Fourthstream - Finding Hope

For many people the word grace is associated with giving or receiving personal space from someone else. Grace in the God Story could easily be translated undeserved kindness. Both our human need and God’s greatness find a home in the word grace. Because our need is so never-endingly deep and God is so ultimate in […]

Each of us has spiritual gifts. This is a clear woven thread of the God Story (1 Peter 4:7-11). The gifts differ and even the 20 or so which are listed have an extensive number of multiplied effects. This is part of the beauty of being made in the image of God – and of […]

Jesus was God’s prophet. Jesus was God’s great high priest for all of mankind. Jesus IS King over the entire earth. Jesus created the world. Jesus will judge the world. Today we consider the relational depth of what it meant for the Son to leave His glory and visit the earth. After all, “what will […]

Do you ever wonder why things are the way they are? Why is the world (and life) filled with so much pain? Why do humans exploit and harm one another? As sons of Adam we each bear the image of an all-powerful Creator Father. God has a mouth, eyes, hands etc. – so whatever it […]

Have you ever seen angelic activity? How would you feel if you did? What do you think about the existence of angels? What are they like? How do angels compare to humans? Are there good angels and bad angels? Can they be seen with the human eye? Are there other dimensions? Are Satan, Gabriel, and Michael […]

The Bible is not only the world’s most incredible piece of historical literature, there is much evidence to tell us that it is a supernatural book as well. If you are a seasoned reader and have contemplated of God’s Word, you will find the first link below to be a beautiful panorama of everything God’s […]

Unlike modern purveyors of enlightenment, the prophets of Israel were watched expectantly to see if their words would come true. If they didn’t pan out, things did not bode well for that particular messenger. Daniel’s visions were sweeping, were validated, and have stood the test of time. In fact, the dreams of Daniel are inseparably […]

Christmas is an UP thing for most – a down thing for many. Between gifts, family, obligation and hassle – it is easy to lose the “spirit” of the holiday. We like to take our celebration of the “birth” of Christ to the true roots and not be distracted by the cultural cloud. Based upon […]

There is a lot of strife over gender-related issues in our world. I guess I can understand a variety of perspectives on it. But it occurs to me that women (ladies/gals/girls/shiksas/sistahs) hold a place of high esteem in my Abrahamic and Jesus faith-roots. The Scriptures paint a picture of a Supreme Father over every living […]

My degree of experienced thankfulness is one of the key heart-metrics in my spiritual journey. Usually when I am ungrateful it is because circumstances or relationships are letting me down, and I have begun the descent into personal anger or feeling sorry for myself. Fear also feeds my ungratefulness, inasmuch as my discomfort or even […]

Did you know that you are a work of art created for God’s stage? To be known by God is the greatest honor for all “new song” singers and players! The new song originates in the heart. It can be inspired by many things. But it is OUR OWN new song. The Psalms try to […]

One of the great gifts of living is to experience hope. For the people we love. For things to turn out right. For our dreams to come true. And from the God Story: our ultimate destiny is one of great hope – what God calls heaven. It appears that hope has a multi-unfolding purpose in […]

Last time we talked about God 360 – how do we open every part of our life to an already present Father. Today we consider the ways we can engage God 360 by experiencing Kingdom community. Ephesians 5 gets to the core of what defines Kingdom gathering. It is not so much about place as […]

Today Burnadette and I embrace the tricky prospect of living our lives in lock-step with God. This is a lofty goal, and requires a huge amount of intentionality. And what is our motivation? Well, like you, we want to hear the words “well done” when we stand before our Creator and King. There is no […]

God’s Word has an incredible ability to make the complex simple. The word pictures used throughout help paint clear pictures of the essence of God’s communication to mankind. This Psalm is no different. God’s people have roots. They grow deep to find the nourishment necessary to sustain a soul through the ups and downs of […]

For centuries the Jewish people’s lives revolved around their yearly feasts and celebrations. Jerusalem is built around a couple of hills, and the Temple Mount (where there is now a mosque where the Temple used to be), and people would come from all over the world to honor and express devotion and gratefulness to the […]

This Psalm is SO reflective of David’s personal experience with God. He is being brutally chased by his son, mocked by his subjects, and watched carefully by his under-leaders regarding any real or perceived weakness. This is what makes this Psalm so raw and beautiful. If David could turn to God even in his darkest […]

One of the purposes of Psalms is to lift us up to the greater picture. This is so true with Psalm 84 – the sons of Korah are celebrating the Home Israel has found in Yahweh – the great Lord of Hosts! The Message translates this Name as “the God of the Angel Armies.” Wow. […]

One of our favorite Psalms is 91 – it amplifies so many relational things regarding our connection and need for God. Many – if not most – people in our American and world culture are content or even obsessed with living in a God-free space. We go to great lengths to discredit or neutralize the […]

When you are a time-bound soul (something we share with every human who has ever lived/or ever will) it is tough to see yourself in a different state or realm. And yet this is a critical part of the God Story. While this earth is special and our lives have deep, personal meaning – it […]