"Consistency"

SPEAKER_01 0:11

Hi, welcome to Fit 101, Vocalizing Every Noted Topic with a Christian twist. I'm June Bryant, your host, and we welcome you to our podcast. Our vision is to win souls to Christ and to help those who know him by giving them a fresh new perspective on Christian living and reading God's Word. Our mission is to biblically educate people while growing in their Christian walk by answering questions that they are uncomfortable to ask in a church-like setting. You can find us wherever you get your podcast. Please like and subscribe. You can also visit us on YouTube, Instagram, or on our website vent-101.com, where you can leave any questions or comments that you may have. Thank you. Good afternoon, everybody. It's June in the room. Once again, we're back for another episode of Vic 101. Vocalizing every note of topic with a Christian twist.

SPEAKER_05 1:45

Alrighty.

SPEAKER_02 1:46

Alrighty. Hello, everyone. I'm Pat. Oh, glad you guys can join us today.

SPEAKER_00 1:54

Good morning and good day to everybody out there in the podcast. This is Antoine. Hope everybody's having a blessed day and a good week so far.

SPEAKER_06 2:01

And good morning. I'm Richard. Um just glad to be here. Uh, like, share, subscribe, bring 10 friends.

SPEAKER_01 2:09

Amen. And with that, we are. If you all were here, listen to last week's, listen to last week's podcast. It was so good. I'm encouraging you to go back and listen to Who Am I Pursuing? Rich did a wonderful job with who's thing. I don't you're asking him to uh uh you can right start doing like Antoine, yeah. And Pat too. Y'all giving me some breaks up in this place. But uh this week's podcast is on consistency. Just like we talked about pursuing last week, who are we pursuing? Once we start pursuing, we have to be consistent, the consistency of a believer. Now, when thinking about someone you look up to, let's hypothetically, I'm willing to imagine that one of the qualities you most respect about that person is their consistency. Uh, a consistent person is someone who sticks with the plan, keeps their word, and follows through whatever they feel, if they like it or not. They might not even be in the mood for it, but uh a consistent person follows through. Now check this out. With experience, uh, my experience of having a stroke, uh, this I uh along with research on this topic, I found that the brain is constantly rewiring itself. It's a process known as neuroplastivity, plasticity, neuroplasticity. Every thought, habit, or action we repeat strengthens our neural connections and rewires our brain's pathways. But here's the catch our brain is just a prediction machine, it builds default algorithms out of whatever information that we feed it consistently. Let's use the uh the garbage in and garbage out approach. I didn't think of that. Whatever we feed our mind consistently becomes our brain's default setting. If we feed it negative self-talk, procrastination, hurt, or worry along with the things in the world, uh, this can predict fear. But on the flip side, we need to practice biblical consistency, family. Now, biblical consistency means uh faithfully following God over time, not just certain seasons in our lives or when we need God to fix something, like we said, pursue and don't do it off and on. Uh, it is a steady commitment to obey, trust, and walk with God regardless of our circumstances. We can't just pick and choose. Uh by using biblical consistency, our brain will strengthen those circuits, making them harder to break. Uh, by feeding thankfulness, reading the scriptures, and praying, our brains will strengthen those pathways instead. Now, Philippians 4 and 8 says, now, and dear brothers and sisters, one final thing. Fix your thoughts on what is true and honorable and right and pure and lovely and admirable. Think about these things that are excellent and worthy of praise. And Ephesians 4, 22 through 24 says, throw off your old sinful nature and your former way of life, which is corrupted by lust and deception. Instead, let the spirit renew your thoughts and attitudes, put on your new nature, created by your uh, put on your new nature to be create like God, truly righteous and holy. Now, this explains why our bad habits feel difficult to quit, family, and why we must be consistent in our efforts to replace them. The more we practice a positive behavior by reading the Bible, the stronger that wiring in our brains becomes. And it until it overrides eventually the old patterns we had before. We won't have them no more. I found that in my walk in Christ, Antoine will tell tell y'all that people will say, I know Miss June ain't like that. She she never was like that. But I was an avid cusser. I took, I tell you, I say that all the time. I took pride in my cussing. I did. Oh, the more I dropped that F bomb, because people said I'm I loved to hear June cuss. People used to tell me I love to hear her. They love to hear me cuss. Because I did it. You know how it's a fling sport.

SPEAKER_05 7:20

Yeah, it's a sport.

SPEAKER_01 7:22

It's a sport, it was a sport with me. But once I began, uh once I pursued Christ uh and I started diving into the word, I read where uh the Bible says, get rid of the filthy things out of your mouth because you will lose a you can lose a testimony. And this I'm a uh true uh true thing. This man told me uh at work. He said, June Buck, because I we was talking about uh going to church and being saved, and uh you know, I said he I made a statement, yeah. I'm saved. He said, June buck, no way you're saved, not the way you curse. Ain't no way you're saved. And oh wow, I told him F you that's how bad I was, and I've God rest his soul, but I ruined my testimony. That's what I'm getting at. If it offends your brother, you're supposed to pluck it out.

SPEAKER_02 8:25

Yeah, yeah. Where is that in the word? That's true, that's true.

