S9E13 - Shelter Classrooms
Fourthstream - Finding Hope
Our God IS Shelter! Under Shelter courses you will find five different yet integrated paths for growing in the depth of God’s Shelter. There are videos and notes featuring the authors/teachers at . To join this community click on the join button. 1. 19 Principles: The Heart of What Jesus Taught His FollowersSome of the most central teachings of Jesus - both for personal growth and helping others. 2. God’s Man/God’s Woman: Making It CountFinding the integrated teaching of Jesus on men and women building the Kingdom of Heaven together. 3. Strong Home Legacy: Leaving Your Mark On The...
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S9E12 - The Call To Make Disciples
Fourthstream - Finding Hope
Jesus instructed His followers (disciples) to make disciples just as He did. Let’s break this down a bit. This comes from Matthew 28:16-20. #1. “But the eleven disciples proceeded to Galilee, to the mountain which Jesus had designated.” It is important to note that Jesus remained on earth 40 days after His resurrection (Acts 1: 3). “To these He also presented Himself alive after His suffering, by many convincing proofs, appearing to them over a period of forty days and speaking of the things concerning the kingdom of God.” 40 Days. Hundreds and even thousands of eyewitnesses...
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S9E11 - The Call to Knowing God
Fourthstream - Finding Hope
The entire Bible has been given to us so we may know God, understand a life of God- honor, and live in a manner "worthy" of the One Who created us. Six times in the letters the words "manner worthy" are used to describe the walk of a God follower. It means we honor God (As well as ourselves) by placing honorable weight upon our great God. Let's think through what Paul taught the Philippians in 3:1-21. It will help illuminate the concept of the call to knowing God. This carries on the conversation about Engage Training from the last episode. Useful to us for sure! "Finally, my brothers,...
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S9E10 - Your Strategic Plan 3 - Engage Training
Fourthstream - Finding Hope
When Jesus announced His Kingdom He began to select a group of men and women who would follow Him by pursuing the example He had shown them and the Words from His Father He had communicated. This included a number of things reflected in the amazing display of "God coming near" (Immanuel) to save humanity from futility (our lives counting for nothing) and judgment for falling short of the image we were created to honor and multiply within each of our lives. Here are some of the threads Jesus taught in the word and works of His hands: √ Integrating what they knew or did not know...
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S9E09 - Your Strategic Plan 2 - Jesus Centric
Fourthstream - Finding Hope
This diagram tracks the recurring woven threads throughout God's Word (over 62,000 connections!). As you consider your personal strategic plan for spirituality we have considered: √ King First - then Kingdom - then Church/what Jesus taught about spirituality √ Cultivating Deeper/skills for unlocking the Word Today we discuss the big picture on the Word of God, and what we like to call Jesus-Centric. What this means is that the entire Bible revolves around the person Jesus. Genesis 1-11 and the human story. Genesis 12-52 and God's choice of Abraham (Israel) to redeem the...
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S9E08 - Your Strategic Plan 1 - Cultivating Deeper
Fourthstream - Finding Hope
Finding our first King - then Kingdom - then Church balance is important for our spirituality. Obviously we have given this much thought, but you should investigate this yourself. Our purpose for pursuing this was to make sure we were prioritizing how we invested our time, our talents (gifts), and our treasures (resources). Having an effective and growing strategic plan for spiritual life it is imperative to set markers which come from the Word of God you can use as your compass throughout your journey. We've tweaked this allot through the years, but having a plan for cultivating deeper...
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S9E07 - Kingdom Coaching
Fourthstream - Finding Hope
There are many ways of being mentored in spirituality. While this may come from significant people in our lives, books we read or study, favorite music et al, I have found that the Spirit is Jesus' voice inside of me is the most substantial. He is always ready to teach me and shape me and lead me in the direction Jesus wants for me. “But when He, the Spirit of truth, comes, He will guide you into all the truth; for He will not speak on His own initiative, but whatever He hears, He will speak; and He will disclose to you what is to come. He will glorify Me, for He will take of Mine and will...
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S9E06 - Strategies for Weekly Kingdom Connectivity
Fourthstream - Finding Hope
It is one thing to understand the concept of First King - then Kingdom - then Church, but another to live a life directed toward connection with your King. The first thing is to decide where you stand on Jesus. A great teacher? One of many unremarkable religionists? Someone into whose hands you can place the welfare of your soul? We can talk about what Jesus taught about authentic connectivity, but only you can intentionally embrace whether or not He is who He said He is. Once you have made this determination you may then move into what it means to submit yourself to His authority,...
