All Episodes
Previous Next
May 25, 2023 - Stew Peters Show
37:01
LIVE @5PM: Scriptures And Wallstreet: The 4 Pillars of Your Identity
| Copy link to current segment

Time Text
Thank you.
Thank you.
Hey guys, Carlos Cortez here.
Wanted to do a heart check.
Every now and then I don't like to talk about financials and I just wanted to check in.
Check in to see how you're doing.
Check in how I'm doing.
And really just focus on our identity.
So this is going to feel more like a message than a podcast.
Sorry, not sorry.
But I just felt led to just hit the pause button and not really talk about financial.
Because for many people right now, financial is not a conversation that you can handle.
Yeah.
We are in this debt crisis.
They're saying by June 1st they're supposed to come up with an agreement and no one knows what's going on.
They're not really reporting truthfully, not that the media does anyway.
But when you have your identity, it really doesn't even matter.
So what is your identity?
Just recent this week, I was in Dallas.
I was with a Rise Up Kings event.
Every six months, we all get together.
About five, six hundred men throughout the country.
And we gather in Dallas not just to pray, but just to be vulnerable and talk about our struggles together in community.
And these are men that are four-pillar men.
These are men that believe in God, that believe in their faith, that believe in their finances, their fitness, and in their family.
And they excel in four corners.
And if they're not excelling, Iron shop runs iron, and so we become vulnerable.
We become transparent.
We talk about things to, we have accountability groups to basically make us stronger and be real with each other.
You know, it's sad that when you go to church, you really can't talk about the tough things because people judge you.
There's really not a safe place for Christians anymore.
There's not a safe place for men.
There's not a safe place for teenage girls, teenage boys, without getting the judgment.
If you look at the youth groups right now, They're really on fire for God or they're really dying.
And that's the way life is.
You're either growing or you're dying.
And I wanted to talk about your identity.
This podcast is not about me.
It's not about...
Even though we talk about money, it is scriptures on Wall Street.
I had to block somebody.
Someone got really stupid on a comment saying that I need to repent.
I think his name was Pad9.
Well, he's blocked.
Just nefarious attacks.
And this whole podcast...
I'm paying it for my own pocket.
I don't have any sponsors.
Almost two years into this, I do not have any sponsors.
I'm not taking on anybody.
I'm self-paying for this show.
I went on this because I didn't want to be influenced by other companies that wanted to change my message.
I don't want to mess up the integrity of this platform.
So, do I pay $5,000, $10,000 a month for this show?
Absolutely.
And so we have sponsors or self-sponsors, my own companies, that help sponsor this show because I don't have to taint the message.
That's very, very important to me.
This show is not about money.
I promise you that.
This show is not about money.
If you think it is, then you got the wrong, wrong perspective of who I am and what you think this is.
But I really wanted to just talk about your identity.
And what I mean by your identity, what is your identity?
Like, if someone was to write your eulogy, if you were to pass away, And you heard your own eulogy.
Who would be there?
Would relationships be there that you don't want to know about?
Your family know about?
Because when you're gone, you're gone.
There's no one to defend you anymore.
So people are going to show up that you really don't want to be there at your funeral.
And the rumors will start.
Your legacy will be tarnished.
So I wanted just to make sure that we have our heart in check.
We have our identity in check.
I think you guys know where I'm going with, but the real major point is your identity starts with your faith.
There's actually four pillars that make up the fabric of your identity.
And one of them is your faith.
So how much do you spend time with God?
Do you randomly talk to Him throughout the day?
When was the last time you did a prayer walk?
When was the last time you went in the woods and asked God three questions?
Why am I here?
What do you want me to know?
And why am I here?
What do you want me to know?
And why was I born?
So, those are some three thoughtful questions you could ask God right now.
And if you have 45 minutes, go walk in the woods.
Go somewhere where it's completely unplugged and ask Him those questions.
Why am I here?
What do you want me to know?
And how can I become closer to you?
And you can just ask them straight up.
And what you will find is that the Holy Spirit will guide you.
And this is part of the major, major, major pillar of your identity is your faith.
We have to seek His face and all these things will be added onto you.
I feel like the faith pillar in our identity has been broken.
