Emerging from a period of deep reflection, I, Kelvin Newkirk Jr., am back to share the transformative insights from my recent sabbatical. It's a journey that’s reshaped my perspective, and I'm here to extend a heartfelt apology for my absence and, more importantly, to pass on the profound lessons of humility and the incredible impact of consistency. My time away has been a crucible of growth, and through the guidance of 1 Corinthians 15:58, I’ve come to appreciate the value of steadfastness and the reassurance that our work is never in vain when anchored in service to the Lord.
In this heart-to-heart, we'll navigate the realities of God's faithfulness and the critical need to maintain focus amid the tempest of life's challenges. I invite you to contemplate the strength that comes from casting our burdens onto God and to avoid the trap of idolizing our struggles. This episode isn't just about what we do, but who we are in God—forging a relationship with Him that empowers us to live out the greatest commandments. By prioritizing our love for God, we unlock the ability to truly love our neighbors, ensuring we don’t miss the divine opportunities laid before us. Join me as we explore these pivotal themes, seeking to inspire not only personal growth but the transformation of those around us.
Emerging from a period of deep reflection, I, Kelvin Newkirk Jr., am back to share the transformative insights from my recent sabbatical. It's a journey that’s reshaped my perspective, and I'm here to extend a heartfelt apology for my absence and, more importantly, to pass on the profound lessons of humility and the incredible impact of consistency. My time away has been a crucible of growth, and through the guidance of 1 Corinthians 15:58, I’ve come to appreciate the value of steadfastness and the reassurance that our work is never in vain when anchored in service to the Lord.
In this heart-to-heart, we'll navigate the realities of God's faithfulness and the critical need to maintain focus amid the tempest of life's challenges. I invite you to contemplate the strength that comes from casting our burdens onto God and to avoid the trap of idolizing our struggles. This episode isn't just about what we do, but who we are in God—forging a relationship with Him that empowers us to live out the greatest commandments. By prioritizing our love for God, we unlock the ability to truly love our neighbors, ensuring we don’t miss the divine opportunities laid before us. Join me as we explore these pivotal themes, seeking to inspire not only personal growth but the transformation of those around us.
You are now listening to let's Talk with Kelvin Newkirk Jr, and what's up everybody? Welcome to another episode of let's Talk with Kelvin Newkirk Jr. I'm so ecstatic that you're back. I'm so happy to be back on the mic and I just want to say happy new year to everyone.
Speaker 1:Last year was a crazy year. It was a great year for me personally, but it was just a crazy year, and so I know I haven't been on the mic in a while. I know that this is season three, episode two, coming at you a few months later than the first episode that happened in season three and that's a season two earlier. I think I did, but anyways, we're gonna just get that right out of the way. But but I really have to clear the air on why I took as long as a sabbatical as I took. So originally I did not plan on taking that long of a sabbatical, but it turned it to some other things, so because of that, I had to take a break from podcasting all together, just for some personal reasons.
Speaker 1:I had to kind of find out why I was doing this thing, and so sometimes God gives you a platform, god gives you a great thing to do, and sometimes you have to wait on him to say go Like, sometimes you need like a heart check. That's what I kind of call. It is A heart check where you get checked on, hey, like the Lord literally checks you on. Hey, why are you doing this, why are you wanting to do this? Like, what about this? Do you want? Like, what do you want to gain from this? And so, when I say this and talking about this podcast, and so I had to kind of re-evaluate some things, I had to see why God was saying what he was saying and why God was speaking what he was speaking. And I found a pride in me for this. I found a pride in me about my podcast. And so God had to humble me, and his way of humbling me and my way of kind of humbling myself also was just stepping away from this for a while, taking a sabbatical. I do apologize, because I probably should have said that, but it was kind of a gut-riching thing for me to do so.
Speaker 1:With that being said, we're back. I'm back and I'm so excited for this episode because, to kick off the new year, I titled this episode lesson learned. To kick off the new year, lesson learned. So my podcast is going to be three years old on June 19th, and it was on Juneteenth and that's not on purpose at all. But, man, how can I really explain how crazy these last three years have been for me, since starting this podcast? I can't begin to put into words, but I will tell you this. I will tell you that last year has taught me a lot and since I'm back, I want to share the lessons that I've learned over this past year. That, I believe, is going to bless you, also all the listeners here.
