I Need a Change of Scenery

0:00 Brace yourself and buckle up. You are about to hear a life-changing, history-making, world-defining message from the New Birth Podcast. Tell everybody you know, things will never be the same. Thank you. Yeah, I need you again. Thank you so, so very much. How many of you all need a word from God today? You need a word from God today. I want to invite you, if you'll open your Bibles, please. Open your Bibles. and go with me to Luke chapter 5. Luke chapter 5, verse 15 and 16. Luke chapter 5, verse 15 and 16.

0:56 Luke chapter 5 verse 15 and 16 yeah doc come on and preach with me come on come on back yeah come on that thing did something for me thank you I don't know nothing she was saying but I liked all of it amen amen uh all right so uh Luke chapter 5 verse 15 let's read it together Luke chapter 5 verse number 15 everybody Yet the news... Now you say it in French. You read it.

1:49 Okay. Can I read it in French? Yes. It doesn't always translate the same. Yes, ma'am. Luke chapter 5, verse 15. Give me verse 16 while she's pulling it up. Amen. Everybody. Amen. Go back to number 15. Let's read them both together. Luke chapter 5, verse 15 and verse 16. Come on, everybody. Yet the news about him spread. Verse number 16. Amen. You ready? I'm not coming up, but I should do a very bit. Yes, you got it. Thank you. And the news of Jesus is going to go to the whole world.

2:43 So the people came to hear him and to be healed of their disease. 16 please. 16 please. Thank you. Oh, they put it all in one. Oh, I read all of it? You did it all. That's it. Thank you. Praise God. Merci beaucoup. Thank you. Thank you so much. Come on, give our sister a big hand.

3:21 Amen. Bless the Lord. Yet the news about him spread all the more so that crowds of people came to hear him and to be healed of their sicknesses. sicknesses, but Jesus often withdrew to lonely places and prayed. I want to preach for a little while today using as a subject, I need a change of scenery. I need a change of scenery. Look at the person beside you, tell them, this is going to be my sermon right here. This is,

3:55 you may be seated in the presence of the Lord. May the words of my mouth and the meditation of my heart be acceptable in thy sight. Oh Lord, you are my strength and you are my redeemer. I need a change of scenery. How many of y'all feel that for yourselves? I need... My wife, Dr. Carrie, and I have two different writing styles. We have two different writing styles. When I was a student at Morehouse, my mother sent me an article on how listening to classical music helps you to study because it boosts your memory, sparks creativity, reduces stress.

4:53 So from that time to this, I go in my office, I shut the door, turn on classical music, and I'll sit there, wrestle with God until I get the full revelation of what he's trying to say. Dr. Carey, my wife, on the other hand, will leave the house drive to a park and write in her car. Even if I ain't home, so it ain't me. even if I'm not home she's gonna get in her car drive to a park and right in her car she has to get out of the house in order to get a download for what is inside of her ladies and gentlemen a change of environment is sometimes necessary in order to break automatic habits.

5:54 our brains automatically, hear this, our brains automatically link spaces to behavior. That's why many of us don't have the discipline to work from home. Because you're going to watch TV, stay in the kitchen, take three naps before 4 o'clock. stagnant surroundings can stifle and decapitate your drive. A new environment brings new energy. The late Dr. Miles Monroe, in his book, The Power of Purpose, pointed out in that book, not even further than the introduction, He said, if you have a $10 million yacht and place it on a highway, it won't work.

6:58 If you get a custom-made Bugatti that price ranges $1.3 to $1.5 million and you drop it in the Atlantic Ocean, it's going to go straight to the bottom. Ladies and gentlemen, it is nothing wrong with the $10 million yacht. There is nothing wrong with the $1.3 million Bugatti. The problem is they were placed in the wrong environment. And I needed somebody behind you to hear from me today. It ain't nothing wrong with you. You just in the wrong environment.

7:40 God is getting ready to put you in an environment where you can soar, where you can fly, where you can optimize your capacity and your potential. You just got to get out of where it is that you are. I don't know who I'm preaching to today, but I believe that there's somebody who knows in your soul, God, if you put me in the right environment that is not threatened by my gift, not threatened by my potential, not threatened by my intellect and honors what's on my life, I'll be able to do everything you called me to do. Chris Choi, Chris Choi, who amassed wealth as an Airbnb mogul, said something arresting recently, and I wanted you to hear it. Here's what Chris Choi said. Success is not just about intelligence.

