The New Testament was written in Greek. The Old Testament was written primarily in Hebrew, with a few portions written in Aramaic. When New Testament writers quote the Old Testament, they usually use something called the Septuagint, which was an ancient Greek translation of the Hebrew Old Testament.

It’s interesting to note that the Septuagint wasn’t always literal in its translation of the Old Testament. That didn’t bother the New Testament writers. For example, a pretty literal rendering of Amos [9:11]-12 reads like this,

“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.”

In literal terms, the prophecy seems to be about repairing a physical structure, perhaps a tent booth (Deuteronomy [16:13]-16) or a wall. Many readers would anticipate the prophecy is about the rebuilding of David’s house or, by extension, his dynasty. The result would be the “what is left of Edom and all the nations” would be possessed by “house of David.”

Luke quotes this passage in Acts [15:16]-17 and the wording changes.

“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.”

Notice that Edom becomes “the rest of humanity” in Luke’s rendering, while “nations” become the more specific “gentiles.” The reason for the difference is that Luke is using the Septuagint. Edomites in the Old Testament were estranged relatives to Israel. In the context of Acts 15, because of Jesus, David’s heir, the gentiles, and everyone estranged from God can now be part of the people of God. The Septuagint translation actually makes the theological point of Amos 9 more clear, despite its “more than literal” wording.

The lesson is twofold: (1) the biblical writers were not afraid to use translations, so we shouldn’t be afraid either; and (2) sometimes literalism isn’t the best way to read something.

Insight Twenty-Two: The Creation Stories Target the Belief of Other Ancient Religions

Even people who never read the Bible know that it talks about the creation of the world. They have heard of Genesis 1:1, “in the beginning, God created the heavens and the earth.” Because of our current cultural climate, though, the verse, and even the idea is controversial to say the least. Our culture is a product of the seventeenth-century Enlightenment and the progress of science since then, particularly with respect to the rise of Darwin’s theory of evolution. None of that was in the mind of the biblical writers.

The creation stories in the Bible don’t aim to articulate modern scientific theories. By definition, they couldn’t, since they come from a premodern era. God wasn’t dispensing advanced knowledge either, since no one who received the Bible prior to the modern period would have understood it. The whole enterprise of inspiration was aimed at bringing people truths they could understand, not transmitting cryptic knowledge to an intellectual elite.

The creation stories were designed to teach crucial theological ideas. They were deliberately written in ways that take shots at foreign gods and their (alleged) creative powers. This effort is largely lost on us since most of what’s going on in this text can only be discerned by people who read Hebrew and, just as importantly, people who shared the same worldview of the writers.

What’s happening in Genesis 1 would have been obvious to anyone familiar with the competing creation stories from ancient Egypt, Babylon, and Canaan. For example, Genesis 1:1-3, which identifies God as the creator, follows the grammar, syntax, and themes of the Babylonian tale known as Enuma Elish, in which Marduk orders creation. The reference to “the deep” draws on Canaanite beliefs about the ordering of the world from the primeval waters. The same is true for creation passages outside Genesis. Psalm [74:12]-17 links creation to God’s slaying of a great sea beast. Ancient readers would have known that was a backhanded slap in the face to Baal, who defeats the sea dragon in Canaanite myths. The notion that God created by the spoken word (Genesis 1:3) is a direct attack on Egyptian creation beliefs preserved in The Memphite Theology, where the god Ptah was thought to speak everything into existence.

The biblical authors were clever and fearless in putting forth their fundamental theological claim: the world of human experience is the product of the creative power of the God of Israel and no other god, period. We process Genesis in light of our own age and intellectual battles. To do that is to impose a foreign context on the Bible. When critics chide the Bible for not being scientific, it is they who are ignorant. It is intellectually bankrupt to criticize something for not being what it was never intended to be. The claim of the biblical writers was a supernatural one, affirming the reality of a creator. We need that message, even more today than ever since the worldview of many cultures is predisposed to rejecting the idea of God.

That will conclude this week’s lesson on another two insights from Dr. Heiser’s book “Mastering the Bible.” Next Worldview Wednesday, we will continue with two additional insights. I believe you will find each Worldview Wednesday an interesting topic to consider as we build our Biblical worldview.

Tomorrow we will continue with our 3-minute humor nugget that will provide you with a bit of cheer and help you to lighten up and live a rich and satisfying life. So encourage your friends and family to join us and then come along with us tomorrow for another day of our Wisdom-Trek, Creating a Legacy.

If you would like to listen to any of our past 1275 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 the 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!

Day 1275 – Wish for Success – Wisdom Unplugged

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Wisdom-Trek / Creating a Legacy

Welcome to Day 1275 of our Wisdom-Trek, and thank you for joining me.