We've forgotten the way of our culture.
We forgot that God is sovereign.
God is the one that has all the answers.
He's written it in a book.
And so, when you have the faith pillar, just ask Christ, straight up, am I in the book of life?
What things am I hiding that I can take away, that you can take away that's not of you?
So, our faith column, our faith pillar is such a huge, huge leg on this table that we have.
The second major thing that makes our identity is our habits.
So, I'm not putting myself on a pedestal because I'm a sinner just like everyone is.
I've struggled with pornography.
I've struggled with lust.
I've struggled with alcohol.
I've struggled with just being faithful to God, to my wife.
So, what we have to understand is our habits.
Our habits, it takes 66 days to create a new habit.
It used to be 14 days, and it got bumped up to 31, then 45, now it's 66.
Scientists and psychologists have studied it numerous times.
And if you read the book, The Atomic Habit, you'll know that as of recent, it is 66 days.
So, personally wake up, I read the Bible, I carve out 5 to 15 minutes just for God.
After I brush my teeth, and I don't even get my morning coffee anymore, I go straight to the Word.
I just give God my first breaths.
And that first moment, carve it out for Him.
And what it really does is completely transform my life.
I'm able to tap in to the Holy Spirit early in the morning.
He gives me discernment.
He gives me wisdom.
He gives me things to say.
He gives me things to do.
He allows to put people and problems in my heart to pray about.
Like in all seriousness, that is a habit that I have etched and forged into my daily routine.
So part of our identity is our habits.
Like we cannot be...
About the truth movement.
We cannot be God, country, and family if we don't have our faith in order, guys.
And what is so interesting is when your children see you reading the Bible and worshiping God and praying and singing to Him and reading your words, they want to be involved.
They want to be involved.
So as a man or as a mother, you want to be present with your children.
And so they see you and you have this connection that you're teaching your children to love God and to read His Word.
So create those daily habits, man.
Create those daily habits.
And maybe it's before you go to bed at night.
Maybe that's your time.
Maybe it's during lunch.
I don't know.
But Give God 5-10 minutes a day for the rest of your life.
Ask Him into your heart.
Ask Him to give you this habitual way to seek His face and your life will change.
Your life will change.
The third and major one of your identity that molds your identity is your associations.
So, I don't hang out with men that cheat on their wives.
I don't hang out with men that drink and that go to bars.
I don't hang out with men that don't want to exercise.
I don't hang out with men that are greedy.
I don't hang out with men that want...
That has a it is what it is attitude.
I don't hang out with men that are not successful in their business.
I don't hang out with men that are passive.
Your associations are everything.
You want to be with men that can iron, sharpen your iron like crazy, that will call you up, that can be inspirational, and that you can be a leader with them.
You are who you associate with.
And this is really mainly for everyone, really.
I was thinking about women, but...
If you hang out with a negative Nancy that's always gossiping, we all have one at church.
The pastor speaks and they always have something negative to say and it's never their fault.
Never their fault.
And is their way or the highway?
It's their idea.
It's their image.
And these are narcissistic ways that people fall into this trap.
And unfortunately...
They don't see it themselves because they've suckered you in.
And what you'll find is that people manipulate.
People manipulate.
And if you don't tell and you're not vulnerable with people about their feelings and your experiences with them, then you're being manipulative too.
Because manipulation is controlling someone's behavior.
What was interesting is there's a tale, a parable of the snake.
Well, there's this farmer and there's this snake.
And this snake, there was a volcano that erupted.
And so the farmer was trying to move all the animals out of the way so the lava doesn't burn all the animals.
And there was one little snake, a garden snake.
I don't know what kind of snake it was, but the moral of the story is The moral of the story is the snake is telling the farmer, save me, save me, save me.
And the farmer's like, well, you're a snake.
He says, well, I'm not going to bite you.
So the farmer reluctantly grabs the snake, He puts it in his little inside of his jacket and he goes to the end of seeking safe in a safe spot, drags the snake with him, and he softly lets the snake go on the ground.
And then as he was doing that, the snake bites him, bites the farmer.
And the farmer's like, Mr.
Snake, you bit me.