8:43 Success is not just about intelligence. Hear this, your environment shapes how you think. Your environment shapes how you think, and your environment dictates your decisions.

9:03 His study found that when people are surrounded, I need you to hear this, when people are surrounded by financial distress, Their cognitive performance drops significantly. People who are surrounded by poverty, I need you to hear me, people who are surrounded by poverty lose a full night's sleep. You're hearing sirens all night, hearing ambulances all night, hearing fights all night, hearing arguments right next door. Being surrounded by poverty will compromise your sleep. I'm going to go a step further. When you are surrounded by poverty, this is data that has been substantiated, and your mind is always on what you do not have, and the financial distresses you are surrounded by, the cognitive effect on your brain is that your IQ drops by 13 points.

10:10 You spend so much of your mental capacity thinking about how you are going to survive that you have no space to dream. Black people in America have the least amount of sleep in a night because of our stress, because we're overwhelmed. Everybody in the room, even the people who are super saved, everybody in the room, even those who are super saved, No, hear this. You know it, and I know you say, but don't lie to me and tell me you don't know what the Psychic Friends Network is.

10:48 You hadn't seen Dionne Warwick for years, and you was up one, two, three o'clock in the morning, and you knew about prayer, but you were entertaining a psychic because they knew that was the time that black people were up, that we could not sleep and we're looking for solutions. When you are constantly worried about money, you cannot find rest.

11:19 One time Jesus was out on a ship with his disciples and a tumultuous storm broke loose. And the Bible says that everybody who was on board became frantic. But in the lower part of the ship, Jesus was caught taking a nap. They woke him up and said, don't you even care that we are about to capsize? Ladies and gentlemen, when it is God's vision, it is also God's provision. People are going to be curious about how you have found the ability to rest when they are restless about the same situation. The only difference is you just got reminded on who is the source of your strength. I don't know where you are in this room, but there's some of you that tossed in turn last night, rolled over, and you couldn't find your sweet spot. But God said, watch how I put you to sleep tonight. You ain't got to worry about what the bills are. You ain't got to worry about the phone calls that are coming i got you covered i will look to the hills from whence cometh my help my help is coming from the lord i want you to demonstrate your faith and upset the enemy here's what i want you to do i want you to give god glory don't do it yet i want you to give god glory like God has the power to handle all of your July bills.

12:57 Come on. I ain't worried about nothing. I trust in God because he cares for me. Hallelujah. You may be seated. You might as well prophesy to your neighbor. Tell them don't worry about it. God has already figured it out rent paid car note paid insurance paid tuition paid student loans paid don't wait till the battle is over you ought to shout like I know God is able When you constantly worry about money, you focus on what's due, which debilitates the capacity to do future forecasting. If the enemy can get you in a chokehold about what is happening now, you will have no space to believe God for what's going to happen next.

14:11 You have got to begin shifting the wiring of your spirit to know that this is not the end of your story. Where the enemy put a period, God put a comma. Hallelujah. It won't always be like this. Sooner or later, it's going to work in your favor. It's turning around for you. Maybe, just maybe, the first six months of the year were the only months this year you was going to have to be a strong soldier. Starting in July, welcome to your soft life. where I'm able to trust God and be at peace and get some rest and know that God is going to help me to live the summer of surplus. got to change how you think the enemy wants you locked in on your financial situation today so you'll lose sight of what God has promised you for tomorrow look at somebody y'all might as well help me preach you ain't got to speak French just translate it for me look at the person beside you and tell them this is not what God promised you and because this ain't what God promise you this can't be your last lifestyle. God's got more for you than what you got right now.

15:41 And if you are still breathing and there's a promise over your life, I don't care how long it takes. You better trust God because grandmama said he may not come when you want him to come, but he's an on-time God. Look at your check. Look at your check and tell yourself, this ain't what he promised. Come on, I can't hear no one. Walk around in that apartment. This is not what he promised. Look at that furniture. This is not what he promised. Y'all ain't saying nothing. Look at the school your kids are in. This is not what he promised. But the race is not given to the swift nor to the strong, but to those that endure to the end.

