BeyondSeeLevel

Whenever life challenges you, one of the toughest things to do is keep your mind in a right, productive place. Our thoughts can fuel faith or fear. And whenever we find ourselves in the waiting rooms of life, not knowing what will happen next, the devil can wreck havoc on our thoughts and emotions.

When you’re trying to think positive and remain hopeful about the future, the devil will constantly temp you to think the worst. He knows that fear and anxiety will keep you separated from your faith. So there’s a real battle going on, but it’s not really about what’s happening around you–your circumstances. The battle is what’s going on inside of you.

The devil wants you to consume yourself with thoughts of the “what it’s”. What if this happens? What if that happens? What if I can’t…? What if they don’t…?

We must understand that once the enemy attacks your circumstances and life, he’s going to attack your mind. Many times, he’ll attack your mind first. He knows that your mind is the place of your faith, your hope and your true power.

This is why Philippians 4:8 tells us what to think on during these times. It’s not easy! But when we discipline our thoughts and emotions, and think on those things, God will bring us into a place of peace that surpasses all understanding.

In my own battle, one faith fight method I’m practicing is walking in the hope of my daily bread. This means that I’m fighting not to consume myself with tomorrow’s issues, but I’m choosing to focus on and be thankful in today’s blessings and provisions.

In Matthew 6:11, Jesus teaches us how we should pray. He says “Give us today our daily bread.” Jesus is reminding us to live in the day, because tomorrow isn’t promised to us. Why allow yourself to be robbed of today’s joy and peace, consumed with a tomorrow you may never see? Be blessed in your today!

Jesus is also helping us focus on the “right now”. Right now God is providing for me. Right now I’m still well. Right now I’m cared for. Right now we have what we need. Right now they’re ok. Right now….

Give us today our daily bread. Oh what peace we often forfeit today when we consume ourselves with tomorrow.

Thank You Lord, for our daily bread.
Amen

*Tressa Jo

Job’s wife spoke foolishly when she provoked him to abandon hope and faith in God because he was experiencing such hardships. (Covid, racial injustice, sickness, death, financial struggle, loss of loved ones, etc.) Job said that God gives and God takes away. Blessed be the name of God! He’s still worthy.

Just because your circumstances changed doesn’t mean that God has changed. 2020 is only doing what God is allowing it to do. 2020 is not an enemy for a child of God. As ugly as it’s been, it still benefits God’s chosen. ALL things are working for our good. Yep. Even when it hurts. God uses it for our growth and His glory. And if God chooses not to change our circumstances, trust that He’ll change us.

Remember, God doesn’t measure time or seasons the way we do. We don’t know when the new season will come. Neither do we know what the new season will hold. But we know that God holds the season. Trust Him through it and on your way to it. He’s still worthy to be praised!

But he said to her, “You speak as one of the foolish women speaks. Shall we indeed accept good from God and not accept adversity?” In all this Job did not sin with his lips.
Job 2:10 NASB

*Tressa Jo

Do not be anxious about anything, but in every situation, by prayer and petition, with thanksgiving, present your requests to God.And the peace of God, which transcends all understanding, will guard your hearts and your minds in Christ Jesus.
Philippians 4:6-7

As simple as this formula is, it’s often the last resort for the children of God. We may vent to the Lord, but are we praying to Him? We vent lacking faith and hope that God can or will do anything about what we bring to Him. He’s just a listening ear, a sounding board. We don’t really expect Him to do anything. So we remain in a state of panic, confusion, faithlessness, anxiousness and despair. In other words, we act like the world–without hope.

But every now and then, we approach God full of faith and hope trusting Him to intercede. We have this trust not even knowing what God will do. But we know that He can do. There’s a reason God instructs us to approach anxiousness, initially with Thanksgiving. It’s a reminder that if God did it before, He can do it again. It helps us shift our focus from trouble to having hopeful anticipation of triumph. It shocks us back into the truthful reality that we’re not even in a fight FOR the victory. We’re actually fighting FROM the victory. We’ve already won!