This is Guthrie Chamberlain, Your Guide to Wisdom

Wish for Success– Wisdom Unplugged

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

Hello, my friend, I am Guthrie Chamberlain, your captain on our journey to increase wisdom and create a living legacy. Thank you for joining us today as we explore wisdom on our 2nd millennium of podcasts. This is Day 1275 of our trek, and it is time for our 3-minute mini trek called Wisdom Unplugged. This short nugget of wisdom includes an inspirational quote with a little bit of additional content for today’s trek. Consider this your vitamin supplement of wisdom for today. So let’s jump right in with today’s nugget.

Today’s quote is from Joseph Addison, and it is, “If you wish success in life, make perseverance your bosom friend, experience your wise counselor, caution your elder brother, and hope your guardian genius.”

Wish for Success

All of us wish to be successful in all areas of our lives. The problem is, just wishing is not actually doing anything. As a child, when we would use the phrase, I wish for… (whatever it was we wished for) my Grandma Burkhart used to say, “Wish in one hand and spit in the other, and see which one fills up first.” In other words, you must do more than wish, you have to act.

In order for your actions to bring success, there are some things that have to be in place and incorporated into your life. The first one is that perseverance must become your close ally and trail mate on your trek of life. Without dogged perseverance, you will soon quit at the first sign of adversity. You also must gain experience because it is through experience that you will gain the wisdom needed to succeed and avoid the pitfalls of the past. You must use that wisdom to provide caution as an older loving brother would provide to you as he assisted you on your path of success.

In addition to what we have just mentioned, you must never lose hope. Hope is what will drive you forward, when all seems lost, and you are heading towards failure.  Hope, coupled with perseverance, wisdom, and caution, will continue to be fellow comrades on your trek to success.

Most of all, though, the hope that you have must be hope in what God will provide for you. He will make your plans successful as you are faithful to Him and have the faith that He will allow you to succeed.

Joshua 1:7

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.

That’s a wrap for today’s Wisdom Unplugged quote. If you would like free access to my database of over 11,000 inspirational quotes, the link is available on the main page of Wisdom-Trek.com. As you enjoy these nuggets of wisdom, encourage your friends and family to join us and then come along tomorrow for another day of ‘Wisdom-Trek, Creating a Legacy.’ If you would like to listen to any of our past 1274 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, your friend as I serve you in through the Wisdom-Trek podcast and journal each day.

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 for Worldview Wednesday!

Day 1274 – God’s Great Grace (Part 2) – Meditation Monday

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Wisdom-Trek / Creating a Legacy

Welcome to Day 1274 of our Wisdom-Trek, and thank you for joining me.

This is Guthrie Chamberlain, Your Guide to Wisdom

God’s Great Grace (Part 2) – Meditation Monday

Meditation Monday

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

Hello, my friend, I am Guthrie Chamberlain, your captain on our journey to increase wisdom and create a living legacy. Thank you for joining us today as we explore wisdom on our 2nd millennium of podcasts. This is Day 1274 of our trek, and it is time for Meditation Monday. Taking time to relax, refocus, and reprioritize our lives is crucial in order to create a living legacy.

For you, it may just be time alone for quiet reflection. You may utilize structured meditation practices. In my life, meditation includes reading and reflecting on God’s Word and praying. It is a time to renew my mind, refocus on what is most important, and make sure that I am nurturing my soul, mind, and body. As you come along with me on our trek each Meditation Monday, it is my hope and prayer that you, too, will experience a time for reflection and renewing of your mind.

 In our meditation today, let us consider…

God’s Great Grace (Part 2)

Last Meditation Monday, we will learn what the Apostle Peter had to say about God’s grace. If you missed last week’s podcast it is located at Day 1269. Today’s Meditation Monday, we will learn God’s grace through the Prophet Daniel.

Put your trust in the God of all grace

As with most of us, you probably work in a secular environment where those around you may have very different standards to your own?

The book of Daniel charts the lives and careers of Daniel and three other young men, who were able to flourish in the Babylonian Civil Service. Their example gives you a great model for how to work in a godly way, in a context where God is not acknowledged or followed. This mirrors the situation in most “secular” workplaces. Daniel, therefore, is a goldmine of practical examples and help.

We see the four friends co-operating with their employers, but without compromise. They refuse to conform, but they throw themselves wholeheartedly into their new situation and career. They undergo three years of leadership training and preparation. They allow their names to be changed to reflect that they are now part of the Babylonian administration, and subsequently, they all seem to pursue successful careers.

