Dimensions
How To Manage Seasons of Stress and Chaos
Are you feeling overwhelmed by the incessant demands of life, juggling commitments that pull you in every direction? Fear not, for in our latest soul-stirring session, we delve deep into the art of balancing ministry, and family life, all through the lens of unwavering faith. In this episode I will be offering insights and tools necessary to navigate the stresses and chaos of life without losing sight of those precious, non-negotiable commitments like family time, prayer time and church time.
This episode is not just about survival; it's about thriving under pressure. Together, we'll explore how the sins of omission can be subtle yet significantly damaging, urging believers to avoid neglecting spiritual duties. From personal anecdotes to strategic advice, we cover the importance of distinguishing urgency from priority and the power of a simple task list in managing life's responsibilities.
Are you feeling overwhelmed by the incessant demands of life, juggling commitments that pull you in every direction? Fear not, for in our latest soul-stirring session, we delve deep into the art of balancing ministry, and family life, all through the lens of unwavering faith. In this episode I will be offering insights and tools necessary to navigate the stresses and chaos of life without losing sight of those precious, non-negotiable commitments like family time, prayer time and church time.
This episode is not just about survival; it's about thriving under pressure. Together, we'll explore how the sins of omission can be subtle yet significantly damaging, urging believers to avoid neglecting spiritual duties. From personal anecdotes to strategic advice, we cover the importance of distinguishing urgency from priority and the power of a simple task list in managing life's responsibilities.
If you're like me, ladies and gentlemen, there are seasons of your life when things get chaotic. When you got things coming from this side, that side, from the back and from the front, you don't seem to know where to turn and everybody's tugging on you. Pastor Jay, how do you handle all of these things that? You've got a podcast, you're the pastor of a church, you're on television, you're a voice for pro-life, you've got speaking engagements, you're on TV. You've got all these things going on and a pro-life pregnancy center. How do you manage it all and still have time for your kids and that's right Time for my baby girl, the peanut butter to my jelly, come on somebody. Everything that I need, she's my everything and still have time to manage all of these things? You have questions. I've got answers. That's what Dimensions is all about, baby. And guess what? You don't know what else we're going to get into as well. It's going to be good. It's about to get deep. I'm glad you've tuned in. Are you all ready, as I am. Dimensions starts now Music.
Speaker 1:Well, ladies and gentlemen, welcome to the latest edition of Dimensions. I'm Janthony Gilt. I'm so glad that you tuned in and listen. I've got a lot to get into today that you're going to be blessed by. I have just sensed the Holy Spirit speaking to me, that there's a lot of people out there and you might be one of them that are dealing with some chaotic times, some stressful times, some difficult times, but you know what that's. What Dimensions is all about. It's about empowerment for your next level, and I'm so glad that you've tuned in and listen.
Speaker 1:Real quickly, before I jump in any further, don't forget to like, subscribe, follow, share all those things. Go to your Apple or Android store and pick up the Dimensions podcast, when yours truly will be coming to you at least twice a week, bringing to you the latest and greatest of what God is speaking Maybe current events, it could be sports situation. I've got a lot to share and I'm glad that you have tuned in because I've got a lot to say and I believe you're going to be blessed by what it is that God is going to do through these episodes, and I'm so excited not going to be much longer. My wife's going to be joining me, we're going to have some special guests coming up, we've got a whole lot of topics in discussion that we're going to be getting into in the days to come and it's going to be awesome. I don't want you to miss any of it, so make sure you go and download that. And then go to YouTube, facebook, all those things Like subscribe, follow, share, all those things. Take a minute right now. I promise you there are people that are going to need this episode right now. This is a prophetic episode that's going to be a blessing to you. And get it out there so people can be blessed.
Speaker 1:And don't forget to get one of my books. Man, I got praying on another level right here. You can get that at Amazon or here at our church the wisdom seed. Ladies and gentlemen, the I mean it's just outstanding with the revelation that God's been dropping into my spirit and giving me the opportunity to write and to develop, and these two books right here will really be a blessing to you. I've got churches using it down in Alabama, out in Buffalo, new York, back in my hometown, as a small book or some small groups devotional book. It's outstanding. It's 30 days to help you develop a new dimension in prayer.
Speaker 1:My family was bathed in prayer. My dad was a man of prayer and it's over almost 30 years of just revelation that God's given to me on prayer. That'll be a blessing to you. And then the wisdom seed, the revelation behind the $1,000 seed. If you've sown a $1,000 seed or feel one day you're going to sow one, I believe every believer should be able to do that. You need to get your hand on the wisdom seed.
Speaker 1:And then my latest book I'm going to show you that in a little bit here, on a later episode. Man, I'm so excited about it. It's a small mini book. It's obtaining your inheritance, on why church membership is important. It's just been awesome. And I got more books coming out. I can't wait. I want you to be praying for me. I got a book coming out not too long. It's going to be called Heaven is Still Real, hell's Still Real and Jesus is still coming back around those subjects. That's going to be awesome. I also want to write another book on why the church should be involved in politics. Yes, I'm one of those people.
Speaker 1:I don't believe this church should be silent. We need to be speaking to the events of the day, and if we don't, who will? And what's happened is we turn moral and unethical things that are happening in the world into political things. So then the church can't talk about it. But we are, ladies and gentlemen, the salt and the light, and if we don't have a voice and if we don't speak to it, who will? We are the ones. Why are we salt? We are the ones to preserve the earth. If the foundations be destroyed, what shall the righteous do? And all the way for evil to prevail? Ladies and gentlemen, it's for good men, good women like you and me to do nothing. I don't believe we should be silent anymore. I think we should speak up. We should cry loud and spare not and declare what the spirit of the Lord is saying.
Speaker 1:So I've got a whole lot more coming to you, but today, my good God, I am so excited to get into about how to manage seasons of stress and chaos. You know, one of the things I've realized is a lot of people going through a lot of different things right now, and people are struggling and going through all sorts of different things. You know something you are going to make it through this season. You're not going to fall. You're not going to fall down and not get back up. You're not going to struggle. You're not going to lose your mind. You are going to make it. In Jesus' name, I just want you to type that in right now that I'm going to make it. You have to realize something that what you're in right now isn't going to be forever.
Speaker 1:I think one of the biggest misconceptions for a lot of people is when they're in the valley, they believe they're going to be in the valley forever, and when they're on the mountain, they feel they're going to be on the mountain forever. You can't have a mountain without two valleys and I hope you understand that. You're not going to be in the mountain forever. When the wind is behind your back and you're pedaling downhill and everything's going well, you're not going to be in the valley, where it feels like you're in 10th gear on a mountain bike and trying to go up the hill and the wind is blowing at you. Not only is the wind blowing, the rain is coming down and you're trushing, trugging and trying to get yourself up that hill. Ladies and gentlemen, that's a part of life.