SPEAKER_01 8:29

Anything that offends somebody, we are supposed to get rid of it. And I lost that, and I pray, I pray that the that he found Jesus before, got or Jesus found him before, uh, because that really ate me up. And I had to say, Lord, I'm so sorry, because I lost him, you know, and we have to be mindful, but it once you get in the word of God, it overrides all of those. And I relate it to my stroke because the way, and I'm gonna turn it over to the co-host, because the way my doctor described the stroke was he said the center part of your brain, Antoine can attest to this, the center part of the brain is like your main highway. The top part was 270, and you got all these different highways that come to the base. You got 55 that comes to the main, you got 70 that comes to the main, you got 170, but my highway 40 was blocked. You see what I'm saying? And and that really I it resonated with me because once I laid in that bed and God brought me up, it was a transformation for me because I was suffering from church hurt heavily. I was suffering from people uh dogging me, you know, and I knew it. Uh but once I got up, I was transformed and renewed. Yeah, thank you, Lord. Yeah, that goes with consistency. So I'm gonna turn it over to y'all. I'm sorry if it was too long.

SPEAKER_02 10:07

No, that's that's a good word, uh, you know, and it helps to search our own souls. Like you were saying, uh, you know, we gotta watch our witness. But that that consistency too brought me to the scripture in Hebrews 13 and 8, where it says Jesus is is the same yesterday, today, and forevermore. And so we supposed to reflect the image of Christ in that as believers in Christ, and so that we supposed to be re we supposed to remain because Jesus remained it on the earth for they they said theology or theologians said he was here on the earth for at least 33 years. But he stayed consistent. And you said on the last podcast that purpose, yes, he knew his purpose, so he stayed consistent in going on the cross to die for the sins of the world, no matter what circumstances came about. They called him the Belzerbug, they called him all kinds of stuff, you know what I mean? Beat him, did everything, but he he stayed focused. And a lot of times we we we can't stay consistent because we're not focused on our purpose. You know, the the call that God called us. So I love that when it when it gave us that example that Jesus, Hebrews 13 and 8, he's the same yesterday, today, and forevermore. That is our big um focus on that that God never changes. You know, and even Malachi says that he he he changed not. God don't change. So whatever he purposed in our life to do, what what we have to go through while we here on earth, you know, um that consistency is very, very, very important because it shows the attributes of God. So I just want to kind of share that, you know, too.

SPEAKER_00 11:58

Whatever you guys I can say, um, where the definition that I came across is remaining steadfast, faithful, and persistent in good works without growing worry. Now, Miss Pat was all up in my notes, so I'm gonna skip past it. And just to give the verses you mentioned in Malachi, that's Malachi 3 and 6 for you all that listening. Because as believers, we are encouraged to uh to mirror reliability in their own works, such as like we're supposed to be a reflection of what God's true nature is. And that's why we those two verses that were given are just to give the consistency on how God is in general. He never changes. He always has been God, he is the Almighty, He is who He is. He never changes.

SPEAKER_05 12:43

That's right.

SPEAKER_00 12:44

And um, there's some foundational things, I guess, for consistency that I came across. Um one was of um to avoid instability, which um we mentioned on the last one, um, James 1 and 8, where it states a double-minded man is unstable in all his ways. Um, the Bible warns against being double-minded or tossed about by shifting emotions and worldly um pressures.

SPEAKER_05 13:08

Yeah.

SPEAKER_00 13:09

So the key part of that is we have to make sure that as you continue to uh to grow as a believer, that's just saying that you're actually being consistent in your stability within it. So, and and even though sometimes, just to give example, sometimes you may not, you wake up like, man, I don't feel like reading right now, because you have been reading every morning. As soon as you get up, you read your Bible. Stick to that. Even when you're tired, again, like what I said last one, if we can't take uh a sacrifice a small portion of our time when Jesus Christ went through what he did for us, and we need to rethink this whole um being a Christian thing if you have the mindset. Because if if you could look, if you just know what happened and the things he endured, there's no way you can say, I can't sacrifice 10 minutes to pray. Uh I can't take two seconds to pray, because praying don't have to be an elongated thing. It can be just your conversation with Christ. Because he said he wants to be a part of everything, the good, bad, and different. And I and I had to practice that myself by being consistent in talking to him. You have to be, that's how you continue to grow. That's how do uh that's how the Holy Spirit can give you different things to help you be consistent within the walk. Because the consistency aspect is the word it keeps you from being stagnant.

SPEAKER_02 14:29

Yeah.

SPEAKER_00 14:30

As long as you're being consistent and growing, you're being consistent and and uh losing the different many sins that we may live in or dwell in it sometimes. And even those things that the uh it was uh what's the word that's talking about? Anyway, the things that we don't that a lot of times we struggle with. The key part is let God be a part of that. He said to give it to the give it to him, leave it at his feet, and turn our back and move forward.

SPEAKER_05 14:54

That's right.

SPEAKER_00 14:55

So, and and in that pursuit, that's where your faith game comes in. Because while you left it as feet, have faith that he's gonna take care of it.

SPEAKER_02 15:02

That's right.

SPEAKER_00 15:02

Because he truly is. He again, he has never made a promise that he don't keep. People are failure. Come on. God ain't. And if you think otherwise, just try him. I guarantee you, test my theory, see if I'm right or wrong. That's all I can say on now. Try them.

