Episodes

  • Day 2782 Wisdom Nuggets – Psalm 17:33-43 – Daily Wisdom

    Day 2782 Wisdom Nuggets – Psalm 17:33-43 – Daily Wisdom
    Jan 23 2026
    Welcome to Day 2782 of Wisdom-Trek. Thank you for joining me. This is Guthrie Chamberlain, Your Guide to Wisdom. Day 2782 – Wisdom Nuggets – Psalm 107:33-43 – Daily Wisdom Wisdom-Trek Podcast Script - Day 2782 Welcome to Wisdom-Trek with Gramps! I am Guthrie Chamberlain, and we are on Day two thousand seven hundred eighty-two of our Trek. The Purpose of Wisdom-Trek is to create a legacy of wisdom, to seek out discernment and insights, and to boldly grow where few have chosen to grow before. The title for today’s Wisdom-Trek is: The Great Reversal – When Princes Wander and the Poor Become Princes Today, we reach the summit of Psalm One Hundred Seven. We are exploring the final section, verses thirty-three through forty-three, in the New Living Translation. In our previous treks through this magnificent psalm, we listened to the testimonies of the redeemed. We stood in the congregation of the faithful and heard four distinct groups shout, "Let them praise the Lord for his great love!" We heard the Wanderers who found a city. We heard the Prisoners whose chains were snapped. We heard the Fools who were healed by God's sent Word. And we heard the Sailors who saw the storm turned into a whisper. All of these stories had a common plotline: Human desperation meets Divine Intervention. They were stories of rescue. But as we enter the final movement of the psalm today, the camera angle changes. The psalmist stops telling individual stories and begins to describe the cosmic principles behind those stories. He moves from biography to theology. He shows us that the God of Israel is the God of the Great Reversal. He is a God who does not just maintain the status quo; He actively flips the world upside down. He turns gardens into deserts and deserts into gardens. He throws princes into the mud and lifts the beggar to the throne. This section reveals Yahweh’s absolute sovereignty over Cosmic Geography and Political Power. It teaches us that our environment—whether we are in a season of drought or abundance—is not accidental. It is governed by the hand of the King. And finally, the psalm ends with a challenge to the "Wise." It asks us if we have the eyes to see the patterns of God’s love in the chaos of history. So, let us open our eyes to the reversals of God. The first segment is: The Sovereignty Over Geography: The Curse of the Salt. Psalm One Hundred Seven: verses thirty-three through thirty-four. He turns rivers into a desert, flowing springs into thirsty ground, and fruitful land into salty wastelands, because of the wickedness of those who live there. The psalmist begins by asserting God’s power to de-create. "He turns rivers into a desert, flowing springs into thirsty ground..." In the Ancient Israelite worldview, water was life. A land with rivers and springs was a land blessed by God—it was Edenic. But here, the psalmist says that God has the authority to withdraw that life. He can turn a paradise into a "desert" (midbar). This is not just climate change; it is judgment. "...and...