Speaker 1:I want to teach you how to navigate some of those things, because many people do very well when they're on the mountain top and when they're coming down and they're pedaling and they're shouting and praying in the Holy Ghost and saying hallelujah. Things are so great. Nothing wrong with that, but realize there are mountain times, there are valley times and there are times when life hits all at once. How do you manage those things? Leaders have to learn how to navigate turbulence. True leaders know how to navigate turbulence. I hope you're taking down some notes right there. That's good, that's tweet worthy. Right there. Leaders know how to navigate turbulence, and this is the reality. Leaders have the ability to remain consistent whether they're in the mountain or they're in the valley or in the in-between times. They know how to navigate both. You have to be able to navigate both in your life, because they're both going to come.
Speaker 1:There's a time and a season for everything, and it seems like you've I'm sure you've heard the proverbial statement when it rains, it pours, and it really does. There are times where it's just chaotic and things are coming at you from every side and you're wondering how to manage it, and I'm going to talk to you about some things that you should do and some things that you shouldn't do. Matter of fact, I've got about nine here. There's probably going to be more than that, but I've got nine specifics that I want to give to you, because I believe there's some people that are watching right now, that you've been going through some difficult times, and sometimes the number one thing that people want to do is they want to throw off all the responsibilities when things get chaotic. It's too much, it's too hard, I can't make it, it's going to be too difficult. That's not the case, ladies and gentlemen. You have to understand that just because things get difficult, you're going to make it. You don't throw off all your responsibilities and just do everything to take the pressure off. You understand it's.
Speaker 1:Pressure is a privilege, and so it's one of those things that you have to understand. When God puts weight upon your life, it's not so you can throw the weight off. He's trying to develop you and to grow you in your life, and the number one thing that people do many times when they're hitting stressful times is they'll take all the pressure off. How do I get the pressure off of me? I just want to get out of this, and you have to learn. Are you all ready? You have to learn how to cook under pressure. Yeah, you got to learn how to cook under pressure. You've got to learn how to develop. You got to learn how to grow. You've got to learn how to tenderize. You got to learn how to do all these things. When the pressure is on you, you can't take the pressure off, you can't tell everybody it's too hard. I like back in the day when COVID first hit and Tom Hanks got, he said there's no crying in baseball. You know, sometimes you've got to press in and it's going to be difficult sometimes.
Speaker 1:So I want to give you a pass of Scripture here. The first one here is in Luke, chapter 10, verse 38 through 42. I want to read this to you because I believe this would really be a blessing to you. Luke, chapter 10, verse 38 through 42. It's the story of Mary and Martha and I believe it's kind of the tale of the mountain and the valley, if I can say it like that. And verse 38 of Luke, chapter 10, it says here Now it happened as they went that they entered a certain village and a certain woman named Martha welcomed him into her house and she had a sister called Mary Now, look at this who sat at Jesus's feet and heard his words. But Martha was distracted with much serving and she approached him and said Lord, do you not care that my sister has left me to serve alone? Therefore, tell her to help me. And Jesus answered and said Martha, martha, you are worried and troubled about many things, but one thing is needed, and Mary has chosen that good part which shall not be taken away from her. Now I want to.
Speaker 1:A lot of people read this passage of Scripture here and they think that Martha is the one that's in error Error and Mary is the one that is correct. And into some degree that's true, but I don't want to discount Martha, because there are sometimes are you ready for this? There are sometimes that work is needed to be done. There are times Martha's up working. She's doing all the things that she needs to do.
Speaker 1:The problem, watched, is this is this is one point when You're dealing in how to manage seasons of stress and chaos. It's not the fact that things aren't important, it's not the fact that things aren't urgent. What separates one person from the other is the ability to determine priority. My good god Almighty, the ability to Determine priority. Things are gonna come your way. You have to learn how to Determine Priority and urgency. If you don't learn those things and you'll just take whatever comes, that you will manage you, and you can't do that. And one of the things that I think is important is that both of them had valid things going on. Martha was trying to work. Mary was sitting at the feet of Jesus. It was not the fact watch this that I I don't believe this that Mary wasn't eventually going to get to work. She had the right priorities in place. It's the first thing I want to mention.
Speaker 1:When seasons of stress and chaos come your way, the first thing you want to do is you want to pray my good, god, do not allow the stress and everything happened and say well, god, I'll get to you later. Some people will tell me sometimes, yeah, things are getting really, really busy for me so I haven't had time to really get to prayer. I do prayer at the end of the day. I said doing prayer at the end of your day is like saying I'm gonna run a marathon and I'll eat when I'm done. You're putting the cart in front of the horse. You can't run without fuel and you got to realize many times watch, this is important when you're dealing with seasons of stress and chaos and things that are coming your way. Sometimes they're not just natural things. Sometimes there's demonic attacks within them, and you'll never defeat demonic attacks with Natural weapons, the weapons of our warfare are not Connell but mighty, through God, to the pulling down of strongholds. So if you do not prioritize the importance of hanging out with Jesus and spending time to get your spiritual art Artillery, you're gonna be going in there trying to defeat a spiritual power with natural ability, natural strength, and you will not have the ability or power.
Speaker 1:The Bible says in Ephesians, chapter 6, to be strong and Lord and In the power of his might. Then put on the whole armor of God. The first thing you've got to do before you go out to battle is put on your armor. How do you do that? You spend time with God in prayer. It's not the fact that Martha did not have valid things that needed to be done. The fact was, her priority was wrong. She was trying to do the work without sitting down With it, the feet of the one that gives her the power, the ability and the call to do so. I think it's so important that we identify that. Ladies and gentlemen, look at us here.
Speaker 1:Martha, you are worried and troubled about many things. What think about it? Many one, two, three, four, five, six, seven, eight, however many there were. But one thing is needed Mary chose the good part, which will not be taken from her. You can't do all the things until you have prioritized the one thing Spending time. I don't care how busy you get, I don't care how hard it is, you need to make sure you are spending time with God in prayer. You have to understand. The moment you got saved, you drew a big bull's eye on your chest and told hell, satan in every one of his cohorts, hit me with your best shot, I can take it. You got to understand. The first thing is prayer. Matthew 6 33 the whole chapter six is all about priority and he talks about the Gentiles say what are we gonna eat and where are we gonna sleep and what are we gonna wear and all these things that, after all these things Do the Gentiles sing? But what does he say? Seek ye first the kingdom of God, his righteousness, his way of doing things and what all these things shall be added. Then we look at Luke 10. Here Martha's worried about all these things. Mary chose the one thing.
Speaker 1:Who do you think is going to be better off? Your life is never better off by Ruling God out of the equation. It's kind of like people that say well, you know, I didn't have enough money to tithe. So basically, what you're saying is that, well, lord, you'll understand, I'm better without you, god. I'm not going to pray today because I'm better without you. I can handle today on my own.