SPEAKER_02 15:17

That's a good one. Try him. Yeah.

SPEAKER_06 15:19

Consistency. Uh a word that keeps coming up is steadfastness.

SPEAKER_02 15:25

Yeah, steadfast.

SPEAKER_06 15:26

It took me back to when we used to go to Corinthians and the male course was singing that song.

SPEAKER_03 15:33

Steadfast, a mood, always the body to the word. Get that right.

SPEAKER_06 15:43

So, yeah, it's all the good. But I know y'all heard all the good notes, like that was four-part harmony, Matt. Hey, hey, hey.

SPEAKER_01 15:54

I don't know what he was harmonizing.

SPEAKER_06 15:59

So, yeah. Consistency refers to story. God be a post, please. And an unwavering commitment to God's character and commands. It appears through the two main lenses: the unchanging nature of God and the call for believers to live with faithful endurance. God's consistency, the divine standard. I'm sorry, God's consistency is the divine standard. In scripture, consistency is first and foremost an attribute of God because God does not change.

SPEAKER_01 16:36

That's true.

SPEAKER_06 16:37

His promises, mercy, and truth remain dependable. As um Antoine was, or oh yeah, Antoine spoke about Malachi 3 and 6. This shows that God's character provides a stable foundation for human life. Uh, Miss Pat Pum Pew spoke of Hebrews 13 and 8. This emphasizes that Christ's nature and salvation do not shift with cultural or personal trends.

SPEAKER_02 17:07

That's good.

SPEAKER_06 17:08

I would like to add James 1 and 17. God is described as the father of lights, with whom there is no variation or shadow due to change. No variation.

SPEAKER_02 17:20

Amen. Brother, can I add that? Go ahead. Y'all hit that note again, though. No, wait.

SPEAKER_05 17:28

I like it. We got to get the quad.

SPEAKER_02 17:37

Yeah, we got to. It's gonna happen. That's a song that we kind of hit on there, y'all. Hope y'all really enjoyed it, though. Uh 1 Corinthians 15 and 58. That's what I was talking about. Being steadfast and movable and always abiding in the work of the Lord. It takes some work, y'all. We just can't sit there and cross our legs knowing that your labor is not in vain. Amen. That's the consistent. That's the consistency.

SPEAKER_01 18:07

That means that we're all on one page. Yeah, yeah.

SPEAKER_02 18:10

It's it's it's uh it's a beautiful thing, you know, when we can reflect the image of Christ like that.

SPEAKER_03 18:16

You know, right.

SPEAKER_02 18:17

We we we can count on a blessing and a privilege, you know, to know that we're on the right track. Yes, when we stay consistent in Christ, knowing that our work and labor, see, a lot of times we just feel like that. We go to church on Sunday, we shout and dance and flip and all that and everything. You know what I'm saying? Then go back home. But it's some work in this thing. Yes, it is. Your labor is not in vain. You know, always abiding in the work of the Lord. People always say, when the word of what's that song saying? Come on, y'all. Y'all ain't like y'all ski. But y'all is quiet sometime for it. Yeah, but that's people always misquote that scripture is the work with a K at the end, not a D, not the word. But the word is the one that helps us to work. Yes, so I just this is a beautiful thing, man. This consistency. Yeah. And we get tired along the way, you know what I'm saying? But uh, pick ourselves back up. I think Antoine said it. What's gonna get us is stay consistent. If you don't feel like getting up in the morning praying, you know, just say something to the Lord. Lord, I thank you for just waking me up. Yes, it ain't no long drawing out, you know, all this stuff, you know, because God knows what you're saying in your heart, He knows your words before you even come out your mouth. Yeah, so it's it's just a beautiful thing.

SPEAKER_01 19:48

Yeah, consistency keeps us close to God. Yeah, one statistic I found that shows that 95% of born-again adults who pray daily feel close to God versus 60% who pray less often. Uh, praying regularly, family, can also give us more confidence and peace amidst life storms. Uh, relationships will grow when we intentionally invest time and communication into them, and our relationship with God is no different. The more consistently we talk and listen to Jesus, we'll hear his voice more clearly. Uh, Psalms 145, 18 through 19 says, the Lord is near to all who call on him, to all who call on him in truth. He fulfills the desires of those who fear him, he hears their cries and saves them.

SPEAKER_02 20:51

Yes, he does.

SPEAKER_01 20:52

God doesn't expect perfection, family, but he finds joy when when we pursue him. Pursue. See? When we he is happy when we call on him, he's happy when we talk to him. Even if you mad at him, tell him, Lord, I'm mad that you did so and so, so and so. But I'm helping me to understand. Give me the understanding on why it happened. And I guarantee you, God will answer every prayer that you pray to him. It might not come when you want it, but it comes right on time. Amen. Yes. Now, how can we develop intimacy through consistency? Invite God into our daily life, not just in your quiet time, like Antoine said, or when you make the time. How dare we? Talk to him throughout your day. He's always listening. Antoine said it make thanking and praising the Lord a daily effort. I be at church at work sometime and waiting on that elevator and I just thank you, Lord. I know people, I know they think I'm cuckoo, but they know I'm crazy for Jesus. Treat it like brushing your teeth for eating dinner. You're gonna do that, ain't you?