Now I'm going to die.
And the snake looked at him and goes, I'm a snake.
I'm a snake.
I lie.
So, associations is huge.
Don't hang out with snakes.
Don't hang out with snakes.
Hang out with people that you can be vulnerable with, that you can be truthful with, that lift you up, that take responsibility, that are not always angry, mad, sad, frustrated, victim card...
Those are the people that play in the victim card role.
When there's a problem and you take ownership of it, there's freedom in that.
There's freedom.
There's control.
There's power.
There's confidence.
There's righteousness.
There's just a plethora of great greatness and feelings.
When you're able to control a situation, take ownership.
Say, yes, it is my fault and I'm working on this.
I'm doing this.
I'm going to have the ability to conquer this.
There's so much power in that.
And God in Deuteronomy tells us that we are supposed to be the head and not the tail.
I believe it's Deuteronomy 18.28.
I just read it the other day.
And it's a very powerful verse that when we take ownership of our problems and quit blaming the government, the economy, and have that LeBron James attitude, crying baby all the time, and you will see that your relationship with God is really not that strong.
Because he tells us in 2 Timothy 1, to not fear.
That he's given us the spirit of peace, love, and self-discipline.
In other translations it says, sound mind.
So associations are really huge guys.
I think of the teenage daughter that is on the verge of committing suicide.
Social media has brought suicide levels beyond imagined percentage.
And unfortunately there is one here locally where she was a goalie in my son's hockey academy and she committed suicide.
She was getting cyber-bullied on TikTok and Facebook and the kids in school were just really bullying her.
So if you have a daughter, if you have a son, and they're on social media, guys, they're doing stuff that's behind your back.
Take charge.
Take charge.
Date your daughter.
Get involved with your son.
Take him out on dates.
They're looking for their mom and dad.
They want to have that relationship with you.
So be present with them.
As a father, I try to do something every weekend for all my kids.
My wife and I... We have date night, Saturday nights.
But Saturday morning, I haven't had a Saturday morning for myself in four years.
Every single Saturday morning, all my kids skate.
I take them all ice skating.
It's an activity we can do as a family.
My two sons play ice hockey and my two little girls figure skate.
So personally, my habit and my way to be present with them is just sharing a bond that we all love and enjoy.
So if you're a parent, please, please teach your child about your faith.
Implement the habits.
Express the associations.
If they don't have friends, find friends in your church.
Find friends that are God-centered, that want to promote Jesus.
Because...
The associations is such a huge, huge thing.
I had to literally cut off all my close friends.
They just turned their backs on God.
And quite frankly, they became liberals.
It's funny how that correlation is, right?
Like one party wants to get away from God but still have God's blessing.
One wants to create...
A culture where it can honor God, but I think a lot of the Republicans, they let greed and they let those conservative traditions feel like their religion.
I know there's a lot of Republicans that don't go to church because they have conservative values and they feel like, oh, I'm good.
I'm pro-life and I'm pro-gun.
I'm pro-God and I'm good.
I'm good.
I don't need to go to church.
If that's you, I ask that you repent because God says in his command, keep the Sabbath holy and that you need to fellowship with Christ-centered people, Christ-centered kingdom warriors.
The last pillar of your identity, believe it or not, it's a simple one.
All these are simple things.
But it requires 110% commitment.
And I'm speaking from experience, guys, because...
As soon as I found out what my identity was, that's when life really, really was just peaceful.
It was a beautiful rollercoaster of almost dying through COVID and almost losing my marriage and almost losing my business.
And then the brink of success, meeting Stu and what it's done to my business and...
You know, buying a new home that I can finally afford and just creating a company that honors God, country, and family.
But the fourth pillar is affirmations.
The affirmations, Thomas Blackwell, actually, I want to give a shout-out to him.
Maybe I'll invite him to a podcast.
He has his book called The Liberty of Language Revealed.
I don't know if you can see that.
The studio lights are...
And you'll see a Bible in there, like in a prison, or the book.
It's not a Bible.
The book is trying to come out of the prison.
I really think it's a great graph.
And in this book, I don't want to give the secrets away, but there was an experience that they did where he got his children.
He didn't believe it.