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    12 mins
  • Day 2781 – Theology Thursday – A Critical Examination of Alexander Hislop: Why His Teachings Should Be Ignored

    Day 2781 – Theology Thursday – A Critical Examination of Alexander Hislop: Why His Teachings Should Be Ignored
    Jan 22 2026
    Welcome to Day 2781 of Wisdom-Trek, and thank you for joining me. This is Guthrie Chamberlain, Your Guide to Wisdom – Theology Thursday – A Critical Examination of Alexander Hislop: Why His Teachings Should Be Ignored Wisdom-Trek Podcast Script - Day 2781 Welcome to Wisdom-Trek with Gramps! I am Guthrie Chamberlain, and we are on Day 2781 of our Trek. The Purpose of Wisdom-Trek is to create a legacy of wisdom, to seek out discernment and insights, and to boldly grow where few have chosen to grow before. Our current series of Theology Thursday lessons is written by theologian and teacher John Daniels. I have found that his lessons are short, easy to understand, doctrinally sound, and applicable to all who desire to learn more of God’s Word. John’s lessons can be found on his website theologyinfive.com. Today’s lesson is titled A Critical Examination of Alexander Hislop: Why His Teachings Should Be Ignored. Alexander Hislop’s The Two Babylons has long held sway in certain evangelical and fundamentalist circles. Its central claim—that Roman Catholicism is a disguised continuation of ancient Babylonian paganism—has influenced generations of Christians suspicious of the Catholic Church. Hislop argues that practices and symbols within Catholicism were derived from ancient worship of figures like Nimrod and Semiramis. Yet as modern scholarship has consistently demonstrated, these claims collapse under scrutiny. This article examines why Hislop’s theories are deeply flawed, historically inaccurate, and ultimately harmful. The first segment is: A Foundation of Faulty Methodology. From the outset, Hislop’s work suffers from methodological failure. Rather than employing credible historical sources, linguistic analysis, or archaeological evidence, Hislop leans heavily on speculation and forced connections. He draws parallels based on little more than superficial similarity—treating visual resemblance or name echoes as definitive proof of religious continuity. A striking example is Hislop’s attempt to link the Virgin Mary with the Babylonian figure Semiramis. Rather than relying on historical context or primary sources, he builds his case on tenuous similarities and conjecture. This pattern repeats throughout the book. Hislop’s conclusions are based on circular reasoning, and his work lacks the kind of critical evaluation expected in even the most basic academic research. The second segment is: Inventing the Nimrod-Semiramis Narrative. At the core of Hislop’s argument is the narrative that Nimrod and Semiramis served as the original model for all pagan deities and that this archetype was smuggled into Christianity. According to Hislop, the Catholic portrayal of Mary and Jesus as a mother and child pair is simply a continuation of Babylonian goddess worship. This idea, however, has no basis in historical fact. There is no ancient evidence linking Nimrod, a biblical figure mentioned briefly in Genesis, to Semiramis, who appears centuries later in Assyrian and Greco-Roman sources. Semiramis is never presented as Nimrod’s wife in any ancient record. Nor is she depicted as a fertility goddess or a “Queen of Heaven” in a context that would support Hislop’s claims. Instead, she is often described as a powerful queen or military leader, not a religious figure. The pairing of Nimrod and Semiramis is entirely Hislop’s invention. Furthermore, Nimrod himself is not attested in any ancient Mesopotamian inscriptions as a god, cult figure, or object of worship. Hislop’s claim that Nimrod became the prototype for gods such as Osiris, Zeus, or...
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    10 mins
  • Day 2780 Wisdom Nuggets – Psalm 17:17-32 – Daily Wisdom

    Day 2780 Wisdom Nuggets – Psalm 17:17-32 – Daily Wisdom
    Jan 21 2026
    Welcome to Day 2780 of Wisdom-Trek. Thank you for joining me. This is Guthrie Chamberlain, Your Guide to Wisdom. Day 2780 – Wisdom Nuggets – Psalm 107:17-32 – Daily Wisdom Wisdom-Trek Podcast Script - Day 2780 Welcome to Wisdom-Trek with Gramps! I am Guthrie Chamberlain, and we are on Day two thousand seven hundred eighty of our Trek. The Purpose of Wisdom-Trek is to create a legacy of wisdom, to seek out discernment and insights, and to boldly grow where few have chosen to grow before. The title of today’s Wisdom-Trek is: The Great Rescue – Healing the Fool and Taming the Chaos. Today, we continue our voyage through the magnificent Psalm One Hundred Seven. We are exploring the second half of the four great testimonies of redemption, covering verses seventeen through thirty-two, in the New Living Translation. In our previous trek through the first sixteen verses of this psalm, we stood amidst the great assembly of the redeemed. We heard the call: "Has the Lord redeemed you? Then speak out!" We heard the testimony of the Wanderers—those who were lost in the desolate wilderness, hungry and homeless, until God led them to a city. We heard the testimony of the Prisoners—those who sat in darkness and iron chains because they rebelled against the counsel of the Most High, until God shattered the bronze gates to set them free. Today, two more groups step forward to the microphone. Their stories are perhaps even more intense. First, we will meet the Fools—those whose rebellion manifested not as chains, but as a sickness that brought them to the very brink of the grave. Second, we will meet the Sailors—the merchants who dared to do business in the chaotic deep, only to find themselves reeling like drunkards in a storm that swallowed their wisdom whole. In both cases, we will see the Hesed—the Unfailing Love—of Yahweh intervene when all hope was lost. We will see Him send His Word to heal, and we will see Him whisper to the waves to bring peace. So, let us listen as the next witnesses share their story of salvation. The first segment is: Testimony Three: The Fools and the Great Physician. Psalm One Hundred Seven: verses seventeen through nineteen. Some were fools; they suffered because of their sinful ways. Their appetites were gone, and they drew near to the gates of death. "Lord, help!" they cried in their trouble, and he saved them from their distress. The third group steps forward, and the psalmist introduces them with a blunt, uncomplimentary title: "Fools." "Some were fools; they suffered because of their sinful ways." The Hebrew word used here is evilim. In the wisdom literature of Proverbs, a fool is not someone who lacks intelligence; a fool is someone who lacks moral compass. A fool is someone who lives as if there are no consequences. They are spiritually reckless. The text tells us plainly that their suffering was self-inflicted. It was "because of their sinful ways" (literally, "the way of their transgression"). They lived hard, rebelled against God's design for life,...
