My Personal Strengths and Weaknesses
Fourthstream - Finding Hope
Personal transparency is something we are often engaged in - and we mostly keep this to ourselves, right? When contemplating our strengths and weaknesses we are dealing with some of the most personal attributes of who we are. Burnadette and Dave dig into this and discuss the personally helpful reality of being transparent with our Father Creator. Most of us don't want to be arrogant, or conversely, succumb to self criticism which buries the part of us that is our soul. How do we celebrate our strengths with humility, or embrace our weaknesses honestly to help us live where we know our...
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Establishing, Nurturing, and Guiding My Home
Fourthstream - Finding Hope
This chapter of God's Man/God's Woman gives a very personal inside look into how both Brent and Dave's families feel about home life. Even a modest numbered family has many moving parts and a complexity of relationships. Husband to wife. Wife to husband. Dad to daughter. Mom to son. Dad to son. Mom to daughter. Brother to sister. You get the idea. Add to this other immediate family and our close social networks, let alone the influence of school, the internet, and certain invasive structures, and guiding a home can be a real challenge, right? Brent and Dave believe that our children and...
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Finding and Cultivating Solid Relationships
Fourthstream - Finding Hope
The book is now available on Amazon in both printed and Kindle formats. We are awaiting final approval on the audio version as well. Exciting! Brent and Dave's purpose for this book is to clearly and succinctly help encourage your success in the core links to building an effective bridge between your God-life and your people life. In this episode Dave and Burnadette review cultivating solid relationships and what it looks like to build strong. It would be great if all our people interactions went perfectly, but we all know this is not realistic. But by applying God's principles to...
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What Is It I Want?
Fourthstream - Finding Hope
In chapter three Brent and Dave discuss personal vision and target acquisition. To know where you are heading and to be able to take steps to hit the mark. This is a big deal when it comes to being satisfied not only with where your life goes, but how you get there. Brent's insights here are awesome and his analogy of river travel is extremely helpful as you chart an effective course of action to succeed: heart and soul. We outline three specific targets which can help you focus your efforts, and explore why the how matters. This is great outline for personal vision - one you can adapt...
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Leveraging the Mind, Heart, Soul, and Conscience
Fourthstream - Finding Hope
We now spend a little time talking about leveraging our mind, body, heart and conscience for our personal success. Because we are made in the image of our Creator, we have vast capacities as well as remarkable uniquenesses. While God gets credit for our design, we have the privilege of deciding what we are going to do with it. Seriously. Brent and Dave begin conversations about the strengths and vulnerabilities of these capacities. Each area allows us to go more deeply into what makes life count. We have chosen five areas of thoughts for this leveraging chapter, with the hope we all will...
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What Are the Good Questions?
Fourthstream - Finding Hope
The best questions take us deeper. Seriously. Life is supposed to be fun and satisfying, but it should also be filled with substance and meaning. Relationships. Work. Accomplishments. Personal growth. Being at peace. This podcast episode investigates the good questions that will get us where we want to go. Brent outlines three very central queries which will help us succeed. √ Can I say I am good with who I am and how I am living? √ Are you and I good - are things right between us? √ And most importantly, am I good with God? When we take an honest look at...
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New Book Coming: God’s Man/God’s Woman
Fourthstream - Finding Hope
Every Jesus follower wants to see God's Kingdom grow. Deeper conversation, personal meditation, Jesus discipleship, and sheltering others are all a part of making our lives count. Brent Harris and Dave Nadler combine their gifts and experiences to bring clarity to how your life can build organic spirituality, as we follow the true Leader of all human souls. Brent's careers in the military, law enforcement, and business bring leadership insights that will focus your road to spiritual success. Dave has worked to bring about Kingdom outreach to our city and beyond. Together with Brent's wife...
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Joining Other Kingdom Allies
Fourthstream - Finding Hope
What if you could be taught by Jesus Himself AND Grow deeper roots - at your own pace - with a clear plan? 1000 KINGDOM ALLIES at fourthstream.com In our lifetime it is possible to deeply impact hundreds of souls. If we understand and embrace Jesus' example and invite Him to be the guide and power of our lives, this can definitely happen through us. Different than mere attendance participation, this is personal, spiritual engagement with other hearts and souls. It is what Jesus did. For instance, Burnadette and I disciple about a dozen people at any one time. These are those who choose to...
