BeyondSeeLevel

How easy it is for us, as children of God, to be distracted from what really matters? The enemy uses legitimate situations to pull us away from what matters most. The enemy knows that all he has to do is shift our focus, intentions and priorities. And we’re so easily deceived because most of the time we’re still doing everything that we’re supposed to do, but over time, the main thing becomes less of a priority.

But we still feel a sense of pride and accomplishment because we’re taking care of business.

As servants in the Kingdom, it’s important that we serve and we make contributions to the works that are going on in our local congregations. Faith without works is dead.

When God commissioned Moses to lead the Israelites out of Egyptian bondage, Moses would stand before Pharaoh and say “Let my people go so that they may worship me.” God knew then, that the Israelites were conditioned and accustomed to working for their task master. The intentions of their hearts did not matter.

But as God would lead the Israelites out of bondage and into the Promised Land, they were simultaneously being led into a liberated relationship of worship. God knew then and now, that it’s easy for us to give Him our hands without giving him our hearts. Unlike the taskmasters in their Egyptian bondage, God cares that we want to be in this relationship with Him. Likewise, He also wants us to love and serve Him.

Sincere worship towards God will manifest work and service for God. However, work does not always manifest worship. You work with your hands, but you worship with your heart. That’s what God wants. Our hearts.

The enemy knows that everyday, all over the world, children of God have replaced worship for work. We have consumed ourselves with the works in our local congregations at the expense of having worship experiences with God.

As we work harder and harder in the church, we become weaker and weaker in the faith because we have failed to keep the main thing the main thing. This is the result of the enemy’s plots and schemes against the Kingdom of God. The enemy knows that if we get busy doing good works and feel a sense of security in those works, that it can potentially shift our focus and eventually our faith. Over the course of time, we will be like the lost coin in the house. We will be in the proximity of God, but not in His presence.

Look at Martha, the worker and her sister Mary, the worshipper.

Luke 10:38-42
38 As Jesus and his disciples were on their way, He came to a village where a woman named Martha opened her home to him. 39 She had a sister called Mary, who sat at the Lord’s feet listening to what he said. 40 But Martha was distracted by all the preparations that had to be made. She came to him and asked, “Lord, don’t you care that my sister has left me to do the work by myself? Tell her to help me!” 41 “Martha, Martha,” the Lord answered, “you are worried and upset about many things, 42 but few things are needed—or indeed only one. Mary has chosen what is better, and it will not be taken away from her.” – Luke 10:38-42

38 As Jesus and his disciples were on their way, He came to a village where a woman named Martha opened her home to him.

Martha opened her home to Jesus. She wanted Him there. When we assemble in the house of God, we come into the presence of God, but we still have to be intentional in order to have a worship experience with the Lord. Martha invited the Lord into her home to be in His presence, but she was too busy to pay Him any attention, as she attended to Him.
Wow! This blew my mind because it shows that you can be so busy committing yourself to serving Jesus, that you don’t even worship Him when you invite Him in.

We can find ourselves in this very position on any given Sunday. We invite Jesus into the homes of our assembly. We sing “We have come into this house to magnify the Lord and worship Him.” This moment is supposed to be about Him and for Him. But between hospitality, ushering, children’s church, the sound system and fellowship, somewhere along the way, Jesus has to sit and wait for us to give Him some uninterrupted, first fruit attention.

The enemy always seeks to contaminate that which is good. No good effort or intention is exempt from the enemy’s attacks. Martha has the best of intentions to get things ready for Jesus. She busy for Christ’s sake. Her hands are in the right place. But where is her heart?

There’s a time and a place for everything. Like many of us, we can allow the enemy to distract us so much with working that we miss our opportunity to worship in His presence.

Martha wants to make sure the food she was preparing was good, the flower arrangement on stage was in place, the sound system was set, the hospitality sweet was decorated nicely, the temperature in the building wasn’t too cold or too hot, all the bathrooms had paper towels and tissue, the front desk has hand sanitizer and mints, all the guest were greeted at the door with a smile when they came in.

All of these things are necessary to take care of. But when Jesus comes into the house, what’s more important? Is He important enough for us to make a priority to make sure things are in order before He gets there? Is He important enough to stop what we’re doing to make sure that He knows that He’s our most honored and important guest?

How would you feel if you were invited into someone’s home but they never paid you any attention? How would you feel if you were invited to come again? “Don’t be a stranger.”

39 She had a sister called Mary, who sat at the Lord’s feet listening to what he said.

Martha’s sister, Mary, is listening to Jesus.
Jesus was invited by Martha, but Mary is the one giving Him the attention. She’s sitting at His feet listening to what He has to say.

Sitting at Jesus’s feet, signifies readiness to receive His word and submission to the guidance of it. 