He didn't believe it, but he grabbed a cup of water.
I know this is not a cup, but this is a candle.
He grabbed a cup of water, and they filled it up with water, obviously, and all his kids, he told his kids, hey, I want you to curse at the jug of water.
And they did.
They said, I hate you.
You're evil.
You're ugly.
You're cracked.
You're not going to do anything.
I mean, they just spoke really negative to this glass of water.
They put it in the freezer.
The next morning, it literally was cracked and it wasn't symmetrical.
It had a lot of indentions in it.
And so, what they did was, experience was, they got the same jug of water, and a different jug of water, but same type of glass, and they spoke sweet nothings to it.
Positive messages.
Hey, I love you.
You're beautiful.
You're living water.
You're amazing.
You look so clear.
You look so vibrant.
I want to consume you.
Just really positive things about this glass of water.
And then they froze it.
Guess how the water turned out.
The negative cup actually broke.
The glass broke when it was freezing.
The positive one actually had a beautiful swirl and it froze in a harmonic, symmetrical way.
There was even crystals in it and it never cracked.
True story.
You can look it up.
You can experience it yourself.
I haven't done it yet.
I just read this book, but I believe Thomas, and that's actually a factual science experiment, so you can try it on your own.
But the book talks about how you can stick out an arm, and it could be the strongest guy in the room, And the strongest guy in the room says, or the guy says to the strong guy that's pushing the arm down, Hey, you're weak.
You're weak.
You can't do it.
And what happens is the power of the words, our brain is wired to receive those words.
So think about this.
It's biblical.
God says hide the scriptures in your heart.
So the abundance of your heart, it comes out with your hands.
So if we're guarding our heart, What are we doing with our hands?
So what's beautiful about the blood of Jesus is that he transforms us from the inside out.
When you're fake and you're materialistic and you are worried about yourself, you focus things on the outside.
You may get plastic surgery to look good.
You may try to get that six pack you've always wanted.
You may try to buy that fast car to make you look good or designer clothes or whatever it is.
And I've been in that trap too.
But what we want to do is transform the heart.
It's biblical.
So one easy way to do that is affirmations.
So this is the fourth pillar of your identity.
That fourth pillar is huge, guys, because the affirmations, like, I am the head and not the tail.
I am a believer in Christ.
Through Christ in me, who strains me, I can do all things.
I am more than a conqueror.
I am a successful, redeemed, authentic man.
I am a lover king.
I am more than enough.
His grace is sufficient for me.
He has me in the palm of His hands.
He loved me so much.
He died on a cross for me.
His love endures forever.
I am worthy.
I am a child of God.
I am the king of my home.
I am a relentless warrior.
Words of affirmation.
Speak truth in your own life.
Satan wants to tell you lies.
He probably has been telling you lies throughout your whole life.
Maybe you were supposed to start a business, but the lies and fear stopped you.
Maybe you run for city council, but the lies, insecurities, and fear stopped you.
Maybe you were supposed to start that ministry, the lies and fears, and what others said stopped you.
Maybe you were supposed to play professional soccer, but those lies, fears, and insecurities stopped you.
Maybe you were supposed to be an accountant for churches that needed help pro bono, and the lies and the insecurities stopped you.
So how do we combat that?
We combat that by embracing our identity.
We embrace our faith.
We embrace those habits.
We embrace those associations.
And we say words of affirmations.
I'm sorry guys, but the Jesus that died on a cross is enough.
Like, He didn't die on a cross for you to be a pansy, for you to be a weakling.
He did the ultimate sacrifice for you so that you can be more than a conqueror.
Dear Heavenly Father, I just wanted to just take time out, do a heart check, I just wanted to just take time out, do a heart check, do a gut check, do a reality check, and Lord, that this podcast is not about me.
Okay.
That it's not about the silver, the gold.
That it's not about how many sponsors I can get or how many phone calls I can get from new clients.
God, that this platform will be given to you and it is about you.
Lord, I can use this platform to shine light into darkness.
Lord, whatever that is, whatever that is hindering me from being closer to you, Lord, please take it away in Jesus' name.
And God, for anyone that's listened to this podcast, I pray, Lord, that they can ask you into their hearts.
