Consistency Continued

Hey, what's up? This is Tim Pratt Jr. I want to thank you for taking the time to listen to this content today. I hope you hear something that adds value to your life, shaping your perspective, faith, and hope, as well as the application to see it through on this thing that we call life. Enjoy. What's up everybody? So in this episode, it's probably— it's going to be a bonus one. This— no notes, no bulletin points, transition, nothing. This is strictly just off the top of the dome and actually just being obedient to God. And in all honesty, truthfully, I just ask you to give me some room because after working with Consistency Wrapped in Obedience and spending some more time with it and just through prayer, I just want to be obedient. And this is probably going to be for a specific audience. I'm not really trying to target anyone. Like I said, I just want to get this out. Because I don't feel like it was just for me. So in episode 3, we talked about consistency wrapped in obedience and how basically from my perspective they're parallel. But, and like I said in that episode, uh, you could go back and listen to it for the points at hand if you haven't. But consistency, I feel like with a lot of us, it's like one of the most challenging things And where the Lord started to deal with me, and after, just like I said, through meditation and prayer, as well as like gleaning from some notes from just previous messages and things like that, is that, you know, I think one of the first questions we need to ask ourselves when we lack consistency, especially in areas of purpose, is why? Why do we lack it? Why do we always feel challenged in it? Why do we feel like we're under attack, whether it's self-inflicted or from external factors that we can't control? Personally, I believe the enemy can only force us to self-destruct. For example, with Adam and Eve, going back to the book of Genesis, uh, he didn't force them to to eat the fruit. He didn't stuff it down their mouth, to my knowledge, you know, he didn't, from the Bible that I read. So, but they, he basically influenced them to, suggested it, you know, whatever you wanna use, whatever terminology you wanna use. And they, Adam, you know, Eve gave it to Adam, you know the story, go back and read it. But this led to self-destruction. And of course, you know, their eyes became open to good and evil. And they hid and tried to cover up and so on and so on. So that's kind of where God really started to deal with me in that area, that I feel like when we do lack consistency, especially in things that's going to help us live out us being purpose, uh, I don't feel like that you find it. And I'm actually— this is going to be a collection over the 3 episodes to this point. You know, we started with why, um, finding a mentor and coaching and things like that. So getting back to the point at hand is that I feel like that we are purpose. For example, with me, uh, although I'm a technical project manager, that's what I do, um, I participate in ministry. I love helping people with finances. I love studying leadership in general, uh, nonprofits, businesses. I'm an investor, um, not a big-time one, not yet, you know, but we're working on it. I'm a husband, I'm a father, I'm a son, I'm a follower, I'm a leader. And it requires a level of consistency in all of these areas. And oftentimes, you know, in my marriage, um, after the honeymoon stage and things like that sometimes consistency can drop off. And, you know, sometimes my relationship with my boys, um, it can drop off. It's like up and down sometimes. And just full-out transparency, and I have to go back to a certain place, and that's another topic for another day, but it's more so a certain place spiritually and mentally to kind of gauge and put everything back in perspective, but then also answer the question, why am I lacking this consistency? Or why am I being attacked in this area? Or why am I doing it myself, self-inflicted? And through just meditation and talking and spending time in the council of the Lord, personally, it's simple— might be simple to you, but it was kind of very profound to me. Is that I do feel like the enemy recognizes the calling on our life. I feel like he is aware of it. And I feel like that the point, the main point of this bonus episode is that consistency doesn't always translate. So for example, I'm very consistent in my investments, my 401s and 401s and, you know, things like that. I'm pretty consistent in areas of reading my books, like, or just listening to something with personal growth. But I'm not as— I'm not as consistent as always picking up my Bible or my prayer life. And really, basically, what's eternal. I'm not always consistent in being Um, what's the word I'm looking for? Because like I said, this is off the top of the dome, so it's no notes. But I'm not always as consistent as being the type of husband probably my wife will want me to be. And thank God that she allows me grace, you know, as well as my kids. I'm not always consistent in my attitude or how I discipline or handle them. At my job with my co-workers and people I associate with, and so it doesn't always translate. So in the last episode Yes, it was a call to be consistent and obedient, but at the same time, like I say, it doesn't always translate. Some of us, for instance, we're very consistent in working out, stacking bread, or whatever you want to call it, getting the bag, securing the bag, whatever the latest terminology is for today. But you're not consistent in being faithful to someone that you're dating. You're not consistent in being obedient to the word and sustaining if you're not married. I'm not trying to pass judgment by any means because I've failed in those areas too. Um, so like I say, the Lord just really started to deal with me, and this kind of leads into a whole nother topic for another day, but I honestly feel like that it comes from brokenness in certain areas of our life. You know, we can live up to the challenge in this area and be consistent, but we can't in this one. And I don't want to get into excuses or behind the scenes, or, well, nobody's perfect, I'm not perfect, we all have our struggles. That is true. But this is becoming into the faith and living by grace and having the faith that God can sustain me. It's Christ who makes me perfect. In him is the spirit part of me. I do feel like it's a part of all of us that's perfect. And I really feel like that for that consistency to translate, we have to first be consistent with God. Stay at the mercy and the feet of God in order to basically the attributes of his heart, like virtue. And I feel like that's what'll help us stay consistent and it'll translate over every area of our life because we'll start to become whole. We'll pursue wholeness. Wholeness is a person, and it's Christ. And so, uh, if you're lacking in being consistent and, you know, hiding behind procrastination and all of that type of stuff, just ask yourself why. And especially if you're— like I said, if it's tied to purpose. Because going back to the point I was making, you are purpose, and you have to be consistent in it. And what I mean by that when I say you are purpose you won't find it. You won't find it in a career, you won't find it in a job, certifications, friends, or anything. Because I truly believe that if I get up in the morning and the Lord say, hey, and I'm very sensitive to the spirit, and it's basically a day of encouragement, and I'm sensitive enough to it and paying attention to the vibrations, It's no telling what I can speak in somebody's life that day. That was purpose. But sometimes I think we get caught up on that, well, if I'm not in the right career— and don't get me wrong, it's avenues that we pursue, doctors and lawyers and things like that. I'm not taken away by that by any means. But at the same time, I'm saying look at it from the lens of— what's the word I'm looking for— that Sometimes purpose is just being obedient and being in the rhythm, in like a tandem relationship with God. If you think about a bike, the flow of the two wheels and just in perfect harmony— you move, I move, he move, you know, he moves, I move, and vice versa, you know, so on and so on. So I think you get the point. So like I say, with all that being said, this is more so just a collection of the first 3 episodes. And I hope you really take some time to think about that. And just like I say, go back and ask why. Why do I lack consistency, especially when it comes to purpose? Because I'm telling you, the enemy recognizes that. And a lot of times we don't reach the potential, or basically the purpose of our lives is solely because we don't maintain— that's the word I was looking for, I've been looking for, searching for this whole entire episode— we don't maintain the level of consistency that's needed in order for God to basically work through us, which will lead to it translating in every area of our life. So just spend some time with that and give me some feedback and If it blessed you, amen. If it didn't, amen to it too. Be blessed. Hey, what's up? So once again, I want to thank you for taking the time to listen to the content today. Also encourage you to subscribe to the podcast as well as share with family, friends, and on your social media platforms. Also check out www.timothyprattjr.org for more information about this thing that we call life. Be blessed.