Mary wasn’t being lazy by not working in this moment. She was just as intentional as Martha was. But her priorities were different. Mary understood the importance of the opportunity to hear the Words of the Jesus. Jesus was in the building! She was in the presence of Jesus, the Word! Not only was Mary in the right position, at the feet of Jesus oh, but she also had the right hearts posture. She was ready to receive the Word of God.

40 But Martha was distracted by all the preparations that had to be made. She came to him and asked, “Lord, don’t you care that my sister has left me to do the work by myself? Tell her to help me!”

Martha was distracted away from Jesus, the one whom she opened up her home to.
She was too busy working. It’s one thing to be busy working. But it’s something different when you’re too busy working. When you’re too busy working, the main thing is no longer the main thing. Priorities have shifted. Focus has been distorted. You’re doing a good thing. But not necessarily the right thing.

Sometimes, the enemy only wants us to consider what we’re doing. He doesn’t want us to consider what we’re NOT doing.
What Mary was doing was ok. But what she WASN’T doing wasn’t ok. She had her priorities mixed up in that moment.

“She came to him and asked, “Lord, don’t you care that my sister has left me to do the work by myself? Tell her to help me!”

Martha asked Jesus did He care that her sister had left her. She focused on who Mary left and didn’t consider Who she had come to. In the presence of the Lord, Mary was consumed about her sister serving her, and not her sister worshiping the Lord.

Mary had left her work experience, for a worship experience. MARTHA ABANDONED HER WORSHIP EXPERIENCE FOR A WORK EXPERIENCE.

Martha demanded that Jesus tell Mary to help her.

Some of us act like we take it personal when others don’t serve the way we serve; work the way we work in the church. Martha said do you care that she left ME by MYSELF. Tell her to come help ME.

Homegirl! This isn’t even about you right now. You are not the standard for servitude. Even though you’re working right now, understand that another servant stayed up late and got up early to make sure the work was done before the guest came.

Always talking about, I’m the only person…. Everybody else…. Nobody else….

Don’t fool around at let your work make you the object of your own worship.

Some us jump at the chance to point out what others aren’t doing in order to glorify what we ARE doing.

We have to be careful about judging, what we call “pew members”. In the moments of assembling in the presence of God, focusing on Jesus should be the main event. It’s not about your work. It’s about your worship. Because an intentional heart’s posture of worship in the pews, is better than a distracted, busy body working in the presence of God, but too busy to pay Him any attention.

You being an example, goes beyond your willingness to serve in the Kingdom. You are also an example by how you choose to prioritize worship in the presence of God. What and Who do you make a priority of at any given time?

Do I pay my mortgage and buy groceries or do I make sure my yard is groomed and the inside of my house has taken care of?

The reality is both of these are important. But one of these things takes precedence over the other one. Because if I have a nice yard and my house is always nice and clean but I’m not paying the mortgage, I won’t have the house for long. What good would it be to get the house in order for your guests, but neglect them when they get there?

41“Martha, Martha,” the Lord answered, “you are worried and upset about many things.

Jesus responded to Martha and called her name twice. He was showing concern and tenderness towards Martha. This wasn’t a rebuke. He recognized that Mary was consumed with things to the point of worry. She had good intentions. But she was still out of order.

Pay close attention to this moment.
Mary was listening to Jesus in a moment of worship the moment. But Martha is now listening to him in worry.

Pay attention to when you’re more attentive to the voice of God. Is it when you are in worship mode? Or is it always when you’re in worry mode?
One is God centered. The other is you centered.

Mary was listening to be filled. Martha is now listen to feel better. Martha didn’t position herself at Jesus’s feet to listen to Him. But Jesus had compassion for her because, even though she’s not worshipping Him, He knows that her heart is in the right place and desires to please Him with her service/work. So Jesus meets her where she is even though she’s not meeting Him where He is.

Martha’s efforts aren’t about her. They’re actually purposed to prepare for Jesus. Jesus honors that, but has to teach her a lesson on what’s better.

42 but few things are needed—or indeed only one. Mary has chosen what is better, and it will not be taken away from her.”

Jesus basically says, it doesn’t take all of that. There’s a time and a place for everything. As a matter of fact, all you need is one thing in this moment… Sit in My presence and heart My words.

Jesus points out that Mary is giving attention to what is “needed”. Mary had chosen what is better. And what Mary had chosen can’t be taken away from her.

What did Mary choose? She chose to worship over work in that moment.

What did that choice look like for Mary?

Humility – She sat at Jesus’s feet. It’s sad for children of God to come into His presence and fail to see the urgency of just how much we need Him and to hear His Word for our today and our tomorrow

Priority – She understood what was most important. Her giving attention to what was most important in that moment did not mean that she abandoned or neglected what was important. She just had her priorities in order. She kept the main thing the main thing.