Being consumed with what our outer man is experiencing paralyzes us from being able to connect to and rely on what our inner man has already confirmed. We’re going to be alright! God has us! We must remember that even when we’re fearful, intimidated, nervous or unsure, nothing has the ability to take God by surprise, shake Him up or intimidate Him. He’s all powerful!

Soooo, discipline your thoughts today. Don’t allow the enemy to consume you with what he’s trying to consume you with. He’s a bully! His bark is a lot bigger than his bite. And he knows it. Focus on what you’re thankful for. Bring those things to God that the enemy is trying to use to rob you of your faith. Trust and believe that God has you and is still in control. Then experience His blessed peace. That peace will be so amazing that you have to shake your own head at yourself and wonder why you’ve wasted all this time worrying when you have a God so powerful.

People of God, there’s a lot of stuff going on around us. And for many, there’s a lot of stuff going on in us. Truly take it to God and know that it’s going to be alright.

*Tressa Jo

As a mother, I pray for my children. I pray a lot!! Recently, my first born got her first apartment. She’s been on her own for a few years, but this is her first place by herself. Of course my heart is full of emotions. She’s always been very independent. I’ve always said, “I can send her out of this country and she’ll be alright.” If she doesn’t know something, she’ll figure it out. Knowing that she’s not afraid to go for what she wants in life brings me a great joy and a peace of mind.

I can admit, that at her age, I wasn’t so sure of myself or what I wanted in life. My life’s journey looks quite differently than hers. I’m proud of her and her accomplishments. And I continue to encourage and support her in her endeavors. But more than anything, my prayer, my encouragement and my counsel is that she pursues her relationship with God, as diligently as she pursues her goals in life.

I often remind her that she can gain the whole world and still lose her soul. And as much as it grieves me to think about it, I’d much rather her be a worldly failure and be a godly success. I want my child so see God in heaven above anything else in life. I love her enough, to not only want what’s best for her, but I want what’s blessed for her. She doesn’t have to have the Midas touch. I want her to have God’s touch. I want her life to manifest His glory.

I wanted to bless her and her new apartment, so I decided to give her these words of encouragement:

“I’m proud of you. Cooking and stuff. Got your own official 1st place. Make sure you keep your home a holy place and don’t allow demonic forces to dwell there. That’s always been one of my biggest missions for my home. We had/have peace! The only time we didn’t was when I allowed XXX into our lives. Him and all of his demons wreaked havoc in our home/lives. You make sure that you steward your life and your home in a way that pleases God. In the privacy of our own homes and behind closed doors is what separates many people from God and His covering. And make sure anyone you have in your home respect your standards and your values.”

I’m still her mother. And I’m still praying.

*Tressa Jo

There was an early chapter in my life when I had to except that my 1st marriage wasn’t going to last and I would be raising my child on my own. And in all honesty, I was more grieved for my child than I was for myself. I knew that I was broken, and had been since I was a teenager. I knew that I didn’t have in me to give her what I didn’t have–self-love, confidence and hope for my future. I wanted more for my child than I had in and for myself. And I’m not talking about stuff and materialism. I’m talking about what would be in her heart that would carry her through life. I wanted my child to make better decisions for her own life out of a healthy heart. At that point, I knew I couldn’t teach her how to do that.

When I was pregnant with her, I started my journey pursuing a relationship with God. I was consistent in attending church for the first time in my life. And for the first time, the preached Word was registering with me and ministering to my heart. Until then, the “preached Word” would get lost in translation in all the whooping and theatrics of a Sunday morning church experience.

But this time, in this season, things were different for me. I went to church looking for God; looking for healing; looking for hope. I was broken and broke down. I gave my life to God and obeyed the gospel of Christ when I was 7 months pregnant. However, it would be two hard years before I truly committed my life and my living to God. This was the best decision I ever made in my life!! I still had my struggles, but….

To be continued…

*Tressa Jo

Some of us desire Egypt (bondage to sin) because we’ve yet to develop an appetite for Canaan. Our relationship with God is based on what He does for us and what He gives us in this life. We crave blessings more than we crave the God of those blessings. Life is good when God is giving us all that we ask for. But when God says “no” or “not yet”, we revert to complaining and whining like ungrateful, spoiled children. We treat God like He’s a Shuga Daddy, instead of our Heavenly Father. We leave no room for God’s sovereignty or the fact the His will reigns over our own. Our every wish is supposed to be granted upon request. We haven’t understood or accepted that we can pray, but we don’t get to dictate how or if God answers our prayers.