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    13 mins
  • Day 2779– The Prophet of the Most High – Luke 1:57-80

    Day 2779– The Prophet of the Most High – Luke 1:57-80
    Jan 20 2026
    Welcome to Day 2779 of Wisdom-Trek. Thank you for joining me. This is Guthrie Chamberlain, Your Guide to Wisdom. Day 2779– The Prophet of the Most High – Luke 1:57-80 Putnam Church Message – 12/14/2025 Luke’s Account of the Good News - “The Prophet of the Most High” Last week, we continued our year-long study of Luke’s Narrative of the Good News in a message titled: “The Day Mary Met Gabriel.” – Peace in the Unexpected. This week is the third Sunday of Advent, which is Joy, as we continue to build anticipation of the coming Messiah. Today's passage is the story of: “The Prophet of the Most High.” Joy to the World - Our Core verses for this week will be Luke 1:57-80, found on page 1589 of your Pew Bibles. The Birth of John the Baptist 57 When it was time for Elizabeth to have her baby, she gave birth to a son. 58 Her neighbors and relatives heard that the Lord had shown her great mercy, and they shared her joy. 59 On the eighth day they came to circumcise the child, and they were going to name him after his father Zechariah, 60 but his mother spoke up and said, “No! He is to be called John.” 61 They said to her, “There is no one among your relatives who has that name.” 62 Then they made signs to his father, to find out what he would like to name the child. 63 He asked for a writing tablet, and to everyone’s astonishment he wrote, “His name is John.” 64 Immediately his mouth was opened and his tongue set free, and he began to speak, praising God. 65 All the neighbors were filled with awe, and throughout the hill country of Judea people were talking about all these things. 66 Everyone who heard this wondered about it, asking, “What then is this child going to be?” For the Lord’s hand was with him. Zechariah’s Song 67 His father Zechariah was filled with the Holy Spirit and prophesied: 68 “Praise be to the Lord, the God of Israel, because he has come to his people and redeemed them. 69 He has raised up a horn> of salvation for us in the house of his servant David 70 (as he said through his holy prophets of long ago), 71 salvation from our enemies and from the hand of all who hate us— 72 to show mercy to our ancestors and to remember his holy covenant, 73 the oath he swore to our father Abraham: 74 to rescue us from the hand of our enemies, and to enable us to serve him without fear 75 in holiness and righteousness before him all our days. 76 And you, my child, will be called a prophet of the Most High; for you will go on before the Lord to prepare the way for him, 77 to give his people the knowledge of salvation through the forgiveness of their sins, 78 because of the tender mercy of our God, by which the rising sun will come to us from heaven 79 to shine on those living in darkness and in the shadow of death, to guide our feet into the path of...