Conviction – Big sister leading by example and putting pressure on her to follow suite, didn’t make Martha budge one bit. She couldn’t be guilted out of her worship experience to be pulled into work. She had an unapologetic conviction to worship Jesus.

Focus – Mary didn’t allow Martha’s criticism or chaos to pull her away from what she thought was important. The more intentional you are about having intimate time with God in worship, the more focused you become on the things that are important to Him.

Jesus says “and it will not be taken away from her.”

Is Jesus saying that because Mary has chosen what is better, I will not take this worship moment away from her by telling her to go work?

Or is He saying that because she has postured herself to listen to the Word of God, that can’t be taken away from her
because it’s now hidden in her heart?

Either way, Jesus is making it clear that hearing His voice is what’s better. And that it’s our responsibility to keep it a priority when we come into His presence to hear His voice above all else.

Mary understood what was better. Jesus taught Martha what was better. He is also teaching us to choose what is better.

For the word of God is alive and active. Sharper than any double-edged sword, it penetrates even to dividing soul and spirit, joints and marrow; it judges the thoughts and attitudes of the heart.
Hebrews 4:12

All Scripture is God-breathed and is useful for teaching, rebuking, correcting and training in righteousness, so that the servant of God may be thoroughly equipped for every good work.
2 Timothy 3:16-17

Your word is a lamp for my feet,
a light on my path.
Psalm 119:105

Do not merely listen to the word, and so deceive yourselves. Do what it says.
James 1:22

How can a young person stay on the path of purity?
By living according to your word.
Psalm 119:9

He replied, “Blessed rather are those who hear the word of God and obey it.”
Luke 11:28

The grass withers and the flowers fall,
but the word of our God endures forever.
Isaiah 40:8

As for God, his way is perfect:
The Lord’s word is flawless;
he shields all who take refuge in him.
Psalm 18:30

Therefore everyone who hears these words of mine and puts them into practice is like a wise man who built his house on the rock.
Matthew 7:24

Heaven and earth will pass away, but my words will never pass away.
Matthew 24:35

*Tressa Jo

It’s interesting how as a single, we can have our eyes set looking for the man of our dreams. We even get real specific with God, and start asking Him for our future Boo to have characteristics that fulfill our pleasures. “Please Lord, let him be 6’+, dark skinned, bearded, etc.” We pray, convinced that God wants us to be so satisfied with who we marry, that He’ll consume Himself with fashioning a man just to fit our shallow desires. We pray for pleasure, but God is fulfilling purpose.

We fantasize about the man of our dreams coming into our lives and sweeping us off our feet and living happily ever after. It seems the picture gets clearer and clearer as time passes of what we want, to the point of being non-negotiable. But the prospects of him coming gets further and further away.

I’ve come to realize that sometimes our imaginations can hinder us from our reality. Being consumed with this fantasy-filled perfect picture of the man of your dreams can blind you to God’s plan and God’s man for you.

Years ago, I had a close friend recommended that I try a dating site. I resisted at first, but decided to give it a try. I was annoyed with the experience because it took too much effort to weed out all the wolves (that’s actually all I encountered). But at the same time, I was drawn to it because of all the attention I was getting. It stroked my ego a little bit. I’d never gotten this much attention from men before. But I had to admit to myself, I didn’t like the kind of attention I was getting. I knew the men didn’t want me. They just wanted access to me. We weren’t on the same page about what we were looking for at all. Some were even bold and honest enough to make it obvious that they were looking for an arrangement, not a relationship.

That was very short lived and I decided that wasn’t for me. I remember as I was disabling my website account, I prayed to God. “God, I trust You with this area of my life.” As I truly surrended my singleness to God, God would take me on a journey that changed the course of my life, my focus and my prayers.

Initially, God placed this verse on my heart:

Do not conform to the pattern of this world, but be transformed by the renewing of your mind. Then you will be able to test and approve what God’s will is —his good, pleasing and perfect will.
Romans 12:2

I began to see as clear as day, how we allow the world to shape our world views. Specifically, in the area of marriage and relationships. I’ve even heard “spiritual counseling” on marriage that involved more worldly perspectives than biblical perspectives. In other words, the world’s opinions about what would make a healthy marriage, became more of a voice than God’s. And God created marriage!

I committed myself to purpose living and purpose thinking. That meant that I had to unlearn what I thought I knew and allow God to teach me His truths. I didn’t just want a good man to come into my life. I wanted God’s man. And I understood that if I wanted a God product (a relationship/marriage that glorifies God), I’d have to be willing to submit to a God process.

Romans 12:2 led the way. I was actually in a season of contentment in my singleness. I had desires for companionship and marriage, but they didn’t consume me. I was just trying to walk in my purpose calling and that gave me a sense of fulfillment.

Focusing on Romans 12:2 triggered a series of questions in my heart. As I ask God the questions, He revealed to me the answer in layers.