Speaker 1:You are already stressed out and feeling overwhelmed. How are you going to rule out the burden bearer? The aim is of your life, the burden bearer, jesus, coming to me, all you that labor and are heavy laden. I will give you a. Take my yoke upon you and learn of me, for my yoke is easy and my burden is like you think it's going to get better Apart from Jesus Christ, apart from spending time with God? You think it's going to get better financially by ruling God out of your money and out of your time and out of you. Well, I'm not going to tithe. This we got. I got this once I get.
Speaker 1:Wait a minute. You're not giving to God because God needs it. You're giving to God because you need it. Come on somebody. You're not praying to God because he needs it. You're praying to God because you need it. And what happens? The first thing the devil wants to do is to get you burdened down, get you stressed out, that you start removing prayer out of your life and you start removing tithing and giving out of your life. You have to establish early in your world that prayer must be the top priority of the believer. Come on somebody. And this is why I want to start with this. I want to start with this because what happens? Watch this the greatest sin.
Speaker 1:If I were to ask you right now what are the greatest sins, go ahead and just think I'm gonna give you just a second here while I talk, write down and think in your mind what are the greatest sins? What are they? You know, because I think a lot of times we think the greatest sins are one thing, when I think they're another. Think about it for a minute. What are the greatest sins, especially for the believer? And most likely we have what's called sins of commission and sins of omission. And people say, well, what exactly are those sins of commission? Are the things that you do, such as like maybe you go out and you get drunk, you know adultery, fornication, murder, lying, cheating, stealing, all those types of things, and that's what we think of. So we think, as a believer, if I'm not doing those things, I'm good, and of course, yeah, that's part of it, but for the believer, that's the lower life. For the believer, there's a higher life, which are the sins of omissions? Those are the things that god has required of you, the things that god has asked you to do that you're not doing, such as prayer.
Speaker 1:People don't think prayerlessness is a sin. Not reading your bible, not going to church? I can't begin to tell you how many people, when they start going through difficult times, what is the first thing that goes? They're tithing, their prayer time and their church time. I mean, how do you rule god out of your life, people? And then, when things start going well, people start saying, okay, god, I got this, I'll take over from here. My good god, you don't realize, whenever you do, that god refuses to create a life, life for you that makes himself unnecessary. So you know what happens. More trouble comes because he can't trust you, because he knows if he gives you the life that you want, you'll leave him. So god tests you in the low times and determine where your loyalties are, because who you are in the prison, who you are in the pit, joseph, is how you'll serve god in the palace. Oh, my good god, that's so good, right there.
Speaker 1:People rule out god real quick. Let's stop praying, let's start tie, stop tithing the they'll stop going to church. Oh pastor, things are getting busy. I can't go to church on wednesdays. What? That's not. It shouldn't even be an option for the believer. You should never say, well, I got to do this, I got to do that. I'm not saying there's never a time to miss. I'm saying but you're never going to get more out of life by giving less to god. It's just not going to happen. There's a balance. Don't get me wrong, but I've seen so many people rule god out of their lives. You've got to keep god a priority. That's number one. Pray, pray, pray, pray, pray, pray, pray. Now remember this. This is important.
Speaker 1:Pressure, oh, this is so good. Pressure is a privilege, but it can become problematic. You gotta remember that pressure is a privilege, but it can become problematic. So happens when pressure hits, we. We don't realize it, but we gravitate to what we trust. We trust that my sleep will give me more, instead of getting up earlier and praying, I love.
Speaker 1:There's a story. I believe it was uh, oh, my gosh, but one of the west sleep brothers, if I'm not mistaken. He said this is so powerful. He says I have so much to do today, I better start my day off with three hours of prayer. Now most of us say, god, I have so much to do today I can't even get to prayer. But he said I think was john westley that said this, if I'm not mistaken he said there's so much I have to do today, I might as well start my first three hours in prayer. Wow, and think about who gets more done. I'm telling you what. God will bless you. He will give you favor if you will keep the main thing, the main thing.
Speaker 1:Pressure is a privilege because letting you know that you're responsible for something. But it also become problematic because some people lose their focus when pressure hits, and you have to be careful that you don't allow yourself to lose focus when pressure comes. Pressure exposes what's within me. So therefore, when pressure hits, I gravitate to what's most important. Pressure reveals what is priority in my life. Pressure reveals what is urgent in my life. Pressure reveals what is important. Pressure reveals who I am as a person. Are you with me? Pressure can make diamonds, but pressure can also cause you to implode or explode. So the reality is it's all about how we process it, and that's why the number one thing you have to do is to pray. And then number two Watch this.
Speaker 1:Don't replace priority with urgency. Just because something is urgent doesn't always mean it is priority. My good God, that is so important. What do I mean by that? Oh, I got so much, I got to do so I can't pray, I can't go to church, I can't tie. That can't no, no, no, no, no, no, no. I understand, but do not replace Are you hearing what I'm saying Priority with urgency. Oh, something's important right now. Because this is the reality.
Speaker 1:Things that are priority watch this are usually more long term. Things that are urgent are usually short term. They're not going to be forever. When you have a higher priority scale, it means they have more weight and importance in your life and so be careful of it. Doesn't mean it's always the case, but priority, urgency means it's got to be done right now, but it's probably temporary. Things that are priority are usually more long term. Are you hearing what I'm saying? And what people will do in immaturity is they will replace something that is urgent. Say, let's make that number one in my life because it's urgent right now, and move everything else that seems important to move way down here Now. It doesn't mean there's not a time to do that temporarily, but what I'm saying? A lot of people do that and it's what they've done. They've gotten out of focus because their faith structure is incorrect. They haven't left the main thing. The main thing. Come on somebody, which leads me to number three.
Speaker 1:You need to develop a task list when you are in seasons of chaos, when you are in seasons of stress. Develop a task list when you are you ready for this? I'm going to go back to the whole thing about pressure to this is important. If you wake up in the morning, or you go to bed at night and you wake up in the middle night and you have all this pressure and you wake in the morning, you don't wonder. You're wondering why do I feel all this on me? There's probably things in front of you that are going to have to be tackled. It is actually responsibility that is actually weighing upon you. Even if you're not looking at it, for whatever reason, our internal clock knows it. Our internal emotions understand there's something going on and there's something happening and there's something coming. Oh, that's so good, right, that just helps somebody. So I wonder you wake up in the morning? Why do I feel all this on me? Why do I feel all this stress? Why is all this things happening my way? It's because there's responsibility on your plate.
Speaker 1:So what you need to do is you sit down and develop a task list and you write down what needs to be accomplished first, what is, and you take a minute. Watch this, not from here, but from here. You got to be very careful. Why? Because your heart may say oh my gosh, I got to do this and I got to do this, and somebody called me. They want to go about this. Sometimes you have to know what to say no to.
Speaker 1:So you have to replace you don't want to replace urgency with prior or with prior. You want to replace priority with urgency. You want to replace urgency with priority. So you want priority to be the number one thing. What's priority right now?