At the same time, they resolve not to compromise their beliefs or defile themselves. You can defile yourself today by the kind of films and TV you watch, the internet sites you visit, or the things you listen to. Daniel resolved not to defile himself.  We read in Daniel 1:8, “But Daniel was determined not to defile himself by eating the food and wine given to them by the king. He asked the chief of staff for permission not to eat these unacceptable foods.” We

are not sure why Daniel considered the food defiled. This was perhaps because the royal food had been a sacrificial offering to the Babylonian gods, or it was food forbidden in the law. Regardless, it was their deep conviction to remain pure. They never allowed their commitment to their new careers to trump their higher allegiance to God.

However, Daniel was wise enough not just to disobey, he tried to work with those in authority over him. He asked for permission, and then God, in His grace, caused the official to show favor and sympathy to Daniel because of his work ethics and manner of character. This example is found in Daniel 1:9, “Now God had given the chief of staff both respect and affection for Daniel.”

The expectation for the standard of character and work was set high by King Nebuchadnezzar of Babylon. Daniel 1:4 reads, “‘Select only strong, healthy, and good-looking young men,’ he said. ‘Make sure they are well versed in every branch of learning, are gifted with knowledge and good judgment, and are suited to serve in the royal palace. Train these young men in the language and literature of Babylon.’”

Daniel’s real power came from God’s supernatural wisdom as found in Daniel 1:17, “God gave these four young men an unusual aptitude for understanding every aspect of literature and wisdom. And God gave Daniel the special ability to interpret the meanings of visions and dreams.”

Like Daniel, you are called to live a life of purity and to be totally at peace. Follow Daniel’s example and be comfortable in your own skin and walk in a close relationship with God.
On the other hand, Nebuchadnezzar had enormous power and wealth. He was popular, respected, and feared. There was no real threat to his security and yet he was very insecure and fearful. Be aware that beneath the facade of self-sufficiency can hide deep-rooted insecurity.

He was so haunted by his dreams that he couldn’t sleep. In this crisis, he knew in his heart that the magicians did not have the power they claimed but were just playing games. They virtually admitted they had no supernatural wisdom in Daniel 2:9–11.

Daniel recognized that God alone is the source of all power and wisdom. In a wonderful way, God, in His grace, will not only reveal things to you but also give you the wisdom and power to understand and deal with your situation. You can learn from Daniel’s example in these four simple steps:

  1. Have faith in God
    Daniel believed that God would speak to him (v.16). God will speak to you as well.
  2. Know the power of prayer
    Daniel requested a little time, and then he asked his friends in Daniel 2:18, “He urged them to ask the God of heaven to show them his mercy by telling them the secret, so they would not be executed along with the other wise men of Babylon.”
  3. Learn to recognize God’s voice
    When God spoke to him in a vision, he was so completely certain he was able to thank and praise him in advance of sharing it with the king. Daniel 2:19-23 reads, “That night the secret was revealed to Daniel in a vision. Then Daniel praised the God of heaven. He said,

‘Praise the name of God forever and ever,
for he has all wisdom and power.
He controls the course of world events;
he removes kings and sets up other kings.
He gives wisdom to the wise
and knowledge to the scholars.
He reveals deep and mysterious things
and knows what lies hidden in darkness,
though he is surrounded by light.
I thank and praise you, God of my ancestors,
for you have given me wisdom and strength.
You have told me what we asked of you
and revealed to us what the king demanded.’”

  1. Combine prayer with action
    He went to see Nebuchadnezzar because God had granted him the knowledge of and meaning of the King’s dream. Daniel 2:24 illustrates this, “Then Daniel went in to see Arioch, whom the king had ordered to execute the wise men of Babylon. Daniel said to him, ‘Don’t kill the wise men. Take me to the king, and I will tell him the meaning of his dream.’”

God is the God of all grace. We need to praise Him as Maker of heaven and earth who blesses you. May we live a life of purity in close relationship with Him.

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. On tomorrow’s trek, we will explore another wisdom quote. This 3-minute wisdom supplement will assist you in becoming healthy, wealthy, and wise each day. 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 our Wisdom-Trek, Creating a Legacy.

If you would like to listen to any of the past 1273 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 each day will be downloaded to you 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.

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!

Day 1273 – The Choices You Make – Ask Gramps

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Wisdom-Trek / Creating a Legacy

Welcome to Day 1273 of our Wisdom-Trek, and thank you for joining me.

This is Guthrie Chamberlain, Your Guide to Wisdom

The Choices You Make – Ask Gramps

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

Hello, my friend, I am Guthrie Chamberlain, your captain on our journey to increase wisdom and create a living legacy. Thank you for joining us today as we explore wisdom on our 2nd millennium of podcasts. This is Day 1273 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.