As I reflected on my past relationships, I started to ask God “Why?”. Not the “why?” most would ask after failed relationships. I didn’t ask why it didn’t work out. I didn’t ask why they did what they did. I asked God, “Lord, what was it in me that made me choose them?”.

I understood that my past was a direct result of me chasing what I wanted. But in this journey, God was preparing me to see what I needed.

As I reflected on the “me” of my past, God showed me the magnitude of my brokenness. Then He showed me where it started. Then I was able to see how that brokenness showed up in different areas and in different seasons of my life. I learned that my past relationships represented my brokenness. I couldn’t have chosen a healthy man because I wasn’t a healthy woman!

I believe that we all have a degree of brokenness within us. That doesn’t disqualify us from finding love. But knowing what that brokenness is, will empower you to know what you need, not just what you want.

There’s a difference between when someone ministers to your brokenness and when they enable you in your brokenness. Both can make you feel good. But they both can’t help you be better and heal.

When a man has the capacity to minister to your brokenness, he faces your brokenness. He doesn’t deny or ignore it. And he certainly won’t guilt you for being broken. He addresses your insecurities by creating security within the relationship. And he creates a safe environment for you to be you. And as you both dwell together in a safe place, you both are free and clear to start a healing process. That’s what true liberty affords you. Too often, we enter into relationships guarded and still functioning in survival mode. We’re never allowed the opportunity to let our guards down long enough to address our inner hurts. We’re too busy defending and protecting ourselves from real and potential threats.

As God revealed to me my brokenness, simultaneously, He started to reveal to me what I truly needed. Moreso, what I would need from the man that would become my husband. I realized that attraction and compatibility can provide a sense of happiness with a person, but it cannot minister to your brokenness and aide you in a healing process when it’s not from God.

Although society was telling me that I needed to be whole, complete and have everything in order before the right man would come along, God showed me something different. My commitment to God made me healthy enough to be an asset and not a liability, if I were to enter into a relationship. But the man that God had for me would be assigned to minister to the places in my spirit that God would later heal.

My prayers weren’t consumed with asking God for what I wanted in a man. They were consumed with what I needed within myself. And when my heart was postured to receive what I needed from God for myself, He positioned me to receive what I would need from the man in my life. Once again, Romans 12:2 ushered me into another revelation. The world will tell you not to need, but want a man. But the Word makes it clear that the woman was man for the man and that the woman is not independent of the man. We actually do need one another.

Not only did my prayers shift, but I shifted as well. Some of us are good people, but we’re not ready for what we’re asking God for. But you can trust that God hears every word. Instead of Him giving you something you’re not ready for, He’ll help you get ready to receive what you’re asking for. And when you finally received what you’ve been praying for, you’ll understand why God made you wait. When God blesses you with the man of your prayers and not just the one of your dreams, all of heaven rejoices.

Proverbs 10:22 The blessing of the LORD makes a person rich, and he adds no sorrow with it.

*Tressa Jo

In the same way, the Spirit helps us in our weakness. We do not know what we ought to pray for, but the Spirit himself intercedes for us through wordless groans. And He who searches our hearts knows the mind of the Spirit, because the Spirit intercedes for God’s people in accordance with the will of God. – Romans 8:26-27

What are our weakness? Perhaps our weakness is the fact that we pray, but we really don’t know what to pray for. Thank God the Holy Spirit intercedes on our behalf. Thank God the Holy Spirit intercedes in accordance to God’s will and not our desires. God is very strategic and purposeful in how He orchestrates everything! Ultimately, His glory is primary. In life or in death…. God is glorified whenever His will is done. When the heart of our desires and prayers are dominated and motivated by anything other than God’s glory and His will, His manifested glory and will won’t be a source of contentment, comfort or peace for us. Why? Because His glory and His will being done was never the heart of our prayers. Perhaps our own glory was. Tragedy, disaster, nor death has the ability to rob God of His glory. We can pray that the cup of anguish pass from us all day long, but if God won’t get glory from it, God’s will to be glorified will supercede your prayer. We were made for God. God wasn’t made for us. As a matter of fact, we don’t even have to pray that God’s will be done. We need to pray that we are able to accept His will when done. Truly embracing the sovereignty of God will require you to have a “nevertheless” kind of faith.

Nevertheless opens our hearts to receive God’s answer, not just receive what we pray for. God’s answer according to His will may not be what we pray for, but it’s for His glory. And it’s for our growth. Having a nevertheless will give us peace when we’re in limbo between our faith and our feelings. It allows us to trust God to do what’s best even when we may not understand why. Nevertheless empowers us to lean not to our own understanding and in all our ways acknowledge God and He will direct our paths.

Lord,

I pray…..
Nevertheless, not my will, but yours, be done.

Amen

Luke 22:42

*Tressa Jo