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    40 mins
  • Day 2778 Wisdom Nuggets – Psalm 17:1-16 – Daily Wisdom

    Day 2778 Wisdom Nuggets – Psalm 17:1-16 – Daily Wisdom
    Jan 19 2026
    Welcome to Day 2778 of Wisdom-Trek. Thank you for joining me. This is Guthrie Chamberlain, Your Guide to Wisdom. Day 2778 – Wisdom Nuggets – Psalm 107:1-16 – Daily Wisdom Wisdom-Trek Podcast Script - Day 2778 Welcome to Wisdom-Trek with Gramps! I am Guthrie Chamberlain, and we are on Day two thousand seven hundred seventy-eight of our Trek. The Purpose of Wisdom-Trek is to create a legacy of wisdom, to seek out discernment and insights, and to boldly grow where few have chosen to grow before. The title for today’s Wisdom-Trek is: The Great Gathering – From the Wasteland to the Broken Gates. Today, we cross a major threshold in our expedition through the Psalms. We are stepping into Book Five of the Psalter, the final collection of these ancient songs. We begin this new leg of the journey with Psalm One Hundred Seven, covering the first two stanzas, verses one through sixteen, in the New Living Translation. To understand the power of this moment, we must remember where we left off. In our previous trek, we stood at the end of Psalm One Hundred Six, which was the conclusion of Book Four. That psalm ended with a desperate, heartbreaking prayer from the exile: "Save us, O Lord our God! Gather us back from among the nations." It was a cry from the diaspora, a plea from a people scattered to the four winds because of their rebellion. They were asking God to reverse the judgment of the exile. Psalm One Hundred Seven is the thunderous answer to that prayer. If Psalm One Hundred Six ended with a plea to be gathered, Psalm One Hundred Seven begins with the celebration of the gathered. The tone shifts from petition to proclamation. It is a panoramic view of God’s Redemption. It describes specific scenarios of human desperation—being lost in the desert, locked in a dungeon, sick unto death, or tossed in a storm—and shows how Yahweh intervenes to rescue. It is a psalm that celebrates the Hesed—the Unfailing Love—of God, which pursues us into the wildest wastelands and the darkest prisons. So, let us join the procession of the redeemed and listen to their stories. The first segment is: The Prologue: The Song of the Redeemed. Psalm One Hundred Seven: verses one through three. Give thanks to the Lord, for he is good! His faithful love endures forever. Has the Lord redeemed you? Then speak out! Tell others he has redeemed you from your enemies. For he has gathered the exiles from many lands, from east and west, from north and south. The psalm opens with the classic liturgical call to worship, identifying the core motivation for all praise: God is Good, and His Faithful Love (Hesed) is eternal. But then, the psalmist turns to the congregation and issues a challenge: "Has the Lord redeemed you? Then speak out!" The Hebrew word for "Redeemed" is Geulim. It comes from the word Ga'al, which refers to the Kinsman-Redeemer. This was the nearest male relative who had the legal responsibility to buy back a family member who had been sold into...
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    12 mins
  • Day 2777 Wisdom Nuggets – Psalm 106:34-48 – Daily Wisdom

    Day 2777 Wisdom Nuggets – Psalm 106:34-48 – Daily Wisdom
    Jan 16 2026
    Welcome to Day 2777 of Wisdom-Trek. Thank you for joining me. This is Guthrie Chamberlain, Your Guide to Wisdom. Day 2777 – Wisdom Nuggets – Psalm 106:34-48 – Daily Wisdom Wisdom-Trek Podcast Script - Day 2777 Welcome to Wisdom-Trek with Gramps! I am Guthrie Chamberlain, and we are on Day two thousand seven hundred seventy-seven of our Trek. The Purpose of Wisdom-Trek is to create a legacy of wisdom, to seek out discernment and insights, and to boldly grow where few have chosen to grow before. The title for today’s Wisdom-Trek is: The Horror of Accommodation – When the Salt Loses Its Savor. Today, we reach the solemn conclusion of our journey through Psalm One Hundred Six. We are trekking through the final section, verses thirty-four through forty-eight, in the New Living Translation. This marks not only the end of this specific psalm but also the conclusion of Book Four of the Psalter. In our previous trek, we walked through the "Cycle of Amnesia" in the wilderness. We watched a generation that had been liberated by the mighty hand of God crumble into grumbling, envy, and idolatry. We saw them trade their glorious God for a grass-eating bull at Sinai. We saw them yoke themselves to the dead spirits at Baal-Peor. It was a tragic catalog of missed opportunities and hardened hearts. But as we turn to verse thirty-four, the scene shifts. The wilderness wanderings are over. Joshua has led the people across the Jordan. The walls of Jericho have fallen. The people are now living in the Promised Land—the "pleasant land" they once despised. You might think, "Finally! They made it! Now they will surely be faithful." Tragically, the change of geography did not create a change of heart. In this