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Kingdom Pursuit Conversations
Fourthstream - Finding Hope
In times past one common form of art was the weaving of tapestries. Usually these were artistic "rugs" hung on walls, and only the rich had access to such extravagance. The visual side was always of beautiful colors and often told a story. Recently we were visiting the Biltmore estate in Ashville, NC (huge - pretty amazing 19th century monstrous tech!). The reverse side of a woven tapestry (vs modern printing process) was a series of disconnected colors and threads, and was not useful for indicating what was on the flip side. The God Story is like this. Yet if you follow the threads of the...
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Finding And Building My Kingdom Tribe
Fourthstream - Finding Hope
One of the truly rewarding things in life is to invest in meaningful relationships. When people speak of our "tribes" we are talking about those with whom we find and keep connection. We were not meant to live and build alone. Even though relationships have risk and rewards, for most people they are preferable to existing isolated or alone. Jesus’ 12 disciples were surrounded by others who formed His community. Mary and Martha and Lazarus, Jesus’ Mom, and Peter, James, and John and a few others were at the center of this relational discipleship network. It included His Father as well....
info_outlineIn times past one common form of art was the weaving of tapestries. Usually these were artistic "rugs" hung on walls, and only the rich had access to such extravagance. The visual side was always of beautiful colors and often told a story. Recently we were visiting the Biltmore estate in Ashville, NC (huge - pretty amazing 19th century monstrous tech!). The reverse side of a woven tapestry (vs modern printing process) was a series of disconnected colors and threads, and was not useful for indicating what was on the flip side. The God Story is like this. Yet if you follow the threads of the God Story from behind the tapestry you will find a wealth of connection concerning God's choice to reveal His mind and heart to humanity.
The Bible is a series of woven threads which must be allowed to interpret themselves. Some refer to this as the study of systematic or Biblical theology. God’s Word transcends the dogmas of any church or religious group, and reveals the unfolding of the Kingdom of Jesus and the Kingdom of Heaven. Here we consider several major conversations that help us to stay focused on experiencing Kingdom spirituality.
To find God we must encounter His chosen King Jesus.
"And I saw heaven opened, and behold, a white horse, and He who sat on it is called Faithful and True, and in righteousness He judges and wages war. His eyes are a flame of fire, and on His head are many diadems; and He has a name written on Him which no one knows except Himself. He is clothed with a robe dipped in blood, and His name is called The Word of God. And the armies which are in heaven, clothed in fine linen, white and clean, were following Him on white horses. From His mouth comes a sharp sword, so that with it He may strike down the nations, and He will rule them with a rod of iron; and He treads the wine press of the fierce wrath of God, the Almighty. And on His robe and on His thigh He has a name written, King of Kings, and Lord of Lords." - Revelation 19:11-16
This is not about religion. It is about transcendent and supernatural authority. This is why we teach King first - then Kingdom - then Church. Here are the three great questions of life for every soul who ever has or ever will walk the face of the earth. Answering these for yourself will take you far on your path to finding a satisfied mind.
Has God spoken?
"God, after He spoke long ago to the fathers in the prophets in many portions and in many ways, in these last days has spoken to us in His Son, whom He appointed heir of all things, through whom also He made the world. And He is the radiance of His glory and the exact representation of His nature, and upholds all things by the word of His power. When He had made purification of sins, He sat down at the right hand of the Majesty on high, having become as much better than the angels, as He has inherited a more excellent name than they." - Hebrews 1:1-4
If so, what has He communicated?
You are lost. I am gracious. Return to Me and I will return to you.
And Jesus, looking around, said to His disciples, “How difficult it will be for those who are wealthy to enter the kingdom of God!” The disciples were amazed at His words. But Jesus answered again and said to them, “Children, how hard it is to enter the kingdom of God! It is easier for a camel to go through the eye of a needle than for a rich man to enter the kingdom of God.” They were even more astonished and said to Him, “Then who can be saved?” Looking at them, Jesus said, “With people it is impossible, but not with God; for all things are possible with God.” - Mark 10:23-26
How do I hear the words of God?
"For to us God revealed them through the Spirit; for the Spirit searches all things, even the depths of God. For who among men knows the thoughts of a man except the spirit of the man which is in him? Even so the thoughts of God no one knows except the Spirit of God." - 1 Corinthians 2:10
As it says in the (hyper) link below, the Bible contains thousands of woven connections. Not just to other information, but to the mind and heart of God as well. This is why we must allow the Bible to interpret itself. The argument that the Bible may be interpreted anyway you wish is a canard (spoof, trick, fraud, chicanery, deception). Once the woven threads are considered, there is little wiggle-room for what the Bible says about any subject. Seriously. If we are to pursue the Kingdom we must consult the King's Words.
In hot pursuit with you,
Dave and Burnadette