Speaker 1:So, whether this is the first time, or whether this is the first time in a long time, or whether this is the hundredth time you listen to this podcast, one thing I always encourage you to do is if you enjoy this podcast, I just want one favor from you. This is what I want. I want you to share it with someone else so we could get the word out that way and like that's all I really ask of you for right now is just to share it with whoever you can. Share it on your social media platforms, share it wherever you can, because we're going to get the word out and we're having conversations for your transformation. We're not just doing it for information, but we're having these conversations so that they can lead eventually to your personal transformation.
Speaker 1:So let's jump into this. We're talking about a few different lessons, three lessons that I've learned over this past year, and here's lesson number one. Lesson number one is this is Consistency is key, so don't forsake it. I said one more time Consistency is key, so do not do not. Whatever you do, do not forsake it, and this principle applies to everything in life. You cannot forget, for sake or neglect the practices and the methods that got you to where you are now, because they'll keep you there. It's favor that gets you into a room, god's favor that gets you into a room, but it is your habits and your consistency that keeps you in that room, and so I really, really want you to remember that. Some people need to remember that, that, hey, you can't forget about the things it took for you to get to where you are now. Right, the same motivation, the same drive, the same push that got your prayer answered is the same motivation, job, and push that you need to stay in the blessing that came after the answer prayer. It would be a shame, I absolute shame, if you have the favor of the Lord on your life and fumbled the bag because of inconsistency. That's the worst.
Speaker 1:This is what the Bible says. First Corinthians, chapter 15, verse 58. It says this it says so then, my brothers, my dear friends, stand firm and steady, keep busy always in your work for the Lord, since you know that nothing you do in the Lord service is ever useful. To give context to this scripture text, paul is saying that we have to stand firm and unshakable, all the more now that we know that death is Defeated through Christ. So we should work hard in everything now, because right now counts forever through the work that we do so like.
Speaker 1:Here's the amazing thing about this is that Paul is writing to the church of Corneth, and this is what he's saying. He says so then, my brothers, like, stand firm and steady, kid busy always in your work for the Lord, since you know that nothing that you do in the Lord service is in vain. Well, the reason why nothing that we do in the Lord services in vain is because Jesus is saying now he was the same, then he's gonna be the same forever. And so, because of that, the work that he did on the cross covers stuff from then, cover stuff now and covers things forever. So everything that we do, number one, we should do for his glory, so that people can see his glory through our lives as Christians. And number two, the another thing that we should do is we should stay Consistent and doing those good works and doing things as if we're doing it for the Lord, because now counts forever, like, even if our labor is in vain to everyone else is not vain in the Lord, because our labor isn't useless. It all counts, and Paul is telling us to be consistent.
Speaker 1:So remember, consistency is the key. So please, please, do not forsake consistency. We must stay consistent because we serve a consistent God. I think everybody can test that, that you know that we serve a God who is always consistent. He's always a loving God, he's always caring for us, he's always making ways for us. I think just the fact that you even could get up and listen to this podcast, that you could get up and hopefully Amen me as I'm speaking these things, or nod your head or listen to me as you're going to work, or what not it's a test to the faithfulness of God, to the consistency that God has showed us over time. And so we have to stay consistent because we serve a consistent God.
Speaker 1:And so that leads me to the second lesson is that God is faithful even though we are not. Let me say that one more time God is always faithful even though we are not. See, the truth is there are times where we are not always faithful and steward and over or taking care of what God has gifted us with. This matches up with lesson one in the area of consistency, because Romans 3.23 says this, for everyone has sinned and we have all fallen short of God's glorious standard. We all sinned, we have all fall short of God's glorious standard that he set for our lives. But God is faithful to love us, and the Bible also tells us that in Psalms, chapter 100, verse 5. It says For the Lord is good, his unfailing love continues forever and his faithfulness continues to each generation. He's faithful to love us. He still blesses us with more chances to get back on the right track of obedience and take care of what God has given us, even though we fall short of his glorious standard all the time.