SPEAKER_05 22:15

Right.

SPEAKER_01 22:16

Something you do every day. Yeah, the more time you spend with God, the more you'll reflect in his heart and you you'll be closer to him. And more the things that you find yourself doing, like Paul said, the things I find myself doing, I don't want to do, but I do it anyway. Uh, you'll find yourself as you constantly talk to him, you'll find yourself not doing those things as often. That's what it's about. Uh, consistency prepares us for a breakthrough. Many of God's greatest miracles in the Bible followed seasons of faithful obedience with no immediate result. Like uh uh Rich was talking about Joshua. Uh in chapter six of Joshua, the walls of Jericho didn't fall the first day. They fell after seven days of consistent marching. That's it. Uh Hebrews 11:30 said, read the whole sixth chapter of uh uh Joshua uh in your spare time. But Hebrews 11:30 says, it was by faith that the people of Israel marched around Jericho for seven days, and the walls came crashing down. Sometimes your miracle is on the other side of your persistence, family. Be persistent in what you do. Just look at VIP 101. Thank you, Jesus. We're in our seventh year. It took us to be consistent and persistent being in this studio because we want you to understand the words that are coming out of Jesus' mouth, not our mouths. Another example, I talked about my pastors last podcast was Pastor Ken and Bear Jenkins. They've got a uh they had an interview. I can't remember where it what it was, who it was with, but they own they have the marketplace on West Florescent. And they I wish I had been there then, but I wasn't with them then. But they had a group of people that believed in the vision and they walked that strip mall. Yeah. Periodically. I can't remember the exact amount of time. I should have watched the interview again because I looked at it, but I it's been a while since I looked at it. But they walked that strip mall. And Pastor Ken talks about it sometimes in his sermons. How people was laughing at them, they talked about them, they ain't gonna get that mall. But with consistency and persistence along with faith, number one, yeah, God has enabled them to get that mall. Thank you, Jesus. And they're doing the work of the Lord. That's why I was getting at last uh week on the pursuing. We might be God might call you to be over a million-dollar business. You don't know, but you have to be consistent in your walk, persistent in your walk, and most of all have faith in knowing that God will answer that. If it's for you, you have to believe it yourself. He ain't gonna give you nothing that you don't believe in. Yeah, that's why the vision of VIP 101. I know God called each one of us to be in this studio, and it's going to continue to bloom into something bigger, but we have to be consistent in our work, persistent, and always be transparent and just be who we're supposed to be in Christ. Amen. Yes, yes, man.

SPEAKER_06 26:05

Just uh last night.

SPEAKER_02 26:08

Wonderful.

SPEAKER_06 26:08

Well, yesterday when I got home from work, I'm like, man, I am exhausted. I'm tired. Right? But you know, uh going back, uh my bishop asked my wife, okay, give the word Wednesday. And I'm like, man, that ain't a lot of time, but hey, you gotta deliver. Um but I'm I'm I'm I'm exhausted, I'm tired, and I'm like, man, I don't think I'm gonna make it. But some said, keep pressing, keep pressing, get in the car. I got rained on probably three, four times yesterday. Nothing on my head. I'm like, man, I probably need to put some night quill, you know, try to get ahead. But I said, no, I'm gonna go to high praise night. Then, you know, in the morning, wife has to go to um uh uh conference, I have to do the podcast, just keep keep pushing, and that allowed me to be consistent, you know. So, which brings me to human consistency, should equal Christian faithfulness. Yes, you know, it's by not refusing to live double-minded lives or wavering under pressure. Galatians 6 and 9 says uh I'm sorry, it reminds followers not to grow weary in doing good, promising the harvest if we do not give up. That's right. Because, man, it was easy to give up your life. I'm like, Lord, I am tired. You see me with all these laptops, it was probably 2,500 laptops, it was seven pallets of supplies for them, and I'm just look, I'm going past the security of the TDM. Dom, are you sweating? Hey, y'all see me pulling this back? I'm talking about sweating the little corners, I'm turning it. I'm just I'm just going, and I'm just not, I'm not giving in. Yes, you know, something just said, keep on going, keep on going. To make a long story short, because of consistency, I was able to go to High Praise Night last night. See, my wife went to her um conference this morning. We here. Uh event 101, we was able to get all that writing for the Lord done. Her working on the sermon where I'm working on both of the podcasts, all like Thursday night. We were writing, we writing, we just thank you, G.

SPEAKER_01 28:51

The whole house.

SPEAKER_06 28:52

Yes, yeah, just quiet and writing. Yeah, you know, uh, and I'm just thankful for God's uh just giving the strength to be consistent and stay focused. Because, man, that devil gone. Hey, you know all that work you just did. You saw it, dude. Man, I'm talking about I was living for two days. Yeah. You know, so yeah, the consistency is real, y'all.

SPEAKER_01 29:17

Yes, it is.

SPEAKER_00 29:18

I had that thing, but it was exactly what you just said perseverance and good work. Right. Yes, persevere through those times like that, especially when you the most tired. And that's when the enemy really starts trying to trick on you then. You're like, Yeah, you could just just take a little nap. You just go to sleep. You just go sit down and listen. Because I know if I sit down, it's done. I'm gonna go and do it right now and do what I have to do.