Speaker 1:No matter how much something may be coming at me, because just because something is urgent doesn't always mean it's priority. It's kind of like as a pastor. You know, there are times that people will knock on your door oh, I've got an emergency, I got an emergency. It may or may not be an emergency, they just want to deal with it right now. It may be important to them and they're feeling the stress of it, but it doesn't mean just because it's their urgency, it's your emergency. Wow, come on, somebody. Did you hear what I just said? Just because it's somebody's emergency doesn't mean it's your urgency, come on. It doesn't mean you have to immediately run. What this is emergency, pastor J? So it's got to be urgent to you, not always, not always. You have to learn to determine. Sometimes family can be knocking on your door. Oh, oh, my gosh, this is an emergency. Well, that doesn't make it my emergency and it doesn't mean it has to be my urgency.
Speaker 1:You have to have the maturity to be able to eat, to meet and throw away the bone. You got to know the difference between the two, ladies and gentlemen. If you don't know that, you'll be constantly running to people. People will be running to you. They'll be telling you got to do this, that and the third and whatnot, and it's not always a priority for you. You have to determine early in your world that you can do that. You know the difference between what is urgent and what is priority. And just because somebody has an emergency doesn't mean it's your urgency Are you with me? Or just because it's urgent to them doesn't mean it's your emergency that you have to switch. So it can go either way. You have to learn early.
Speaker 1:Do not replace priority with urgency. And I think one of the things coming back to your walk with God do not replace the things of God with the things of the world. It doesn't mean there's never not a time to take a minute or I got to make a shift, but I think the purpose of this if you hear the spirit behind my message is be careful of things that are coming in and saying I need to take priority over God, I need to take priority over church, I need to take priority over family. I need to take priority over your money right now and you don't need the tithes. You need to do what is that I tell you to do? You've got to learn not to replace come on somebody priority with urgency. Bring urgency, urgent things in and make them a priority in your life. That's number two.
Speaker 1:Number three developing a task list. Oh, my good God, developing a task list is so important. Write down those things. That's what we've just been talking about. Write down those things that need to be accomplished, in order of those things. Why do I do that? Because when pressure hits, if there's that tendency to put things out of order, write down from here not from here the things that need to be accomplished immediately. Alright, this needs to be done. Just because you're somebody's feeling a certain way or I'm feeling a certain way, doesn't mean that you need to make that shift. And that's why I said develop a task list and be careful.
Speaker 1:Pressure is a privilege, but it can become problematic. Why is that? Because when you write down those things that are important, you got to write down from your mind, not from your heart. These are the things that I've got to get to, and just because you're feeling the pressure and the pull to do certain things doesn't mean you always need to jump right up and get it done. So make sure you take a minute, write down Alright, these are the things I need to get to, these are the things that are most important. I can't, I can't sacrifice these things, so I've got to write those down and then I'll get to these other things.
Speaker 1:You got to learn what to say no to and what to say yes to. That's why a task list is so important. What does that help? You do as well, number four you ready? Number one is pray. Can't get over that enough, my goodness. Luke 10, 38 to 42. If you're just tuning in, read through that prayer, so important. Number two don't replace priority with urgency. Number three develop a task list. Number four this is so important Something I learned years and years ago Manage your stress.
Speaker 1:Don't let your stress manage you. That's why you need a task list. That's why you have to set the priority. And seasons of chaos, these seasons of stress, you know you got to. You got to learn to put all those things together, excuse me. You have to learn not to allow your stress to manage you. What does that mean? When things are coming in, it's like it lets you get all worked up and your head gets off and then you start running. How am I going to get this done? I don't know if I can do it. And then you just want to put your head under the covers and just say let me just go away. I can't deal with all this stuff, it's too much. And this person coming in? No, no, no, no, stop, stop, stop, stop, refocus. Tell yourself, wait a minute here. I am in control here. Yep, this stuff needs to. I got to get this stuff done. I got to get to these things. I'm going to get to it as I can. I'm going to manage my stress and not allow my stress to manage me.
Speaker 1:Mind you, this story when Jesus was asleep in the boat and the disciples were up saying they woke him. They couldn't even wake him up, he was sleeping so soundly. They said, master, don't you care that we perish? Wake up. And he woke up. What do you do? Peace be still. Remember this you are trouble CEO. God will never give you more than you can bear. Oh, it is so good right now. I hope somebody truly catches this and I want to say it again. I know I said it before, but I think in this moment I want you to really hear what I'm saying. There are sometimes family people will come to you in those moments and really it is not an emergency. It feels urgent to them. I'm not belittling where they are or what they're feeling, but everybody, you are not the Messiah, you are not Yahweh, you are not Jehovah God, you are not Elohim, you are not the Trinity, you are not the Savior, you are not called to answer everybody's problem.
Speaker 1:One thing that I heard Steve Harvey say once before he said when he got all this money and all these things came his way and people said, come on, steve, help me out, he said this is my question to you what would you have done if I wasn't rich? If I wasn't rich, what would you have done? I do XYZ. He said well, then go do that. You are not required to be the answer for everybody's problem. You have to learn early in your life what things you're going to get priority to manage your stress. Don't let stress tell you where to go, and sometimes people will bring stressful things to you. You got to learn to block that out. You got to learn sometimes even to say no, I'm sorry, I can't get to you right now. I just really can't. I don't have the ability to take four hours and talk with you right now. I can't do that right now.
Speaker 1:And if they're offended or upset, that doesn't mean that you've done something wrong. Let me say this real quickly Just because people are upset, just because people are offended, doesn't always make you wrong. Oh man, this is, this is good y'all, because a lot of time people will they get to running. Oh, my God, so and so there, my mom is going to be upset with me. My dad's gonna be upset, my brother is gonna be upset, my sister gonna be upset with me, my friends gonna be upset with me. You know what sometimes? Let them be upset, let them stew in their own juices. It's fine. You have to learn.
Speaker 1:When you are a leader, you are not going to make everybody happy. You got to learn. There are times when you have to tell people no and they're not gonna like it, but actually that no is the best thing for them, because you can't always be their Messiah and they have to learn to grow up. Sometimes people are in a urgent emergence circumstance. For what reason? Their own decisions. They put themselves there and now they want you to bail them out. It's not your responsibility. You are not the Messiah, you are not the Savior. You can't be the answer to everybody's problem.
Speaker 1:So it's important that you don't allow stress to manage you. This is coming. This is coming. This is coming. You got to take one block at a time and say put all this aside, get this done, check it off and watch it. This is what's so cool, ladies and gentlemen. When you do that, by the end of your day, by the end of your week, you're going to feel your stress lift off of you. When you manage your stress, when you do what you need to do, you'll go to bed that night and all that pressure you felt in the morning will be off of you. A lot of people don't understand when that pressure hits like that in your life, when pressurized situations come. It is a privilege, it is responsibility, but the more you deal with it, the easier it will get.