Speaker 1:We do this thing all the time, and so I hope this lesson is an encouragement for some of you, because God wants to welcome you back to that task and to that responsibility that he's called you to. Like this isn't some prophetic word that I've gotten or anything like that, like just now as I'm talking on the mic, but honestly I believe that God this year wants to welcome some of you back to that task or that responsibility that he's called you to. I honestly do. I really believe that, because some of us has fallen short, some of us has fell by the wave side, some of us have had to be humbled by God, like myself, and we've had to learn that. Hey, you know, this whole thing isn't about me and isn't about my influence or my leadership or what I can do better or what I can do. It says an axe that through God we have our being. Literally, our being comes from God. I believe it's axe.
Speaker 1:I'm not I'm not too much of a Bible scholar right now I guess I'm on the mic, I can't hurry up and turn real quick but like it says in the Bible that through our being, like, like it's like, it's through our being, it's through God that we have our being. And so we have to remember that it's not about us, it's all about him, and whatever he wants to do, whatever he wants to say. Whatever thing that he has tasked us to do, we have to be good stewards of that and we have to take care of that. And, matter of fact, my challenge to you is, if you know something right now, I just want you to pause this podcast right now and I want you to just ask God to hey, god, bring back those things to me. God, let me back in to that area that you wanted me to go, but give me that vision that you gave me again for that thing that you wanted me to do, that I didn't know, I wasn't really obedient with, because I believe we don't have much time to waste. I believe we don't have much time to waste and I believe that God wants to raise the standard in our life and he wants to do that by putting us back into that place, back into that area, so that he can mold us and shape us the way that he wants us to do. But we must be careful when we're taking care of what God has entrusted us with, and that's why we have to stay focused on him. We have to stay focused on what he wants to do, and that's the really important part is that we have to keep our eyes on God. Sometimes we get stuck in doing a lot of things.
Speaker 1:Some of you that listen to this podcast your mothers, your fathers, your sisters, your brothers you have all these different things going on in your life and you're probably wondering like what in the world? Like why, like God, why have you given me all this stuff? You know, I found myself doing the same thing. I found myself being almost I'm gonna be really transparent here being almost like angry because I'm saying God, why would you give me this task? Why would you give me this thing? Why would you give me all that? But you know what I've grown to realize and I'm growing to understand. I'm a young man, I'm just 23, and I feel like I have a lot more to learn, for sure. But I will tell you this for sure I will tell you that one thing that I've learned, if I haven't learned anything else and just a few years that I've been in ministry, just a few years that I've been podcasting, just a few years that I've been a Christian, because I've only been a Christian for like like 17 years, you know.
Speaker 1:But I will tell you this, I will tell you, I will tell you that God has already had a mind the burdens that you could and that you couldn't carry. Before he gave you what he gave you, before he put you in that situation, before he put you in that family, before he put those friends around you, before he put you, before he gave those parents, before he entrusted those parents over your life, before he Gave you that, that situation or that thing that you're called to change, before he gave you that family that you're called to change the generational curses on, he already had in mind your hiccups, your Habits, your hangups, your mess ups. He's the God of all, he's all-knowing, so he has to know, he knows Right some of the things that you can and you can't carry right. The most unbiblical thing is that God won't give you more. Do you could bear? He will give you more to. He could bear more than you can bear.
Speaker 1:But I tell you this one thing he will give you more than you could bear, and that's okay, because he knows how much you can bear. Isn't that great? It's great that we serve a God that, even though he gives us more than we can bear, he knows how much we can bear, and because of that, that's what Jesus says that you know to give the cast our cares to him. To cast our cares to him because he cares for us, and Also, this is why Jesus also says that his yoke is easy, his burden is light is because we can give that to him. We can give those heavy burdens to him, and that's why we have a lot of that stuff. We just have to be willing to give it over to God. Because check this out and this is a very important point, I really don't want you to miss this. This is a very important point.