SPEAKER_01 29:41

Amen. Well, I want to give words of inspiration to somebody. How to keep going when nothing's changing, how to keep that stay consistent, remind yourself every step matters, even when I can't see the outcome yet. That's right. Refuse to quit. Always remember God rewards the faithful, celebrate the small victories along the way. Thank you, Jesus, for allowing me to make it through Friday.

SPEAKER_06 30:17

Amen.

SPEAKER_01 30:19

And we take that stuff for granted, but the consistency that got that God is gonna give you that energy to push on through. That's what we don't. If we give in to ourselves, I'm not gonna say the devil, but if you you I don't feel like home, I'm gonna stay home.

SPEAKER_06 30:38

Right.

SPEAKER_01 30:38

Well, guess what? You might have missed out on a blessing. Celebrate the small victories, like I said. Give yourself grace. God honors consistency more than intensity. I said, Whoa! And consistency protects you from spiritual drift, from drifting off. We rarely drift away from God in one big decision. It's usually small compromises over time, yeah. Skipping prayer, neglecting the truth, ignoring conviction, but consistency in our spiritual habits anchors our souls. Hebrews two, uh, Hebrews two and three. Okay, I don't two, hold on, one through three. So we must listen very carefully to the truth we have heard, or we may drift away from it. For the message God delivered through angels has always stood firm, and every violation of the law and every act of disobedience was disobedience was punished. So, what makes us think that we can escape if we ignore this great salvation that was first announced by the Lord Jesus Himself and then delivered to us by those who heard him speak?

SPEAKER_05 32:06

Yeah.

SPEAKER_01 32:07

When you stay rooted in God's word and presence, family, we're guarded against all those lies and distractions that the enemy can throw at us. Stay consistent in the word, believe. There were men that saw Jesus' death, burial, and resurrection. They they saw it. Paul was all of them that was there, they and they left it in the Bible for us to go by. How to stay spiritually anchored consistently, stay in community with us, right? Stay with everybody, stay with those who are one in Christ with you.

SPEAKER_00 32:55

Like minded.

SPEAKER_02 32:56

Yes, Lord.

SPEAKER_01 32:56

Yes, don't walk this journey alone, family. Stay in the word. The truth is your anchor in a shifting world because it's showing up shifting, ain't it? Yeah, stay humble. Ask God to reveal any area where you've drifted. Ask him to show you, God, where have I drifted off in my consistency? And it's deeper than prayer. It is consistency keeps our hearts aligned with God's truth.

SPEAKER_02 33:36

No, I was gonna say the prime example of biblical character is Daniel.

SPEAKER_05 33:41

Yeah.

SPEAKER_02 33:42

Read the whole whole chapter of Daniel. Because I mean, that's a prime example of being uh consistent in what he believed in, no matter what. Whatever the king said, is it didn't matter. He still prayed three times a day, you know, until the king said, at the end, y'all know what happened, you know. Lion's den. Yeah. Be the lions. But then when when God showed up in the lion's den, yeah, the king himself dec had made a decree. Look, y'all gonna serve his God. That's right. And see, that's the outcome sometimes, too, because see, the the world is looking up on us. They're reading us. Yeah. How are we? Are we really being consistent or are we really pursuing God? I'm bringing that back from last week. Truly, truly, I mean living for God, you know, because people in those third world countries, I keep saying and I pray for them too, losing their lives.

SPEAKER_05 34:41

Yeah.

SPEAKER_02 34:42

Even while we sit here, losing their lives because they're being steadfast, they're being consistent, pursuing after God, and they don't take they don't take it back. They're losing their lives, y'all.

SPEAKER_01 34:52

Yeah.

SPEAKER_02 34:52

So what are we going to do?

SPEAKER_01 34:54

You know, social media is damaging to a lot of believers. Yes. Uh, because they don't understand what well they they know it, but they really don't know it. Would you post, because I you know, on the memories, on they show you your memories, I used to post a lot of RB. I never did tell my business on social media, but I can see how the difference in my consistency, how my transformation has altered uh to be more like Jesus. But a lot of people on social media they lose their witness because of what they post.

SPEAKER_02 35:38

Okay.

SPEAKER_01 35:38

Because I look at my I I was telling Antonia, my post, I'm like, I'm being followed by almost 2,000 people. And all of those people, I don't know who's reading it. You don't know who's reading your social media. Okay, but somebody is looking at you somebody at everything we post, and is our walk consistent? See, that's I pray in the name of Jesus that I haven't swayed anybody from away from wanting to serve Jesus. You know what I mean? But uh how to reflect God through our consistency, keep showing up when even when it's hard. Yeah, let your testimony be of faithfulness to God, let people see the fruit of your consistency over time. That's what I was getting at with social media. People, we have to be consistent in what we post. Uh, and it's not, I know some people might think, ah, I'm not worried about them. They're gonna be believe what they want to believe anyway. But I always refer back to what is Jesus gonna say to me when I stand before him. That's the key. We have to be aware of what Jesus thinks. Uh, be consistent. Others will see your strength that comes from God, and ultimately they'll grow from it. Because I'm like, man, I'm so happy I'm not the way I used to be. Because that hit me hard when I thought about how you Antoine be saying people be no no, Miss Jim is like that in a man.