Speaker 1:So manage your stress, ladies and gentlemen. Don't let your stress manage you. How do you do that? Don't replace priority with urgency. Develop a task list. This is the order of things. When other things come in, you have to learn, sometimes even a way. At the moment, it's important.
Speaker 1:Let me go back to something too. I want to mention this. Well, don't replace priority with urgency. That's the reason why one of the things that I do, I already have in my calendar my vacation time for 24. I have my date days with my wife, my prayer times with my wife, my family times with my kids. All that's in my calendar. Nothing gets in on there outside of something very, very, very, very, very extreme, but not just because it's important. Well, it might be important, but it's not more important than my kids or my life. So there's certain things you have to plan out early and have it in your calendar. Put those things in there and say that doesn't come in right there. I'm sorry.
Speaker 1:When somebody comes in on that situation, I can't no different. If you said, hey, I'm going on vacation, can you do this? No, I can't, I'm going on vacation. It's not the fact. See, this is the thing. It's not the fact that we can't tell people no, we don't want to tell people no, a lot of time. We don't want to deal with the guilt, we don't want to deal with the shame. But see, that's the and what will happen? Pressure will come in and make you take something that is. It's not that it's not important, but less of a priority. Remove your family, remove God, remove whatever it is, and put them up there and do this. That becomes an idol in your life and God will never, ever bless that.
Speaker 1:Keep the main thing, the main thing, ladies and gentlemen, very important. Number five this is good, let me. Let me. Let me recap. Number one pray. Number two don't replace priority with urgency. Number three develop a task list. Number four manage your stress. Don't let your stress. Manage you. And then, number five, put your grind on.
Speaker 1:Ladies and gentlemen, put your grind on. You gotta be willing to work. There are sometimes you're gonna have to get up a little earlier, you have to go to bed a little bit later. There are sometimes when you normally would come home and watch your favorite show, you're gonna have to turn it off. There are sometimes that you're gonna have to be willing to work a little longer than those times. You have to get up at five now, yeah, maybe, maybe you have to get up at four. I don't know, it just depends on what needs to be done.
Speaker 1:And remember this too, that there are seasons of stress. Oh, this is so good. There are seasons of stress. There are times it's not gonna be further. Sometimes you grind a little bit more because of the season you're in. It's not permanent. Let me help you. It ain't gonna kill you and you ain't gonna burn out just cause you grind for a short season. There are sometimes it could be four or five days where, man, I'm really grinding it out. Put your grind on.
Speaker 1:There are times life demands a little more. There are times you have to give a little more. There are times that's why even like, take a look at a lot of people that are coaches. They'll say we're out of two hour practices. They'll extend it a little bit. They'll say, hey, we're only gonna do this, but then they extend it a little bit more. They make you do a little more. You're gonna work out hey, I had planned eight and they make you do 10. You had 10, they planned to do 12. You did 12, they planned on you have you do 15. Why? Cause life sometimes requires more.
Speaker 1:Don't always think well, this is my little status coalite. This is why my habits always gonna stay that way. It doesn't work that way. There are sometimes things are coming at you. There are sometimes you have to move things. There are times you have to be flexible. There are times that things are hitting you from every side and you gotta grind a little bit more that day. Oh yeah, but I plan on going home and just sleeping. You don't get to do that. You don't get to do that.
Speaker 1:There are seasons of it, ladies and gentlemen. There are seasons of it. There are sometimes things that and what do I mean by that? Sometimes you worked all day and planned on doing this and you gotta come home and you gotta deal with stuff at home. Man, you deal with that all day and then you find out you got a bad report with your kid at school. Your kid wasn't acting the way they should and so now they're in trouble. So now you gotta, instead of come home relaxed, and now you have to talk to your son or your daughter, or maybe there's a situation that pops up in your marriage and you thought you're gonna come home and just have a relaxing, romantic night, but then this thing popped up. Maybe there's something that I mean. There are times when things hit at once. You gotta learn how to manage it.
Speaker 1:Well, you can't say, well, I'm gonna go home and just have my popcorn and everybody, leave me alone. You don't get to shut down and go your way. You gotta put your grind on. There are times you have to put your grind on. Yeah, there are things you can say no to, but not when they're priority.
Speaker 1:And a lot of times what happens? We sacrifice God, we sacrifice our marriages, we sacrifice our family, and when I say our family, I mean immediate, extended family are not priority all the time. They're not even. When I say immediate family, I mean your wife and your kids, and if they're adult kids, they're not always immediate priority as well. It's important that we understand that it's God. Well, come on somebody. It's your marriage, and then it's your children when they're under 18, and then you go into extended family, come on, then it's our service to the Lord and then it's our work and we don't really have friends and friends and then it's our work, and it's in that order. A lot of times work comes in so we move it ahead of God. It's all out of order. And so what happens? You're not walking in the fullness of the blessing because you don't know how to manage the things that are coming your way. Oh, this is so good. I know I'm helping somebody today. Come on y'all. How do you make it happen? You gotta sometimes put your grind on Number six. You ready.
Speaker 1:Don't get lazy or procrastinate. Can't put your head under the cover. You can't get lazy. You can't say I don't feel like dealing with all this. You don't get to put on a sad face. You don't get to pout and cry. You may have a moment and everybody needs those, I get it. Maybe a little moment where you feel stressed out or overwhelmed. Have your quick little 30 minute moment or whatever it is, and then get back on your grind.
Speaker 1:Don't procrastinate. Procrastination is simply this Are you ready? Here's the mentality of procrastination. Why do today what I can put off till tomorrow? Come on, type that in right now. Why do today? This is the true definition of procrastination. Why do today what I can put off till tomorrow? What I can do tomorrow? This is the reality. Why put off till tomorrow what you can do today, right now, in the moment. Get it done. Learn how to maximize your time. It's amazing how people tell me that they don't have time. You do. You have time. It's just what you choose to do with it.
Speaker 1:Even when you're driving, you can be riding down the street, ladies and gentlemen, riding down the street doing your thing, and are you making a phone call, making your phone calls? At that point, you gotta call your credit car company. Get on the phone. Call them on the way to the store. When you're in the store, make your phone calls. I need to call my mom and check up on her. Well, why? You're shopping, grab your stuff and do that. You gotta learn how to maximize every moment of your day. You gotta learn how to get up early. You gotta learn how to stay late. You can't procrastinate, you can't get lazy, you can't shut down. You gotta get in there. You gotta do the work and do what it is that you know that you need to do. It's very, very important. So don't get lazy and do not procrastinate, in Jesus' name. Come on somebody.