final section, we witness the slow, agonizing slide from Conquest to Compromise, and finally to Captivity. We will see what happens when the people of God stop fighting the culture and start becoming the culture. We will encounter the darkest verse in Israel’s history—the sacrifice of children to demons—and we will see how the land itself vomited them out. But, true to the character of Yahweh, we will also see that even in the darkest pit of exile, the ladder of Covenant Love still reaches down. So, let us brace ourselves for the hard truth of history, and the healing balm of God’s mercy. The first segment is: The Failure of Assimilation: Mingling with the Darkness. Psalm One Hundred Six: verses thirty-four through thirty-nine. Israel failed to destroy the nations in the land, as the Lord had commanded them. Instead, they mingled among the pagans and adopted their evil customs. They worshiped their idols, which became a snare to them. They even sacrificed their sons and their daughters to the demons. They shed innocent blood, the blood of their sons and daughters. By sacrificing them to the idols of Canaan, they polluted the land with murder. They defiled themselves by their evil deeds, and their love of idols was...
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    13 mins
  • Day 2776 – Theology Thursday – Joseph the Dreamer: Discovering the Depths of a Beloved Biblical Figure.

    Day 2776 – Theology Thursday – Joseph the Dreamer: Discovering the Depths of a Beloved Biblical Figure.
    Jan 15 2026
    Welcome to Day 2776 of Wisdom-Trek, and thank you for joining me. This is Guthrie Chamberlain, Your Guide to Wisdom – Theology Thursday –Joseph the Dreamer: Discovering the Depths of a Beloved Biblical Figure. Wisdom-Trek Podcast Script - Day 2776 Welcome to Wisdom-Trek with Gramps! I am Guthrie Chamberlain, and we are on Day 2776 of our Trek. The Purpose of Wisdom-Trek is to create a legacy of wisdom, to seek out discernment and insights, and to boldly grow where few have chosen to grow before. Our current series of Theology Thursday lessons is written by theologian and teacher John Daniels. I have found that his lessons are short, easy to understand, doctrinally sound, and applicable to all who desire to learn more of God’s Word. John’s lessons can be found on his website theologyinfive.com. Today’s lesson is titled Joseph the Dreamer: Discovering the Depths of a Beloved Biblical Figure. Joseph, son of Jacob and Rachel, emerges from the pages of Genesis not only as a survivor of betrayal and hardship but as a symbol of divine providence and redemptive purpose. His journey from favored son to slave, prisoner, and ultimately, savior of nations illustrates the unseen hand of God at work through suffering and humility. While many are familiar with his colorful coat and rise to power in Egypt, lesser-known elements of his life bring out the deeper beauty and significance of his character. The first segment is: Joseph the Dreamer: Beyond the Well-Known Dreams Joseph’s dreams and his ability to interpret them play a crucial role in his life, as well as in the survival of his family and Egypt. While his dreams of sheaves and celestial bodies bowing to him are well-known, his interpretation of the dreams of Pharaoh’s cupbearer and baker is equally significant. These interpretations not only revealed divine insight but became the very means by which Joseph was elevated from prison to the highest court in the land. His gift, given by God, opened the way for his destiny to unfold. The second segment is: Joseph and Potipar’s Wife: A Test of Character Joseph’s encounter with Potipar’s wife, who falsely accused him of misconduct, is often highlighted as a moment of moral integrity. But it also demonstrates his unwavering faith in God. Faced with repeated temptation and the risk of losing his position, Joseph chose righteousness, which ultimately led to unjust imprisonment. Even in the dungeon, however, his faith did not falter. This period of suffering refined his character and prepared him for the weight of future authority. The third segment is: Joseph’s Egyptian Name and Wife Upon rising to power, Pharaoh gave Joseph an Egyptian name, Zaphenath-paneah, and a wife, Asenath, the daughter of Potiphera, priest of On (Genesis forty-one verse forty-five). These details mark Joseph’s deep assimilation into Egyptian culture and political structure. His new name, possibly meaning “God speaks and he lives,” highlighted his prophetic role. His marriage into a priestly household further established his legitimacy in the Egyptian elite. Some might expect condemnation for such a union—after all, Potiphera was a priest of a pagan deity. Yet the biblical text offers no such rebuke. Unlike other biblical figures who compromised their faith through foreign marriages, such as Solomon, Joseph remained faithful to Yahweh. He consistently credited God for his success, named his sons in ways that reflected divine providence, and clung to God’s promises. His marriage to Asenath, arranged by Pharaoh, served a broader purpose: the...