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S9E05 - Stories Of Shelter
Fourthstream - Finding Hope
God IS shelter. We NEED to be sheltered. We need each other to remind us of what is IMPORTANT. We are surrounded by chaos, turbulence, and are so vulnerable to the weaknesses, pitfalls, and schemes of unprincipled men and women. How do we find our way through? There appears to be a clear path! "Hear my cry, O God, and listen to my prayer. From the end of the earth I call to You when my heart is faint. Lead me to the rock that is higher than I. For You have been a shelter for me, a tower of strength against the enemy. Let me travel under Your pillars and let me take forever protection...
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S9E04 - Kingdom Structural
Fourthstream - Finding Hope
Because understanding the Kingdom is so critical to our spiritual lives, let's take some time to absorb the core message of Jesus when it comes to building in a manner that is pleasing to Him. We have already mentioned that the Kingdom is mentioned in the Gospels over 100 times and the church only twice. So the Kingdom message was clear to Jesus and to His disciples. In the book of Acts after the "church" (called out assembly) begins to emerge: "To these He also presented Himself alive after His suffering, by many convincing proofs, appearing to them over a period of forty days and...
info_outlineMost humans look at God things as a choice. I get this, but I have been thinking it is incomplete. If there is a Creator and He made all things - it seems to me that He is the one who is making the choice, right? Weighing this has become a key premise for me about spirituality. Does it begin with me - or with Him? I realize this is kind of out there, but most other options are limiting. If it all begins with us then it will be biased - more self-driven and me-driven. This appears to be the main issue with all religions (including historic christianity) - very self-driven. I have found even an atheist has faith.
All this to say all of us have a spiritual core - even those who discard the very idea of a supreme being. This is perhaps one of the most significant contemplations of our existence. Is there a "greater", and where do we fit?
How would you describe your core? How has it been shaped? Where does it leave you - both on the inside and the outside? Here are some things that may stimulate deeper thinking and conversation about what really matters related to our spiritual core.
Things that appear to shape us:
√ The things learned from circumstances over which we have no control. Our family and upbringing. Where we were born. Our socio-economic factors. The things that happen through "chance" as we march toward and into adulthood. What have been your main shaping circumstances and occurrences?
√ What is modeled to us by significant players in our lives. We are so influenced by those close to us or whom we choose to value and emulate. Who have been these "giants" been in your life? The good ones and the not so good ones.
√ Chance encounters and twists in the road. What are some of these pivotal moments for you - a relocation, a family tragedy such as a divorce or death, etc. What specific things have sent you in an unchosen yet significant direction?
√ Things that come from our survival instinct. Words spoken in reaction or haste. Self-protective responses to neglect or attack. Choices we make to survive economically or relationally. Friend successes. Friend conflicts. Victories. Losses.
√ What has been driven by love? Where have these love connections emerged and remained, arrived, or disappeared? To what degree do you feel your heart has been overtaken by love? Rejected by love? Rejecting of love? Disappointed? Would you consider yourself a person who lives in love?
√ What is driven by hate? Where have you experienced hurt from others and become embittered? In what ways has forgiveness emerged in the way you approach life?
All of this leads to where we find ourselves in our identity - and how we act upon it. When pursuing each of our spiritual cores, these and many other factors shape us or drive - and even chase us. God says our original condition is value. Life circumstances and relationship often diminish or try to dissuade us in thinking we have value.
"So Jesus was saying to those Jews who had believed Him, “If you continue in My word, then you are truly disciples of Mine; and you will know the truth, and the truth will make you free.” (John 8:31-32)
Jesus invites us to freedom in our spiritual core. “So if the Son makes you free, you will be free indeed." (John 8:36)
What is it that defines you at your core? Who do you think you are? How do you think your Creator feels about you when He looks at your life? Here is the heart of Kingdom Spirituality. First King. How are you connected to your King? Then Kingdom. How has His Kingdom impacted the choices and trajectory in your life? Then Church. In what ways have you recovered your God-identity, and how are you sharing it with those around you or through your gifts, your choices for how you live, with the people who you love and care for or in what you choose to give of your time, talents, and treasures?
Peace friend!
Dave and Burnadette