SPEAKER_05 37:33

You don't know who raised me.

SPEAKER_00 37:36

Look at me.

SPEAKER_01 37:37

And you mix the lawn in the box and cans.

SPEAKER_00 37:40

Really?

SPEAKER_01 37:41

Yeah, but that's why the flexibility invented the flat saucer.

SPEAKER_00 37:46

I look dip down.

SPEAKER_02 37:52

I'm talking because I didn't last.

SPEAKER_01 37:58

I still ain't got good sense.

SPEAKER_06 38:00

But she had a house full of boys, so I would, yeah, I did.

SPEAKER_01 38:03

I had I kept eight boys to stand up in my defense family, and a couple of them, they used to egg it on.

SPEAKER_04 38:11

Yeah.

SPEAKER_01 38:11

Like Kyle and Mitchell, and then and I'd be so mad because they would tell me what's going on. But yeah, but God is good. Yes, he is. The point is, family, that consistency matters. Yes, it matters a great deal. And even though it might be challenging, we can't throw our hands up and say, Lord, I give up. I give. This isn't a minor issue to shrug off, family. It's at the heart of our maturity as believers. We gotta press forward. And thankfully, God is our greatest ally, support system in this fight for consistency, and has supplied us with the power to change. Thank you, Jesus. Thank you, Lord. Thank you for changing Jesus. You're worthy. Yes, man.

SPEAKER_02 39:12

Yes, God.

SPEAKER_01 39:13

We have to be like Paul when he told Timothy in 2 Timothy 4, 7 through 8. I have fought the good fight, I have finished the race, and I remain faithful. And now the prize awaits me, the crown of righteousness, which the Lord, the righteous judge, will give me on the day of his return. And the prize is just not for me, but for all who eagerly look forward to his appearing. Thank you, Jesus. See a worthy Lord. Yeah.

SPEAKER_02 39:45

Yeah.

SPEAKER_06 39:50

I'm sorry, Danny. That's okay. And you brought Paul up. Uh Paul persisted through shipwrecks and prisons. Yes. Opposition to finish his calling, urging Timothy to be ready. What? In season and out of season. Second Timothy 4 and 2.

SPEAKER_01 40:06

Thank you, Jesus. He even got bitten by a snake, didn't he?

SPEAKER_00 40:13

I'm gonna ask some minute too. Um about being consistent even in even uh in small things. Being faithful, faithfulness even in small matters. Which is um talks about in Luke 16 and 10. He that is faithful in that which is least is faithful also in much. And he that is unjust in the least is unjust also in much. So the main thing is just staying faithful, no matter big, small, or indifferent. Man, you have to be faithful and consistent in your faith in God. And as you are, trust me, like I reiterated before, it was something my brother said like years ago about absolute faith that resonated with me. Because I asked myself, do I have absolute faith? I had to actually question myself, and at the time I honestly didn't.

SPEAKER_05 40:59

Wow.

SPEAKER_00 41:00

And when I questioned that, is that's when I started going through a phase of things happening to where I had nothing to rely on but my faith. He said, since you don't know, I'm gonna I'm gonna put you in a position where you ain't got nothing but your faith to rely on. That's right. And nobody's gonna better help you get through this but me. Lean on me and I got you. Yeah, and and and every time, I'm telling you, I'm telling you out there, I'm gonna keep saying it, he don't break a promise. Amen. Not one time has he ever went against it. I'm telling you. And I mean it'd be some of the most diabolical thing, like, Lord, how I'm gonna come up with this amount of money, take care of this. And I just be like, you know what, God, I know you got me. Amen. I know you got me. And I just kept moving. And every time it came through. Amen. So stay strong with our faith, man. That faith is big, it really is, right?

SPEAKER_02 41:47

Romans 8, uh, 35, it says, Who shall separate us from the love of Christ? And it names those things that's under there, you know, even through that, we we can be consistent. And I love how you say a community of us. You know, we are a body of Christ, and we need each other regardless of what you think that you can live this life by yourself. No, we need each other. If Jesus uh called out 12, yeah, when he could have just did it himself. That means come on. So um, who shall separate us from the love of Christ?

SPEAKER_05 42:23

Who?

SPEAKER_02 42:23

Who shall stop us from being consistent in our walk with Christ? You know, or what, what that what, yeah, that what again. What or who?

SPEAKER_00 42:32

Miss Paddy said something earlier that people used to say it was like a saying that I heard. I don't I know it's not biblical, but it's a saying that said that you may be the only Bible that somebody ever sees. That's right. So that's why we have to be consistent so our light is shine through it through it all. Yes, sir. We have to make sure we stand consistent in that.

SPEAKER_02 42:51

Yes, sir. Yeah, yeah, yeah. That enemy boy, he accused the brother day and night, waiting on us to say, because Jesus said, Yeah, I'm telling you, John 15 telling us to stay in the vine. We gotta stay connected to the branch. Yeah, because we are branches. We gotta understand. I love how June brought that out. We are a body of Christ. We are connected, and we're connected to that vine, which is Jesus Christ. And and we see one going away or going astray over this way, then it's our job to say, come on back, you know, that's okay. You know, with love and and meekness and stuff, draw that person back. But we don't want to practice that these days for some reason, you know.