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    9 mins
  • Day 2775 Wisdom Nuggets – Psalm 106:13-33 – Daily Wisdom

    Day 2775 Wisdom Nuggets – Psalm 106:13-33 – Daily Wisdom
    Jan 14 2026
    Welcome to Day 2775 of Wisdom-Trek. Thank you for joining me. This is Guthrie Chamberlain, Your Guide to Wisdom. Day 2775 – Wisdom Nuggets – Psalm 106:13-33 – Daily Wisdom Wisdom-Trek Podcast Script - Day 2775 Welcome to Wisdom-Trek with Gramps! I am Guthrie Chamberlain, and we are on Day two thousand seven hundred seventy-five of our Trek. The Purpose of Wisdom-Trek is to create a legacy of wisdom, to seek out discernment and insights, and to boldly grow where few have chosen to grow before. The title of today’s Wisdom-Trek is: The cycle of Amnesia – From the Golden Calf to the Sacrifices of the Dead. Today, we continue our difficult but necessary journey through Psalm One Hundred Six, trekking through the heart of the wilderness rebellion in verses thirteen through thirty-three, in the New Living Translation. In our previous trek, we stood on the shores of the Red Sea. We saw the waters part, the Israelites walk through on dry ground, and the armies of Pharaoh swallowed by the deep. We ended with verse twelve, where the people finally believed God’s promises and sang His praise. It seemed like a happy ending. It seemed like the lesson had finally been learned. But as we turn the page to verse thirteen, we discover a tragic truth about human nature: Singing on Sunday does not guarantee obedience on Monday. The faith that is born only from seeing a miracle often dies as soon as the miracle fades from view. Today, we will witness the "Cycle of Amnesia." We will see a generation that had everything—the presence of God, the leadership of Moses, and the bread of heaven—yet threw it all away for a golden statue and a meal with demons. We will look at the tragedy of the Golden Calf, the envy of Korah, the refusal to enter the Promised Land, and the dark idolatry of Baal-Peor. This is a heavy section, but it serves as a mirror. It forces us to ask: How quickly do we forget? So, let us walk carefully through this catalog of rebellion, lest we repeat it. The first segment is: The Lust of the Wilderness: Getting What You Want, Losing What You Need. Psalm One Hundred Six: verses thirteen through fifteen. Yet how quickly they forgot what he had done! They wouldn’t wait for his counsel! In the wilderness their desires ran wild, testing God’s patience in that dry wasteland. So he gave them what they asked for, but he sent a plague along with it. The ink was barely dry on their song of praise when the amnesia set in: "Yet how quickly they forgot what he had done!" The Hebrew phrasing here is vivid; it literally means, "They made haste to forget." They didn't just passively drift away; they rushed back to unbelief. They ignored the "counsel" of God—His plan and His timing—because they were driven by their appetites. "In the wilderness their desires ran wild..." This refers to the incident in Numbers Chapter Eleven, where the people grew tired of the manna. The manna was the perfect, supernatural food described in Psalm One Hundred Five as the "bread of heaven." But they wanted meat. They wanted the leeks and onions of Egypt. They...
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    14 mins