16:38 You have reduced your expectation and have allowed your environment to contaminate your faith. You start living for urgent care because you don't believe that holistic health is available. You won't buy insurance because you actually think GoFundMe is a plan. You can't live for today. You got to believe God for your tomorrows. You can't see opportunities because you have been blinded by obligations. You have become so weary that you can't even imagine being wealthy. sometimes the enemy does not have to kill you he just gotta wear you down so you become so depleted that you don't even have expectation your language becomes it is what it is whatever I'm gonna be all right that that is not what God has for you you are a generational curse breaker the stuff that your mother got satisfied with is not what God got in mind for you your daddy worked 40 years on one job for a gold watch later for that I got more for my life than what it is the people in my family have experienced I want you to hone in on Luke chapter 5.

18:23 And in Luke chapter 5, verse 15, that's where we discover that Jesus has gone virtual. He's gone viral. Everybody heard about him. Jesus is a healer. Jesus is a way maker. Jesus is a restorer. And because the word has gone out, people are seeking him out. And everywhere Jesus turns, people are coming to get healed. Blind people, lame people, people with an issue of blood, people who cannot hear. And the Bible says in Luke chapter 15, Luke chapter 5, verse number 15, that they keep coming and he keeps healing. they keep coming and jesus keeps healing they keep coming and he keeps restoring sight he keeps coming and jesus keeps restoring their hearing he keeps coming and he dries up people that got an issue of blood but i need you to see what happens in the corresponding verse in verse number 16, the Bible says he pulls away. You missed that. He's healing people and there comes a point where he's got to cut it off. I think I lost you. He is drained. I need you to hear this, Pastor Kerry. He's drained being a blessing.

20:05 sometimes you are riding on empty not because of demonic attack you are riding on empty because you keep giving yourself and people will let you die and step right over your body and give no thought about your rest about your strength, about your health, about your mental. All they want to know is what's in it for me. Assisting other people is not the sum total of your assignment. some of you are drained and I know you can't scream because of who you sitting next to some of you are drained trying to rescue family you carrying your whole family on your back and they never ask how you doing do you need anything are you all right can I be there for you and you do it all you can Bye.

21:19 people have no idea the weight of being the strong friend you gotta encourage everybody counsel everybody pray for everybody but ain't nobody praying for you ain't nobody checking on you ain't nobody seeing if you need prayer You keep giving yourself till you don't even recognize yourself.

21:58 Folk don't even understand that. There's some days I just got to sit in the car and coach myself off the ledge. Come on, I can't hear nobody. There's some days I just watch the phone ring because I don't feel like being bothered. And I know they're just asking me for something. Y'all ain't saying nothing. There's some days it drives me crazy because I hate saying no. But you take my yes for granted. I need to know how do I move. be not weary in well-doing for in due season you will reap if you faint not I'm talking to those of y'all that are strong and tired would you shout out it's almost my season those of you that have given people your last and they can give you a dime in return. God said it's almost your season.

23:07 He says, I got to get away. I love them. I'm anointed to do it. But I got to get some distance. Being around sick people all the time will compromise my strength. God, you're me in here. every now and again I want to be around some other strong people God help me to preach it right in here I want to be around folk that don't need nothing that just are glad to be in my company and can all conversation put me around strong people I can't expend all of my energy around folk that are toxic and folk that are secretly jealous and people that are in competition.

24:10 And I thought you my friend, but you really threatened by what's on my life. Give me some strong people. Hallelujah. I feel glory getting ready to hit this roof. I need you to just grab that neighbor's hand and tell him I'm not like the rest of your friends. Come on, grab that hand. Tell him I'm not like the rest of your circle. look at him tell him I'm not jealous of you I'm not threatened by you I'm not in competition with you and to prove it to you when I shout this next time I'm not shouting for me I'm shouting you get everything that you put into other people's life Come on give him glory. I said give him glory.

25:08 You may be seated. Hallelujah. come on I feel something in this room never would have made it but I'm stronger I'm better I'm wise look at me I'm a testimony I didn't make it on my own Hallelujah.