As we continue on this trek called life, sometimes we have questions about life, so our Friday trek is a time when we can “Ask Gramps.” Gramps will answer questions that you would like to ask your dad or granddad, but for whatever reason, you are unable to. No matter how old we are, I know that all of us would like the opportunity to ask Dad or Gramps questions about life in many areas.

We may mix it up a bit on our Friday episodes, but we will strive to keep them down to earth and enjoyable. If you have any questions that you would like to ask Gramps, please email them to guthrie@wisdom-trek.com.

So the question for this week is…

“Hey Gramps, there are some big decisions and choices that are coming up in my life. How can I make sure that I make the right choices when there are so many options available?”

 The Choices You Make

Every day we have choices to make. Sometimes they are big and life-changing choices, but most choices that we make each day, don’t seem to make that big of impact. What you may not realize is that all big decisions and choices that we make are an accumulation of many seemingly insignificant choices that we have made.

For example, if you spend $5.00 each day to buy a cup of gourmet coffee, that may not seem like much of a choice and would not have a major impact. If you saved that $5 per day, the savings would accumulate to over $18,000 over the next 10 years, not including interest that you earned. Now is that such an insignificant choice? Every choice has consequences, which may be positive or negative. Also for every YES choice that we make, we are by default making many NO choices. This goes both ways, wise or unwise.

The single most important choice in life is your choice to follow God and accept Christ as your substitution for your sins. God gave this choice found in Deuteronomy [30:19]-20 to the nation of Israel, and it still applies to us today.

 

“Today I have given you the choice between life and death, between blessings and curses. Now I call on heaven and earth to witness the choice you make. Oh, that you would choose life, so that you and your descendants might live!  You can make this choice by loving the Lord your God, obeying him, and committing yourself firmly to him. This is the key to your life. And if you love and obey the Lord, you will live long in the land the Lord swore to give your ancestors Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob.”

So let me ask you a few questions. What are some of the right choices you have made? Your choice of a spouse? Disciplining and earning the respect of your children? Staying at home or staying in a lower paid job because it was best for your family? What rewarding consequences did your choices bring?

Have you made some small and large wrong choices?  How about taking a promotion you knew would keep you away from your family without seeking God’s will and your family’s input about it first? How about choices about drinking, drugs, or pornography, which led to addictions in your life?

Of course, what I have listed in both the right and wrong choices above seem like major choices, but what about the choices that you face each day? Your choice to use hurtful words in anger? What about staying in seemingly smaller addictive lifestyles like working at the expense of your family, or eating that extra donut each morning? Or cheating on your expense reports at work or your tax return? Let it be known that continuance in small wrong choices will lead to many major wrong choices.

Let’s look at a couple of examples from the Bible. Consider the choices made by Joseph in Egypt or King David in Jerusalem. In Genesis 39, Joseph, as a slave, flees from the advances of his employer’s beautiful, but seductive wife. Because of this choice he later gains respect and position because of his integrity as he became the 2nd in command of all Egypt, right under the Pharoah. On the other hand, King David, who could have nearly anything he wanted, commits adultery with a married woman, and that choice causes a terrible series of choices as he spirals down into deception and murder of Uriah. David pays a huge price in the end where his own children try to depose him of his crown.

As the Bible passage I read from Deuteronomy advises, God gives you choices that have monumental consequences. It is up to you to make the right choices each day – choices of integrity and character at home, at work, and in your walk with the Lord. There is nothing better than the joy and peace that comes from obeying God.

Resolve today to prayerfully seek God’s wisdom and guidance regarding every choice you make in life. In order to make sure you have the wisdom to make the correct choice, let us read James 1:5-8, “If you need wisdom, ask our generous God, and he will give it to you. He will not rebuke you for asking. But when you ask him, be sure that your faith is in God alone. Do not waver, for a person with divided loyalty is as unsettled as a wave of the sea that is blown and tossed by the wind. Such people should not expect to receive anything from the Lord. Their loyalty is divided between God and the world, and they are unstable in everything they do.”

That is a wrap for today’s question. Join us again next Friday for another question on our “Ask Gramps” episode. Our next trek is Mediation Monday, where we will help you reflect on what is most important in life. So encourage your friends and family to join us and then come along on Monday for another day of our Wisdom-Trek, Creating a Legacy.

If you would like to listen to any of the past 1267 daily treks or read the associated journals, they are all available at Wisdom-Trek.com. I encourage you to subscribe to Wisdom-Trek on your favorite podcast player, so each day will be downloaded to you automatically.

Thank you for allowing me to be your guide, mentor, and most importantly, 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 on Monday!