That they can go out in the woods and ask those questions.
God, do you love me?
What do you want from me?
Why was I born?
What do you want me to know?
God, that they can go in the woods or a quiet place and they can get intimate and vulnerable with you, Lord.
God, for anyone that's listened to this podcast, I know this is a financial show.
And I know we're all scared about the economy.
We're scared about this present we feel that is blasphemous to you, Lord, and to your kingdom.
We pray, Lord, that this country, like it says in Leviticus, that we can stop, humble, turn from our wicked ways, and then you'll heal our land.
God, I just pray, Lord, that That that could happen.
That every household that's listening to this podcast, whether they're just stopping by, Lord, I know it's not a coincidence that they're listening to this, but God, that your word can penetrate that just one person that's maybe on a brink of suicide, that maybe is on a brink of divorce, or the spouse is about to walk out, Or that kid is about to meet someone that's going to destroy his life.
Lord, I pray a protection on that family, on that person.
God, that your Holy Spirit will intervene.
That your Holy Spirit will penetrate.
The amazing love that you exemplified on that cross.
That there's no greater love.
No sex.
No drug.
No adrenaline rush can even come close to the everlasting love you shed on the cross for us, God.
Lord, we thank you, Lord, for the ability to have this platform.
We thank you, Lord, that I cannot talk financials and I can just talk about the cross and who our identity is.
I just pray, Lord, that the identity, four pillars, that this will minister to someone.
I don't need thousands, maybe just one or two people, Lord.
It's all worth it.
So what if we don't make any money this week?
There are lives being changed by this podcast.
There will be lives that...
That will honor you, that will transform not just one man, but generations, Lord.
We thank you, Holy Spirit, that for once we don't have to worry about making ends meet.
You provided so many avenues for us, Lord.
You've been so good.
You've been so good.
You provided for this show.
You provided for all of our needs, God.
Like your word says, you provide for the birds in the air, the lilies in the field.
How much more are we, because we are God's children, you'll provide for us?
There's no reason to fear because you have us in the palm of your hand, God.
Thank you, Lord, for the blessing.
And I pray that everyone that's watching this, Lord, that they may have a blessed week.
And, Lord, that they can seek your face and be guaranteed in the book of life.
We thank you, Holy Spirit, for ministering to us.
And we thank you, Lord, for the cross.
In Jesus' name we pray.
Amen.
Anyways, I wanted to say thank you guys for allowing me to share an intimate moment with you guys and not talk about financials, but just talk about our identity.
Remember, so our faith, our habits, our associations, and our affirmations, all four make our identity.
So my question to you is...
What is your identity?
What is your eulogy going to look like?
And if you don't know what that is, start making changes right now guys.
Anyways, thank you guys for everything.
Don't forget to check out our sponsor, switchmyproductsusa.com.
The revenues from that helps pay for this show.
Didn't want to talk about financials.
You guys know what's going on.
The treasury markets could get impacted if they default, but let's pray for our country.
What I think is going to happen, and I didn't really want to talk about this, but what I think is going to happen is I think Joe Biden is going to use his pen.
Straight up, I think he's going to executive order out of this situation and kick the can down the road.
I could totally see that happening because I don't see Rhino McCarthy and China Joe coming up with an agreement by the first.
There's too much compromises, man.
Too many.
Too, too, too many.
And I really think that Joe Biden is going to use his pen to get out of this and buy him several months all the way up to October, August, somewhere on there, Q3 and figure it out then.
Then they're going to kick the can down the road and kick the can down the road and then it's going to go to the new president.
Because I'm sure as heck hoping it's not Biden.
They can't steal the election again.
There's just no way.
No way.
Anyways, God bless you guys.
I'm out of here.
Check out Switch from Products USA. And there was no really financial advice, so I don't know if I had to say my disclosure, but if you're a regulator and you still want to hear it, I am a securities licensed financial advisor.
Everything on this podcast should be used for spiritual and educational purposes only.
If you are interested in an appointment, visit CortezWM.com or call our office, 813-448-3446.
If you got a quick question, email me, info at CortezWM.com.
Talk to you guys later.
▲
Export Selection