25:48 You may be seated. Softly musicians, you may be seated. I'm just leaving space for those of you that owe him glory because you survived two undocumented nervous breakdowns. Come on, you owe him some glory with all of the grief that you had to deal with, with all of the betrayal you had to deal with, with all the knives you pulled out of your own back and you could have used that knife and slashed their throat. But God said, if you hold your peace and let me fight. Hallelujah. Hallelujah. You may be seated. Hallelujah.

26:49 He was healing people all day, delivering people all day, restoring people all day until he pulled away and said, I need to be in a different environment. I need a change of scenery. The Bible says in verse number 16, y'all ain't going to believe it. The Bible says he pulled away to pray. Oh, my God. Prayer is the order of the day. Hallelujah. I'm telling you, when you begin to pray, God will begin to shift some things that are beyond your control. Hallelujah. I got a lot of praises, but I don't have that many intercessors. if I got any people in the room that know prayer is the only thing that stops me from getting high.

27:50 Prayer is the only thing that stops me from climbing back in the bottle. Prayer is what stopped me from calling somebody back. Prayer is what kept my mind when I lost my heart. Prayer is my assignment for the day. Every major breakthrough starts with a decision. Focus on possibilities and not problems. Invest instead of withdrawing. You are not sentenced to merely survive. You are ordered to succeed. People who are laid in a prostrate of poverty mindset are often stuck. Here's where their minds are.

28:51 How do I avoid losing what I have? Those who have an abundance brain are contemplating, how do I create more than what I have? you must subdue the scarcity mindset. Dr. Benjamin Elijah Mays, former president of Morehouse College, said that your greatest sin is not failure, your greatest sin is low aim.

29:21 Can you imagine God is offended by how small you are asking? You got to dream the size of God. you gotta dream such big dreams that you are not sure who you can confide in you gotta dream until somebody behind you gotta honk their horn to let you know that the light has changed you gotta dream until you are irritated by people who are always entertained by the petty this is not a sermon for those who are satisfied with their status quo. This is a sermon for those of you who know God has put something in you that scares the living daylights out of you. But you know if this ever gets off the ground, God is going to get the glory.

30:20 Some of you can only shout over cars, over houses, over money, over checks, over banks. But I want to upset and confuse the enemy. Would you shout today for what you've been dreaming about? Would you shout for what is the vision for your life? Would you shout for what God showed you and what you believe has got to happen? I want you to write this down.

30:56 Your biggest asset is not money. Your biggest asset is not money. Your biggest asset is mindset. I said it too fast. Your biggest asset is mindset. One of my young people, I need you to get this, it's going to change your life forever. Listen to me. Mindset is stronger than skill set.

31:28 Oh, my God. I said mindset is stronger than skill set. God put a burden on Nehemiah to rebuild the wall. Said go rebuild the wall and you're going to do it in 52 days. Here's what's crazy, New Birth, y'all are missing it, is Nehemiah had no experience in construction. Nehemiah was a butler at the White House and God gave him a vision for something he was not certified in. something he didn't have a degree in something that he did not have credentials for but God says I'm gonna show you how to do it while you were doing it and not only am I gonna show you how to do it I'm gonna line people up with you that are gonna help you to get it done I'm giving God glory because you are about to have supernatural success in areas you got no background, you got no training, you got no money, but you got the faith to get it done because your mindset...

32:41 Hallelujah. Your mindset is bigger than your skill set. I need just 500 of you to just wave your hand and say, Lord, change my environment. Hallelujah. Get me out of where I am. Show me something different. Expose me to a higher way of thinking. A better way of living. I'm waiting for somebody. God, you got to change my environment. I don't want to just be around people I'm seeing struggling and unhappy and miserable and lonely and depressed. Change my environment. All of us who are in this room, all of us in this room who graduated from Vacation Bible School, all of us that graduated from Vacation Bible School, you know the story of Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego that King Trump, I mean Nebuchadnezzar, Nebuchadnezzar was building false gods made out of gold and said everybody had to bow down and everybody bowed down except Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego.