Speaker 1:If I had time, I'd read you a bunch of scriptures. Just type up in your Google search Scriptures on being lazy. There are tons of them, especially in the book of Proverbs, and you'd be surprised how brutal the Bible talks about being lazy. Isn't it amazing that Jesus I believe it is in Matthew, chapter 25, talks about the man with the talents and he says the man that he gave five went in May 10, the man that he gave two went in May four. And the man that he gave one, he says he went and he hid it in the Lord's dirt, or Lord's money in the dirt, and then he dug it up, said here, I knew that you reaped where you didn't sow, and so here's what you have. You gave me one, I gave you a back one. Isn't it amazing that Jesus, what he calls him wicked and lazy Wow, he said I was afraid, so I went and hid it. And here I gave you back what I had.
Speaker 1:Jesus said you're wicked and you're lazy. And I said God, why is it wicked and lazy? Wicked and lazy watch this are products of fear. Because when you're wicked, you have believed Satan and his influence greater than the faith that God has given you. So, first of all, you're operating in a wicked spirit because you have trusted Satan and fear more than you have trusted faith and the wisdom of God. Number two, with that, wicked and lazy, because when you be underneath the spirit of fear, you will procrastinate, you will become lazy, you won't put in the work and ultimately, fear is dominating your life. And so Jesus called him wicked and lazy.
Speaker 1:Don't procrastinate, don't be afraid. Trust God, get in there, grind it out. Don't procrastinate, get the stuff done. Don't sit around and twiddle your thumbs and sit here and puttering around no, no, no. You gotta be focused. Don't be lazy, don't procrastinate. Get out there, get it done and you know what's gonna happen your life will return back to normalcy. Remember I keep saying this and I wanna remind you there are seasons of chaos and seasons of stress. There are times when it hits. You just have to learn how to be able to manage it. This is so good, my good God. Number seven this is important too.
Speaker 1:Look ahead in your calendar. What do I mean by that? You might be busy today, but in a week your calendar's gonna slow up. Most of the time it can slow up. You realize, man, all this stuff is hitting right now. I got all this stuff coming up. Look ahead, a few days down the line you may not have as much going on. You can say you know what, in a few days I'm gonna rest. Right now I'm gonna grind it out. I'm gonna put my grind on, I'm gonna do what I gotta do. I'm not gonna be lazy, I'm not gonna procrastinate, but I'm gonna look ahead in my calendar and say, hey, I'm gonna take next weekend off. I'm gonna do this because I've been grinding for the last seven, eight days. It's been really tough, it's been stressful, it's been hard.
Speaker 1:Look ahead in your calendar and look to see there's some open spots. Things are going to usually lighten up, as long as you don't procrastinate. Listen, procrastination is a killer. Laziness is a killer. You wanna know why? That stuff ain't going away. Those bills ain't going away. That stuff that you don't wanna look at it ain't going away. It's still there and it's still coming. So it's very, very important that you understand. Don't be lazy, don't procrastinate. In Jesus' name, and look ahead in your calendar, number eight don't make excuses.
Speaker 1:When life gets stressful, when life gets chaotic, don't make excuses. You've gotta get in there. Ladies and gentlemen, you gotta be willing to grind it out. You gotta be willing to know excuses, say, well, I can't do it. For this reason, I can't do it. Procrastination always has excuses.
Speaker 1:Why Procrastination? Excuses are the way that you procrastinate. You tell yourself are you ready for this? You give yourself a reason why you don't have to do it now. I'll get to it. Why not now? Why not now? Why are you waiting? What is the excuse you're giving yourself? What is the reasoning you're giving yourself? This is important. You don't lighten the workload. You don't lighten the workload. Don't give yourself an excuse why I don't have to do that. Well, this is what's going on. I can't get to it right now. Yeah, you can. You just gotta do it.
Speaker 1:You gotta get your responsibilities done, because a lot of times, when seasons of chaos and stress happen, we wanna take off the stuff we've committed to. We wanna take off the responsibilities we have. No, that's where you gotta press in, that's where you gotta develop. That's where you need a good coach in your life. That's where you need somebody to say hey, you've got a little bit more in the tank. Come on, get up a little earlier today. I don't want to. I don't feel good, I don't feel like it. That's what kids say. You're not a kid, you're a man or woman of God that's going places, that's got greatness on your life and God wants to do great things through. There are no excuses. Get the job done. If you don't, it's gonna keep building up, and building up and building up.
Speaker 1:People can get fired in times of stress and chaos. People can lose respect from people. And those times why? Because they gave their word, they gave their commitment, they gave different things, and then they're letting off the pressure. They're saying I'm not gonna do all of this right now. I don't want all this on my plate, I can't handle it. And they're willing to make watch this, watch this. This is important.
Speaker 1:They are willing to make permanent changes for temporary circumstances. My good God, this is actually a book. I bet People that are immature will make permanent changes from temporary circumstances. What do I mean by that. They will let go of things that they should be holding onto because they're stressed out and erratic at the moment. So they let it go. It's I can't do this. I gotta get rid of it For something that's here today gonna be gone tomorrow. Learn how to not make excuses, get your grind on, not be lazy. Don't procrastinate. It's just temporary, my good God. It's just temporary. It's not gonna be permanent. Never make a permanent change from a temporary circumstance. It's just temporary.
Speaker 1:Learn how to manage the stress. Learn how to deal with it. Learn how to make it a priority and keep it moving. Keep it moving. I gotta get this off me. I can't take it. I'm gonna burn out. It's gonna be too much. Stop letting fear dominate your life. You're not gonna die. It's not gonna kill you.
Speaker 1:Manage your stress. Yeah, still have your time at night to rest. Still have your date nights, and that's why I didn't spend a whole lot of time with that, because the reality is you should have your calendar laid out. Make sure the main things are the main things. And let me tell you this God and your family not extended family, immediate family If you're single, it's just you and Jesus. You can do whatever it is that you want. And let me say this too Single people, if you ain't got family and kids, very, very, very, very, very, very rarely, should you constantly be saying you don't have enough time, you don't have anything pulling on you.
Speaker 1:But, jesus, I'm not saying you don't have responsibilities, I'm saying priority. You can do what you want, you just gotta manage it. You gotta put the right things in priority. You know, I have a spouse, I have children that are pulling on me, that are priority more than anything else in my life besides God, and not my service to God. I'm talking about my walk with God, which means I can't say why I need to take care of my wife and my kids, so I need to sin or not follow God or do what God asks me to do, or no, no, no, no, no, no, no. That's not the same. So it's important that we understand. If we're single, ladies and gentlemen, you got all the time in the world. You just gotta determine where you need to put it.
Speaker 1:And most of the time when single people are saying they don't have enough time and there's something of priority, there's somebody taking priority in their life that shouldn't be. There's something in their life that has priority. That should not be in their priority structure as often. I need to get back into realignment, my good God. No excuses, ladies and gentlemen. No excuses, I can't get to it. I can't. No, no, no. Get your work done. Get up a little earlier then, yeah, but I'll be tired. Drink some coffee, or give yourself a five-hour energy drink or whatever. If you're a healthy person, go find healthy ways to. Uh, yeah, I don't. I don't want to put all caffeine in my body. Okay, don't use caffeine. Go and get some I don't know what the supplements are and herbal teas you can drink in order to give you that. Whatever you got to do, you got to do it. No excuses, get the job done.
