S9E03 - Finding Hope Podcasts
Fourthstream - Finding Hope
A number of years ago we were thinking through Paul's statement in 1 Corinthians 13:13 "Now these three powerful things: faith, hope, and love exist among us; but the greatest of these is love." This makes sense in that God IS love and we are made in His image. It would be great if we always loved the way He does - but we do not. We are surrounded by turbulence - from the inside-out. Even evil itself. Yet love is the most robust capital available to humanity, and those who live in true love draw close to our Creator. This "greater" means the most abundant. Deep inside we are motivated to...
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S9E02 - What Is The Kingdom To You
Fourthstream - Finding Hope
The levels of turbulence around us are massive. In every corner of our American and world culture we see division and twisted wisdom. There are three great gifts from God: Faith, Hope, and Love (1 Corinthians 13). Each of these may be found by those who choose to enter through the Door of the sheep (John 10). In faith we find a different and substantive present and future. Through love we make our lives count for ourselves and others. And in hope we find the fuel to live each day for something more. Once you have found a compass for your life the ability to reset your trajectory is open to...
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S9E01 - First King - Then Kingdom - Then Church
Fourthstream - Finding Hope
There is a basic understanding Jesus tried to communicate to humanity when He came to the earth. When we get this right there is fruitfulness in our lives - when we don't varying degrees of misinformation prevail. Both John the Baptist (Jesus' cousin) and Jesus proclaimed the same thing: "Turn away and turn toward, for the Kingdom of heaven is at hand." (Matthew 3:2; Matthew 4:17; Matthew 10:7) The world had been languishing for centuries since the Garden episode. Genesis 1-11, the Law and prophets, and the Psalms are the story of the Jews - and all the nations. Not only is our condition...
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S8E13 - Jesus and Turbulence
Fourthstream - Finding Hope
I just finished Jordan Peterson's latest book "We Who Wrestle With God." I like how he reasons, and even though I am not ready to place him in the upper echelon of my spiritual teachers, he is a genuine, thoughtful soul. One premise of his book relates to the relationship between chaos and order, something many philosophers, scientists, and faith reflectors see as key for arriving at a satisfied mind. How do we align with incredible design and order while at the same time dealing with the often hurtful fruits of chaos? If you are like me this can be a quagmire of sorting through the...
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S8E12 - Jesus As Healer
Fourthstream - Finding Hope
Jesus is our Savior, Healer, and Friend. He alone can restore the access of honor we need to reconnect with Creator God. Let's follow part of this thread! “This is My commandment, that you love one another, just as I have loved you. Greater love has no one than this, that one lay down his life for his friends. You are My friends if you do what I command you. No longer do I call you slaves, for the slave does not know what his master is doing; but I have called you friends, for all things that I have heard from My Father I have made known to you. You did not choose Me but I chose you,...
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S8E11 - Jesus As Healer
Fourthstream - Finding Hope
Healing is a curious concept with many opinions on the what, how, and why. A survey of known history makes it quite clear that no one healed like Jesus did. Even within all of the other religions of antiquity there is no one like Him, and some religious healer's miracles were pretty lame. Jesus, however, did nothing in a corner. He was transparent and prolific. And those who witnessed what He did were not all His fans. In fact, the most zealous religionists of history do not measure up to the scribes and pharisees who were capable and willing to go to great lengths to discredit or stop Jesus....
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S8E10 - God's Home Base is our homebase
Fourthstream - Finding Hope
Everyone operates from a home base. Our upbringing. Our experiences. Our choices. Even factors made on our behalf by others. Through all of this we build our home base. Scientifically we apply what we see and learn. Philosophical we land on what we have wrestled with in our lives - positively and negatively. And to the degree we have encountered and contemplated faith we solidify our beliefs. Or not. We have pondered this through the years, and often with each turning of a new year we have reset ourselves to sift through what has unfolded and what we hope - and the things we are committed...
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S8E09 - Shelter of Connection
Fourthstream - Finding Hope
One deep question for life seekers: "what does connection with God look like?" For years authors have pondered this, scientifically, philosophically, and through the optics of faith. For Moses it was all about shelter. Check out Psalm 90. A Prayer of Moses, the man of God. "Lord, You have been our dwelling place in all generations. Before the mountains were born or You gave birth to the earth and the world, even from everlasting to everlasting, You are God. You turn man back into dust and say, “Return, O children of men.” For a thousand years in Your sight are like yesterday when it passes...
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S8E08 - Shelter of The Spirit
Fourthstream - Finding Hope
As mentioned before, the trinity is in many ways a mystery to us. It is not to our Creator. In Genesis 1 "the Spirit of God was moving over the surface of the waters." The Father created and the Spirit moved. From His mind to His hands. And where was the Son while this unfolded? Apparently creating right along with Him. "He is the image of the invisible God, the firstborn of all creation. For by Him all things were created, both in the heavens and on earth, visible and invisible, whether thrones or dominions or rulers or authorities — all things have been created through Him and for...
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S8E07 - Shelter of the Father
Fourthstream - Finding Hope
God is a sheltering being. He provides shelter. But even more than this - He IS shelter. In fact, He is building the ultimate shelter family through the work of His Son. Jesus is the connector to our Creator. God wants to mentor us. We know this because He mentored Jesus. The Son’s best friend while He was on the earth was His Dad. He learned from Him. He was dedicated to His will. He gave up all things God and all things human for His friendship with His Father. You can find Mentored by God under books in the Fourthstream navbar. It investigates the ins and outs of how Jesus connected with...
info_outlineTalking with God has many nuances.
√ It can be joyfully relational.
√ It can be hard to make happen because of busyness.
√ It can make me feel unsure of myself.
√ It can be a process of excessive honor.
√ Too often it only happens when my "me" trigger is active.
Solomon teaches us some interesting things about drawing near to God.
"Guard your steps as you go to the house of God and draw near to listen rather than to offer the sacrifice of fools; for they do not know they are doing evil. Do not be hasty in word or impulsive in thought to bring up a matter in the presence of God. For God is in heaven and you are on the earth; therefore let your words be few. For the dream comes through much effort and the voice of a fool through many words." Ecclesiastes 5:1-3
"When you make a vow to God, do not be late in paying it; for He takes no delight in fools. Pay what you vow! It is better that you should not vow than that you should vow and not pay. Do not let your speech cause you to sin and do not say in the presence of the messenger of God that it was a mistake. Why should God be angry on account of your voice and destroy the work of your hands? For in many dreams and in many words there is emptiness. Rather, fear God." Ecclesiastes 5:4-7
We are taught that in Jesus God has come near.
“Therefore the Lord Himself will give you a sign: Behold, a virgin will be with child and bear a son, and she will call His name Immanuel. Isaiah 7:14
"For a child will be born to us, a son will be given to us; and the dominion will rest on His shoulders; and His name will be called Wonderful Counselor, Mighty God, Eternal Father, Prince of Peace." Isaiah 9:6
So, following God for any human being is transactional. He extends His grace to all who believe he or she are spiritual beggars (Matthew 5). He gave His Son to overcome the chasm of sin. We believe and choose to honor Him with how we live our lives. His Word is given to us to help sort this out within each of our stories. The reward is to stand before Him one day and hear the words "well done."
Hearing God's voice is interestingly personal and often unquantifiable, and rarely transferable. It is a personal journey. It is all about the process of connection (faith). We have His inspired word to quantify this and give it parameters and meaning. When faith expands honor for God and comfort for our souls advances into our lives "buying back" what has been lost. Wow.
Listening and learning with you,
Dave and Burnadette