34:03 You already know the story. And ladies and gentlemen, I don't even want to talk about them playing the music and how everybody bowed down. I'm not even going to talk about how it is that they threw them in. I ain't even going to talk about how Daniel never shows up. The Bible says that Nebuchadnezzar turned the furnace seven times hotter than what it normally was. Seven is the hottest it could get. And the Bible says something that I think we miss. Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego start worshiping God in the fiery furnace. Hallelujah. They start worshiping God in the fiery furnace. they start worshiping God in the fiery furnace but here's what I needed y'all to see is that when they're worshiping God in the fiery furnace Nebuchadnezzar never turned the heat down all right y'all let's slow it's seven times hotter and Shadrach Meshach and Abednego are giving God glory but the heat don't ever go down and because the heat doesn't go down do you know what God's does he takes them out of it sometimes you are in a situation that won't change and you keep waiting for it to change God said ain't gonna change but I'm pulling you out of it somebody ought to be giving God glory cuz he pulling you out of something he's stretching you Hallelujah.

35:41 And it's the last time I'll ask you to be seated after I'm almost finished. My time is almost up. Would y'all be seated for just one moment, please? I'm sorry. You need a change of scenery. You need a change of environment. And I am afraid some of you have misunderstood the intentionality of the thesis of my argument. Here's where the mistake is, is the mistake you think, I'm telling you, you got to move from bankhead to buckhead. that's what you think you think i am telling you the only way your child is going to be able to soar and to thrive is if you put them in private school no you you think in order for you to be in alignment with your assignment or you got to go tomorrow and trade your car in no that that ain't what i'm telling you i'm i'm telling you you got to change your environment and out of small-minded thinking you think that is predicated on you moving Yeah.

37:02 Or you going somewhere else. Or you going out of town. That is not the case. The case, ladies and gentlemen, is you got to understand the difference between a thermometer and a thermostat. Most people on your row are thermometers. A thermometer can only do one thing. It reads the room and announces what the temperature is. But a thermostat reads the room and then changes the atmosphere. God said you got the anointing to be a thermostat. Whatever room you are in, change the environment. You got to give God glory now.

38:01 Because God said if you give me glory, I'll change the environment on your job. If you give me glory now, I'll change the environment in your marriage. If you give me glory now, I'll change the environment in your child's bedroom. Hey, hey, hey, hey. The atmosphere is about to change. I need you to grab that neighbor real quick and tell your neighbor, that's why folk don't like me. That's why a lot of folk don't fool with me. Whatever room I go in, I change environments. That's why demons get upset.

38:56 That's why witches gotta run. That's why the lie never wins. I change environments. It feels like fire. Shut up in my bones. I got to get out of here. Grab one person and say, neighbor, excuse me. It's getting hot in here. But when I shout today, I'm shifting everything that's happening in your house. When I open up my mouth, I'm shifting everything that's happening with your money. I am.

39:52 Thank you. come on we got 60 seconds I need you to give him glory till depression is not welcome in your house give him glory until sickness is not welcome in your house give him glory until mental illness is healed in your house Hallelujah Hallelujah Lift up that hand.

41:02 Softly, sir. Let me hear you. Hallelujah Hallelujah. Hallelujah. Hallelujah. You need to change your scenery. you need to see something different. You need to experience something different. You need to feel something different. Come on, lift that hand for me, please. I speak of every lifted hand.

41:49 Softly, sir. I speak of every lifted hand that before the 4th of July. God will place you in a change of scenery. I'm praying for every person with lifted hands that God will give you what eyes haven't seen, what ears haven't heard. I pray that God will open opportunities for your children that you didn't even know existed, for internships and mentorships, for relationships. I pray for every person with lifted hands that cancer will not be the final say over a loved one in your family's life.

42:43 This last declaration, I hope you explode with expectation. I pray for every person with lifted hands that your life will not come to an end with you only seeing poverty. Come on, you get ready to step into your wealthy place. And those of you that believe God is going to expose you to something better than you've ever had, give God thanksgiving right now. Hallelujah. Hallelujah.

43:27 And so you'll stand to your feet. Will you stand to your feet, those of you that are physically able to do so? Those of you at the altar, if you'll make space for me, please. I need to change the scenery. I need to get away from what I'm around. I need to be exposed to something greater than what I've had.

43:52 Sometimes it's not me. Sometimes it's what I'm around. And what I'm around no longer matches me. Do you know how uncomfortable it is trying to fit in shoes that are no longer your size?