Speaker 1:This isn't always easy things when you're in chaos and stress. Think about it. If I'm on a plane, ladies and gentlemen, and and there's a pilot up there, you know and they get on. They said, ladies and gentlemen, we are getting ready to experience some turbulence. We are asking you at this time if you would to please buckle your safety belts and only get up as needed. It's going to get a little bumpy for the next five to 10 minutes and after that we see ourselves smoothing out. In that moment I'm completely, completely. We had to mind why. You told me what's going on. But if he forgets to hit that switch, all right, he forgets to turn that switch off and he's looking at the copos and yo man, I don't think we're going to make it. Man, we about to go down. I don't know what's going to happen. I mean, everybody on the plane is going to freak out why they're the leader.
Speaker 1:Ladies and gentlemen, if you are a leader, you have to learn to navigate turbulence. There are times you're going to face some turbulent things. Things are going to be rough. You have to be the one to get at the helm and to get the steering wheel and say we're going to make it through this, even with fear in your heart. You can't allow your emotions to navigate you. You got to learn to navigate the circumstance by faith. You got to learn to navigate it by prayer. You got to learn to navigate it by priority. You got to learn to do things. Sometimes you need people that are not going to be erratic and emotional in times of stress and chaos.
Speaker 1:It doesn't mean it doesn't have an impact upon you. It doesn't mean you don't feel it. It doesn't mean you're not human. It can't drive you. It can't drive you. You have to be stronger than the turbulence that's coming up against you and that's the reason why there's no excuses in those moments. No, there isn't any.
Speaker 1:This is what we've got to do. We've got to get the job done. Can't take the day off. Can't do that. You've got to think about unexpected deaths or family crisis like that.
Speaker 1:That's not what I'm talking about. I'm talking about life. Just, things are coming. Things get busy, bills are coming, phone is ringing. This happened. Family issue happened. Fight breaks out in your marriage. Fight breaks out with your kids. You had to fight with someone on your job. Man, you lose a job unexpected, I mean. All these types of things happen. Car breaks down Didn't expect that. Flat tire on the way to your conference. All this stuff hits all. What am I supposed to do? How do I handle it? I deal with it one brick at a time.
Speaker 1:That's why prayer is so important, all the things that I've mentioned. Let me revisit these one more time. We're almost done. Number one pray. Number two don't replace priority with urgency. Number three develop a task list. Number four manage your stress. Don't let your stress manage you. Number five put your grind on. Number six don't get lazy or procrastinate. Number seven look ahead in your calendar. Eight don't make excuses. Don't make excuses. Then the ninth one how to navigate seasons of chaos and stress. Number nine, last one trouble Don't last always. If there's a great song that I could play for you right now, I would, but there could be copyright issues, so I don't mess with it. Trouble don't last always. That's a great song, type it in your iTunes or wherever you and just listen to it.
Speaker 1:Trouble doesn't last always. You have to have the mentality this is troubles not going to last forever. These are, most of the time, the temporary circumstances that have happened. I've got to learn to apply these principles that I'm sharing right now into my world and then therefore realize things are going to get better. You can't have a mountain top without two valleys. If you're in the valley, it's because a mountain is coming up. It's called a plain. If you're in a plain, there isn't any mountains. But if there's a mountain in a valley, there can't be a valley without two mountains and it can't be a mountain without two valleys. They got to be in between and I guess you could have a mountain and two valleys there. But you get my point. That's the way of life.
Speaker 1:Though it's up and down, the key is you want to be consistent, no matter what. How do you do that? Trouble doesn't last forever and I don't know who's watching right now. I want you to realize that you might be facing some things right now. Just learn how to bite the bullet. Learn how to spit in the wind. Learn how to be able to fight. I didn't say it's easy. I don't want to seem like I'm being insensitive to what you may be in and the stress that you may be feeling, but we all have it. It's all a part of life and all stress that comes. God will give you the grace and the ability to be able to manage it. Keep the main thing, the main thing. Sometimes.
Speaker 1:I'm convinced that for the believer, many times the reason why we're under stress, god just wants to know if he can trust you with more. Because even in the nature here people say more money, more problems. Of course, more people, more problems. How well do you manage it? Can you manage it? And so sometimes the reason why you're under the pressure and the stress that you're under, because God has called you to more and called you to greater.
Speaker 1:And he just wants to know watch this that you can manage what he gives you. And what he gives you doesn't manage you. He loves you too much to let you lose out on eternal life, to let you go into alcohol and drugs. Can't sleep at night and he'd rather just not give it to you. And you're like God. I want this, I want that. Can you handle? Can you stand it? Can you carry the weight of the blessing that God wants to put upon your life? Because with it comes problems, with it comes people, with it comes more issues and circumstances, more wisdom. That's going to be needed. There's all these things that come with it. So he's actually testing you to see can you handle more? Is it destroying you? Can you lean on me? Will you still pray? Will you turn to sin? Will you turn to alcohol and drugs? Will you turn to pornography? Will you turn whatever it is that you would turn to Food? Will you turn to all these things in order to take the pressure off?
Speaker 1:And I want to say this as I wrap up I talked about it a little bit before there's sins of omission. When we don't pray, we don't spend our time in the Lord, we don't make the things a priority that he calls to make us a priority. They're not necessarily those sins of commission which are food, when we overeat, or sex or sexual things, or not using our money correctly, or alcohol, drugs, all those types of things. Those are the sins of commission. What happens, though, ladies and gentlemen?
Speaker 1:When we are under pressure and we don't follow the things that God's asked us to do and we commit sins of omission, we become lean in our spirits and we begin to become hungry. We get that halt hungry, angry, lonely, tired, and now the sins of commission become more appealing to us, because we're empty. And then what happens? We start eating from the wrong tree Adam and Eve, instead of choosing life. Because we're hungry and so, because we have not gone to the table sat at the feet of Jesus, like Mary, we're working continuously, like Martha. Now gambling becomes appealing, sex becomes more appealing, food becomes more appealing. All these things were hungry, angry, lonely, tired, and we're vulnerable and we're looking for answers. We're looking for something to comfort us and we start turning to the things of the world. And now we leave because we have not done the sins, we've committed sins of omission. Now we're opening the door and vulnerable to the sins of commission.
Speaker 1:What leads to bondage, what leads to burnout, what leads to all these things? And this is what I'm talking to you right now, because God wants to give you a greater level. There's a greater anointing that's coming upon your life. There's a greater burden that he wants to give to you, but he wants to know you can still remain committed to things he's asked you to do, because if you don't stay committed to the things he's asked you to do, eventually you're going to be doing the things he's asked you not to do. Those sins of commission will be knocking at the door and they will become very tasty to you because your soul is so empty, because you have not made the priority structure correctly in your life. My good God, that is so good. Somebody needs to hear that and take it and run with it, because God's calling you to another level and to another dimension. But you have to learn how to deal with pressure, you have to learn how to deal with conflict, you have to learn how to deal with all these things and still keep the main thing, the main thing, and not allow yourself to get empty and then step over here into the sins of commission.