SPEAKER_01 43:37

Scared of skin somebody, folks will talk about you like a dog.

SPEAKER_06 43:42

They rather worry about being in your little back and push you on up there. Ain't that some you won't be out there with them? Get out of this instead of as you're saying, drawing them back on big lists.

SPEAKER_01 43:52

Yeah, and they're people don't want to be talked about. That's what it is. Uh but I Understand that it's our duty to help. It is. It's not, it's it's in love. If you see somebody, it's in the word too. If you see somebody that's in a fault, go to them. Go to them and let them know. But um people be tripping. But I, you know, if it's somebody I know that's in Christ, then they they might not, they might stay with where they at. But that's okay. You have to love them in spite of. Because think about what you've been through.

SPEAKER_02 44:32

Yeah.

SPEAKER_00 44:33

Be consistent. I went through that with a friend of mine I was uh cool with, and God had told me to help them grow and and to help them when it comes to the better understanding of him and how he is in their life. Because they go to church every day, Sunday all these above. But they have everybody has a negative thing or something about them. They are a big liar. And if anybody knows me, you know I can't stand that. But God said, What I tell you do.

SPEAKER_05 45:01

See?

SPEAKER_00 45:02

So I have to continue to show grace through that. Even though it's something I mean myself perfectly despised. He said, I put I gave you a task to do.

SPEAKER_02 45:10

All right.

SPEAKER_00 45:11

So me but you mentioned um earlier about being obedient, it wasn't easy because I was kind of hurt, I was angry. And at the same time, I was like, but but what is God showing you grace over in your life? So why wouldn't if he gave me the task, then why shouldn't I show that person grace too through their struggle? Because you can sit up here and gain that. And if I had to turn my back on them because of what how their nature, then that'd have been me, that'll be a fault. Because God told me, this is what I want you to do. And the thing with me is I'm very upfront about that. I said, God gave me a task with this.

SPEAKER_02 45:47

Yeah.

SPEAKER_00 45:47

And I'm gonna pursue that because I care what. I don't care about this, I care about your soul more than I do you. So I God told me that I have to continuously, no matter what I have to deal with in that person, but as long as I'm still trying to plant the seed and steady help them grow in the way I'm supposed to, then I'm staying in alignment. So that's the part about consistency too.

SPEAKER_05 46:09

That's right.

SPEAKER_00 46:09

When you take this walk on, you don't know what God's gonna put before you, the ones He's gonna put in front of you. That's right. That He wants you to help. He wants you to give them the things, the wisdom that they never gained. And this again, a person that lives in church, acquire all the above, but didn't know what Christian meant. So that let me know how deep it was toward the task God gave me. And he said, Look, focus on that.

SPEAKER_02 46:34

There you go.

SPEAKER_00 46:35

Haven't I shown you grace? Haven't I shown you mercy through your book and your sins? Yes, Lord. So who are you to think that you could just judge this person and leave my life? Because again, I gave you a task. So stick to my task. And that's why I stick I still stick to it to this day. Even though it wasn't easy. Because again, I can't stand it.

SPEAKER_01 46:58

Well, that's where your flesh gets involved. Because I can attest to I was one, I was the biggest liar. I could look at you in your face and tell you a bald face lie. And it wouldn't be believable a lot of times, but I would stand on it. Yeah, or I could tell a lie to where it was be believable, where you be like, dang, that could have happened.

SPEAKER_00 47:25

See, that could have happened. I just started laughing. I flip it on the left.

SPEAKER_01 47:28

Well, it was what I'm getting at is change can happen. Yes, it can. Because I I can relate, so I'm not going to be angry at somebody that is caught in that particular sin because there are other sins that I'm in now. But I know that God can deliver you from that particular spirit of lying, because that's a heavy spirit.

SPEAKER_06 47:53

It's heavy.

SPEAKER_01 47:54

He can it really is, but I know that it can be, I can, I was delivered from it. Because I can't, I will say, no, if I if I tell a story, you know, because a lot of times me being a jokester, I'll stretch a story, but I I try to catch myself and I'm no, I'm lying. I'll say that in a heartbeat. No, I'm lying. What really happened was this. But we have to be, I'm glad you brought that up because just because you're not in, not you per se, just because you ain't in that sin, yeah, don't mean that it can't be, you can't come out of it. That person. That person, yeah. Because there's sins that we are dwelling in.

SPEAKER_00 48:41

But I couldn't say nothing because I hustled and I was a womanizer. It took some line to do that.

unknown 48:46

Yeah.

SPEAKER_00 48:46

So that's what number. When that happened, he started giving me, he starts saying, Oh, you mad, huh? Let's look at you. I was like, you know what?

SPEAKER_01 48:54

I called myself a play.

SPEAKER_00 48:55

You know what? I'm gonna leave that alone. Yep, you're right. You got that, you got that.