44:20 And the problem is you actually like the shoes. When I started the church that I pastored before I came to you, when I started Empowerment Temple in Baltimore, 750,000 people lived in Baltimore. I started my church in 2000. 750,000 people lived in Baltimore. Newberth when you called me to be your pastor in 2018 the population dropped to 635 when I started it was at 750 when I transitioned it was at 635 listen to me I was frustrated because I was trying to grow in an area that was shrinking I think I missed somebody in here.

45:25 In that same block of time, in that same block of time, Metro Atlanta grew by 500,000. I was frustrated because what God was pulling for me was no longer the size of my assignment. and a lot of you are hitting up against a wall because you have outgrown what you actually love and you don't realize that God's trying to put you in a new environment Last year, last year, we sent 235 kids to HBCUs around the country, 235. I want you to listen to me.

46:23 We sent 235, but it should have been 257. Stay with me. We sent 235 to HBCUs, and I should have sent 257. Pastor, then why wasn't it 257? It wasn't 257. Y'all ain't going to believe it. because of parents who didn't want their children to leave the state. they were fine as long as they could stay in an environment they knew god y'all ain't saying nothing as long as they could stay in environment they could control i ain't sending them all the way there it's too far for who God can reach you anywhere.

47:16 Stop putting your limitations on your children. Let them see what you never saw before. Let them experience what you never imagined, what you never knew was possible. Every generation is supposed to go further than the previous generation. and you got your children locked in because of your scars God is getting ready to change your environment and he's getting ready to do it quickly the miracle that we miss in the two fish and the five loaves of bread is that they were in a desert under the Mediterranean sun it averaged 110 degrees a day and they're in the desert and the Bible says something I want you to read it when you get home He said, have them sit down in groups, and I'm going to serve them.

48:22 And the miracle happens, ladies and gentlemen, before two fish and five loaves of bread are multiplied. They're in the desert, and Jesus tells them to sit down. New birth, y'all ain't going to believe it. And the Bible says, and they sat down in grass. when they got there it was a desert but God had to change the environment in order for them to receive the supernatural that's what God is getting ready to do for somebody he's pulling you out of your desert place out of your dry place out of your famine place out of your poverty place but he had to change what is around you.

49:11 I'm going to do it, and I'm going to make history today. I'm opening the doors of church, and I'm only going to do it for three minutes. That's it. It's going to be three minutes, because those who know they're supposed to be joining this church, God has already convicted their heart. He's already tapped their shoulders. He's already given them a nudge. They're not fighting against me. They're fighting against the Spirit of the living God. this is your church. I am your pastor. Jesus is your Lord. And the only thing that's holding you up is you staying where you are. You got to change your position. Wherever you are in this room, I'm telling you, don't play with me today. Wherever you are in this room and you need a church home, I need you to get to this altar and I need you to do it as quickly as you possibly can.

50:05 I need you to begin moving move with the speed of the urgency of your need come on Come on. I ain't waiting on you all day. Come on. Come on. Come out! Are y'all gonna shout for them as they come? Oh

50:39 What a wonderful change. Oh, good grief. Listen to me. Thank you, praise team. Y'all are doing good. I only got a minute and a half left. You better get to this altar as quickly as you can. Married couple, single mother, young adult, Gen Z, baby boomer. change your environment you got 60 seconds come on you don't waste it enough time in your life do the right thing Bless the Lord. Hallelujah. Come on, we got 45 seconds left. Ask the person beside you, do you need me to walk you down there? Are you saved? Do you have a church home?

51:32 Have you given yourself over to God? Are you in a church where you're growing? Hallelujah. Come on, come quick. Come quick. Ten. Come on, quick. Nine. Where are you? Clap your hands so they get in that aisle. eight, wherever you are. Come on.

51:52 I'm waiting on you. I see you coming. Seven, come on. They coming from the last row. Y'all ought to shout for these young people coming right now. Six, if you're online and you need to get saved, no matter where you are, God can meet you right there. Five, come on, give God glory for this mother coming.

52:17 I hope you are energized that you don't need an energy drink. What you just heard should have you off and running, chasing your dreams, pursuing your purpose and answering your call. If this was a blessing, share it with somebody else. Don't be selfish. This is what God gave you so that you can be a blessing to somebody who needs it worse.