Speaker 1:We start dabbling in the things of the world. You start going back and feeding on the husk of the flesh, the flesh, the world, the devil, and we come into bondage and then we end up into drugs and alcohol and sexual promiscuity, even in the church. It doesn't always start with sins of commission. It starts with sins of omission, the things God asked you to do. You stop going to church, you stop tithing, you stop praying, you stop reading your word. Then what happens now? You're empty inside. That's the only way you can get fulfilled. The flesh starts coming alive. And then what happens? You start developing appetites for things that you shouldn't have. And that's the reality.
Speaker 1:Ladies and gentlemen, I'm persuaded better things of you. I believe you're watching right now, being you're listening right now because of what God has for your life, and I want to encourage you. Trouble doesn't last. Always Stay at the feet of Jesus, keep on seeking his face and he will help you. Well, I really hope this has encouraged you today and I believe God's got some great things in store for you, and I'm about to get up on out of here and let you get back to what it is that you've been doing as well. But I'm glad you took a minute, just under an hour here just to get filled up and how to manage seasons of chaos and stress To hit every one of us. You still got to keep your family together, spend time with your wife, spend time with your kids. You got to make sure those things Everything gets with it. Spend time with the Lord. Those things stay in there. How do you do that? You develop the things that I gave you, those nine things Probably more than nine actually, but those nine topics that I gave you will help you stay on the firing line and I want to pray for you today that God will just help you. Give it to me. Maybe somebody watch right now that you.
Speaker 1:You're stressed out but you don't know Jesus and a lot of it. He maybe he's allowed all this stress to bring you saying come unto me, all you that labor and a heavy laden, and I will give you rest. You can't do it without him. God never created this world that it could be ran apart from his union and communion with man. The reason why you're so stressed out and going through everything you're going through is because you need Jesus in and through your world. So I want to pray with you right now that God would just help you and that God will bless you, that you would give your life to him. Say, dear father in heaven, I thank you. Today. My life is unmanageable apart from you. I receive you now as my Savior. I believe that you came, you died, you buried and you arose again, that I might have eternal life. I receive you as my Savior. Live inside of me and I will live for you in Jesus' name, amen. Now, if you prayed that prayer, I want you to email me. You can call me at 412-586-7159. You can leave a message there at our church. Let somebody know that you received Jesus Christ, your Savior. You can also email me info at another levelchurch Info at another levelchurch Let me know about. You've received Jesus Christ.
Speaker 1:You need to now find a church. If you don't have a church, come on down to 4555 McKnight Road right here in Pittsburgh, 15237, every Saturday night. It's six o'clock, wednesdays at 630 for our small groups. Listen, you need to get into a church. You need to get baptized, you need to get discipled, you need to get developed and learn how to manage these things in your world. And if you're watching right now and maybe you're just completely stressed out. This is gonna help you and I wanna pray for you as well, that God would just give you the grace needed and that you would put things in priority.
Speaker 1:There's some of you right now. You're battling with things and God's saying get back into priority, put things back into place where they need to be. Put things back where they need to be, get back to God, get back to your spouse, get back to your kids, get back to doing right with your money, get back to tithing, get back to the things he asked you to do, get back to your budget, get back to the things he's asked you to do and watch his strength and his grace come upon you. You're battling right now. You're burnout right now. You've gotta get back to the priority.
Speaker 1:There's some of you watching. It's just simply getting back and saying I gotta stay in the grind. I gotta stay committed, I gotta keep reaching my deadline. I gotta learn how to grind through. I gotta get up a little bit earlier and a little bit later. It's amazing what two hours going to bed an hour an hour later and getting up an hour earlier what two hours can do in your day. If you focus with it, it's amazing what can transpire. You're not done. God has more for you. You're gonna make it through this. It's not gonna stop telling yourself. You're not gonna make it. Stop speaking your whole, overwhelmed you are. And how hard it is. Start declaring.
Speaker 1:The Bible says in James, chapter number three, that the man's or woman's words are like the rudder on a ship it's very small, but it can turn a huge ship. It's important that what you declare in times of stress, times of chaos, it's important what you speak. Words have power. Our world that we are in today was created by words. Your words have power and they shape your world. It's important.
Speaker 1:So even right now, father, in the name of Jesus, I pray for every person watching. I pray, father, god, that they'll understand there's nothing on their plate that you haven't already given them the answer to that you won't give them an answer to Father. I thank you right now, father, for blessing them and strengthening them, uplifting them, encouraging them. Father, god, lord, anointing them to fight. Father, I bind that spirit of lethargy and laziness and procrastination and fear and worry and doubt and unbelief. Father, god, I break it today. In the name of Jesus, lord, I pray that they would have a divine plan.
Speaker 1:Father, I pray for those that may have lost their priority structure with you in their prayer time and their church time and their giving and Lord in any other area. Maybe they've lost their structure with their spouse and with their kids and the time they need to spend to father with them. Lord, I pray that they'll get back into alignment. Maybe there's some listening that they need. They need vacation time. They don't ever take any. Father God, help them to put that in there and make it a priority.
Speaker 1:Father, god, lord, anoint and bless each and every person. Lord, speak to every heart right now and show them what is applicable to their lives. And, father, we thank you and we give you the praise, the honor and the glory In Jesus' name. Amen, amen, amen. Well, listen, I feel good because I know that you're on the right path and I know you're getting on to the right path, and I believe you haven't watched my happenstance. Listen, I believe with all of my heart, god is anointing you for greater, and this here is helping you to deal and manage with stress, pressure and chaos, so you won't be destroyed by the blessing on your life. You'll be able to manage it, and then God is going to give you more. Now listen before you go.
Speaker 1:Hallelujah, don't forget to grab one of my books, wisdom seed, praying on another level. This will help you, even concerning the things today. And don't forget to come by and visit us at another level ministries every Saturday at six o'clock and also on Wednesday nights for our small groups. Hallelujah, don't forget to go to our YouTube page, facebook page. Download this app. I've got a whole lot more to be sharing with you. Listen, if you've been blessed by these episodes, you ain't seen nothing yet. I got so much more that God's putting in my spirit just for you and for me to be together, and I'm really excited about what is to come. So know that I'm praying for you. I love you. It's time for you to go. Get them in Jesus' name. Your best and your blessed days are still yet to come. Not only are you going to survive, you are gonna thrive. Say that right now, where you are. I'm not just gonna survive, I am going to thrive. In Jesus' name, god bless you and I look forward to seeing you next time right here on Dimensions Like that.