SPEAKER_01 49:01

I I'm happy that God has delivered me from being in my play at ways because I know you can't play with folks' minds now. Because they'll kill you now. You can't even hurt nobody's feelings. But uh anyway, that's a that's we're gonna do that. Um, it's a podcast that uh was has been on our notes on our list called Liar Liar Pants on Fire. We're gonna have to top tackle that. Yeah, it's been yeah, it's been on there for a while. We're gonna have to tackle that. But today our message was clear, family. We're training our brains every single day, whether you realize it or not, it's what we take in. We must practice biblical consistency. So as believers, it's important for us to practice that biblical consistency in the words we speak in our faith and our prayer life. The words that come out of our mouths should line up with our beliefs and reflect the truth that we hold with a transformed heart. Thank you, Jesus. Thank you, Lord. But this intentional consistency not only strengthens our spiritual walk, but also reforms our minds. We have to pray for transformed minds. Uh, one final encouragement uh for everybody, and I'll let the uh co-hos uh give their final remarks. What small steps lead to big impact. Yes. You don't have to have it all together, you don't have to feel on fire for Christ every day. You just have to keep showing up. The enemy wants us to believe that your small steps don't matter, but they do. Every prayer, every act of kindness, every day we choose God over comfort, like you made yourself. Be consistent with doing what you had to do. Every day it all adds up to a life that bears fruit and glorifies Him. Psalms 92:13 says, Those that be planted in the house of the Lord shall flourish in the courts of our God. Oh, so keep going, family. Stay planted, stay, stay planted in Christ, yeah, stay faithful. Your consistency is producing something eternal. That's all that matters. Thank you, Jesus. And I'm gonna uh if you all have any final words, I'll give some Bible uh Bible verse.

SPEAKER_00 51:54

Um Ephesians 4 and 1, it says, I therefore, a prisoner for the Lord, urge you to walk in a manner worthy of the calling to which you have been called. And the reason I read that because a lot of a lot of you all, and this is going along the lines of consistency too, not only in Christ, but within our walk. A lot of people, a lot of us have a calling. And for you to reach your calling, be put be consistent in studying, be consistent and growing in Christ, so that for one, you can be, if you can live within your calling. Because again, being a Christian, this is a the a key part is for one, the first step is uh taking Jesus Christ your Lord and Savior. Secondly, it's up to us to save souls, save others. Teach people about salvation. The same thing that you went through, spread it to other people. Because if the greatness of God is, man, it feels awesome. When your spirit is full, man, that's one of the greatest feelings. Right. So be consistent in your in your walking with Christ, and I promise you that everything's gonna turn out fine, and and make sure that you stand aligned so that if you truly do have a calling in a certain nature, whether it be a title calling or what it may be, that you're being obedient within your walk so that God can keep pushing you towards what your calling is. Because the key thing is it's saving more souls and more souls.

SPEAKER_06 53:21

I'll just add uh inconsistency is the trick of the devil for a believer.

SPEAKER_01 53:31

Amen. I just saw this. The misconception of consistency can harm. Believing that consistency has to be perfect with believers can lead to spiritual pride or cause the new believer to be discouraged. We don't want that. We it can make you think that you can't ever sin, and that is a lie. You're gonna be you're gonna be sinned, you're gonna sin.

SPEAKER_05 54:00

That's what we're saying.

SPEAKER_01 54:01

Or never have hard feelings or never change, which is impossible because of our humanness family. This mindset can also cause harm to abandon the gospel, people to abandon the gospel when they stumble. We don't want that. Amen. Rather than to lean into God's grace, that's the key. When you fall into inconsistency, just get back on track. Don't believe that uh them believer, them people that's high up here, that they ain't consistent. They're they practice inconsistency. We all fall short. Right. So uh if those you all don't have anything else.

SPEAKER_02 54:41

No, just to add to what you're saying, just know that uh outside of Jesus, we're nothing. We can't do nothing without him. So yes, we will fall. Peter failed, you know, uh Judas failed, Thomas, all of them, you know, that they the Bible talks about. So it will be some inconsistencies. So we just have to be careful and once again, stay connected to the vine.

SPEAKER_05 55:10

Thank you.

SPEAKER_01 55:12

This was such a good podcast.

SPEAKER_06 55:14

Uh thank you.

SPEAKER_01 55:17

Thank you. And uh I I appreciate uh I appreciate Rich for bringing Who Am I Pursuing because these all of our podcasts kind of go together all the time, and that ain't nothing but the gift that the Holy Spirit has given us at Vit 101. But Father God, I come to you and I'm just thanking you for this union of Vit 101. Father God, thank you. And I'm asking that when Crystal comes back home from Las Vegas, that she joins us in the fold, Father God, uh, so that we we will be able to be consistent on reading your word, Father God. I'm asking those of that who are struggling with their consistency in Christ, that you move them when they listen to this podcast, let them know that things is gonna be all right. We fall short along the way, but as long as we get back on track and continue to serve you, Father God, in the manner that you have called us to do. Uh, increase our territory, Father God, increase what we do, increase our uh uh way of knowing, Father God. Help our minds to absorb all that we have to do to be able to serve you more with more purpose, Father God. Increase. I'm asking for an increase, Father God.

SPEAKER_04 56:43

In the name of Jesus, thanks for tuning in, and we look forward to having these black and that's what we're gonna do.