Speaker 1:Even in the times that we hang going to our hearts and our habits and complain to God, we're giving, we're making an idol out of that thing that we don't like, out of that burden, because what we're saying is is that, god, I feel like I can handle this and God, I get that you want to take it, but God, I really feel like I can take care of it. And Then what we'll do is we'll say what I can take care of it and then, once it gets too heavy, we don't even give it a God. We could plan to God about this burden that he quote unquote gave us, even though sometimes we create those burdens for ourselves, but we get upset with God about that and we talked to him. We're like God. Why would you give me this thing? Why'd you give me this thing? And God is just sitting there like hey, like you can give this to me, I'm, I've given you the option to give it to me. You just have to choose to do it. God is a gentleman, right? He's not gonna snatch that burden out of your hands. He wants to know that you want him to be involved in what you have going on, and as you begin to cry out to him, as you begin to give him that burden that's bothering you, he will take it and make it light and easy for you.
Speaker 1:I really believe that. I Really believe that. But I believe that ultimately, we have to stay focused on God and Realize the plan that he has for him, and we also have to realize the world, realize the plan that he has for us. Excuse me, I cannot talk today, but we have to focus on him. We have to realize this. We have to realize this. We have to realize this next lesson that I have for you and Is don't get stuck in the doing that, you miss God. Whatever you do, do not do this. This is the biggest lesson I've learned, and ministry this past year. This is the biggest lesson I've learned in my life this past year and my career this past year. I've been guilty of this multiple times in a short span of sermon and ministry, being a host of this podcast, and the Lord has convicted me of this very strongly.
Speaker 1:Sometimes we get caught up in the job aspect of ministry, the job aspect of our life, the job aspect of our career, because our career is a job right Get in tasks done and getting things done and making it happen and meeting needs and meeting expectations and all these things that we can sometimes forget To cultivate our calling and, most importantly, continually grow our personal relationship with God. Matthew, chapter 22, verses 39, 37 and 39, says this. It says Jesus replied you must love the Lord, your God, with all your heart, all your soul and all your mind. This is the first and greatest commandment. A second is equally important is love your neighbor as yourself. You see, we must love God first.
Speaker 1:When we love God, that's all that's within us we can love our neighbors right, because sometimes, when we love our neighbors first instead of loving God first, is not really love right, the truth is right, it's really a dead work. It's really a dead work. Even when the deed seems right, if the intentionality right, if your heart right or the order isn't right, it's a dead work. You see, order is everything. Let me repeat that, order is everything right, and so you love God and from that love everything else will flow, from that, like you will literally love better if you love God first, if you focus on him first.
Speaker 1:So remember, don't get caught in the doing that. You miss God and what he's wanting to do in your life and what he's wanting to do in your life. Don't, don't miss that, don't miss God, because you know it's one thing to serve people, right, sometimes our job is man, I gotta love these people around me, and sometimes you want to serve them and and that's a part of getting tasks done and doing different things and and and trying to make things happen and all this stuff, man. But really, man, as we love God, god will show us here, teach us, how to love the people around us. He'll give us the discernment to see which people we have to love a little bit more than others, which people we have to we have to love in certain ways, opposed to others, that we have to love in other ways.
Speaker 1:As we lean on God, gotta give us a discernment to see who is loving us back, who we should keep at arms distance and who we should keep further than that. The Lord is gonna give us that direction, that discernment, and so, because of that, we have to keep our eyes, keep our focus on him, what he wants to say, what he wants to do in our life, and ultimately, we serve a consistent and faithful God. We serve a God who has not proven to fail us at all. There is no proof that he fails us. There's no proof that he's inconsistent, there is no proof that he's not faithful, and so, because of that, we have a track record of the faithfulness of God, and so, because we have a track record of that, we cannot lose sight on what God wants to do and what God wants to say, because he hasn't failed us yet and he's not gonna fail us now and he will never, ever fail us, because God is the same yesterday, today and forever.
Speaker 1:He's an unchanging God, and so, if he did it for them before, if he did it for our ancestors, for for the people that we look up to in the Bible, for those biblical strong figures that we look up to, and if he did it for our ancestors and if he did it for the people that we can see our grandparents and our great-grandparents and our parents then he's sure to do it for us, our grandkids, our great-grandkids, our great-grandkids and our descendants that are gonna come for us from years and years down the line. He's still the same and because of that, we have to be sure to humble ourselves and keep ourselves in line with what God wants to do. That's encapsulates all the three lessons that I gave you today. So, with that being said, stay blessed. I love you. I thank you for tuning in. Have a absolutely happy new year and I will talk to you next week.