We asked the Lord to feed us. He blessed us with manna. Now we’re complaining because we expect or prefer the meatpots and figs we had when we were in Egypt. Too spoiled to appreciate that we are still being fed! He didn’t have to give us that!

We will always struggle desiring to go back to Egypt or fail to appreciate Canaan, as long as we have a Canaan deficiency in our spiritual diet. You won’t crave what you won’t develop an appetite for. And truth be told, for way too many of us, the things of God are more like snacks and appetizers, but they’re not the main course. O, taste and see, that the Lord is good. What/Who are you really hungry for?!

*Tressa Jo

2 Thessalonians 3:5
May the Lord direct your heats into God’s love and Christ’s perseverance.

Let’s consider “exhorting” one another.

Exhort: strongly encourage or urge to do something.

In this season of Covid 19, we’re encouraged to wear mask, social distance and quarantine.

In this season of racial and social unrest, we’re encouraged to vote, march, protest and boycott.

The passion behind all of these exhortations or encouragements is motived by what’s for our greater good–what’s good right now and what’s good for later on.

It’s for your good to stay safe in this season of a pandemic.

It’s for your good to consider how you can affect social change in this country by voting, boycotting, etc.

All of these things are necessary.

But they’re manual, mechanical, carnal, fleshly and tangible.

Meaning, they can change things and circumstances, but they can’t necessarily change people or their hearts.

When Paul exhorts the Thessalonian church in 2 Thess 3:5, he gets beneath the surface of what we can manipulate, move or master externally or in the flesh.

He says, “direct your hearts into God’s love and Christ’s perseverance.”

Paul is addressing the part of us that’s not seen with the eye.

Paul is telling the church to direct their hearts and minds into God’s love and Christ’ perseverance.

In other words, focus on God’s love and on Jesus’ perseverance/endurance.

Why?

Why in the world would it even be necessary to tell a bunch of church folk to keep their minds on Jesus and God?

What was happening with the Thessalonian church that would provoke Paul to exhort them in such a manner?

Paul was writing the Thessalonian church to correct them in some doctrinal error.

According to 2 Thess 1, even though they had grown in love for one another and in faith, they still needed correction.

This is important to consider. Just because we’re maturing in our walk with the Lord, doesn’t mean we’re exempt from being corrected.

Considering our walk with the Lord is not something that can be perfected or completed in this life, We must understand that we always have the capacity to fall short at times and need correction—no matter how old or mature we are.

The Thessalonians were quitting their jobs and becoming slothful because they reasoned since Jesus was coming back soon, it wasn’t even necessary to keep on working and dealing with the burdens and struggles of life. They were just going to chill until Jesus came back.

So Paul wrote them to correct their faulty thinking and to encourage or exhort them to live responsibly in light of the fact that Jesus was coming back.

But before Paul encouraged or exhorted them in chapter 3, he spent some time affirming them in chapter 1. Then he corrected them in chapter 2.

· Paul affirmed them in what they were doing right in ch 1.

· He corrected them in what they were doing wrong in ch 2.

· Then encouraged them or exhorted them in what they needed to do in ch 3.

This is a representation and example of “balanced support”.

No one wants to be corrected all of the time without ever being affirmed.

Like I mentioned before, no one is so mature that they are exempt from being corrected when they’re wrong.

And if you only spend time encouraging or exhorting a person to do what they need to do, you may end up having them feel as though they can never do enough right or what they’re already doing is never enough.

So Paul’s balanced approach is a good example for us to follow.

We don’t want any of our efforts to support others to fall on deaf ears or be ineffective.

We don’t just want our words to be heard. We want them to be understood and received.

Therefore, as we walk in the Light of exhorting and encouraging one another, let’s make sure that our approach is balanced and always motivated by love, faith and concern for one another—and not motivated by frustration, criticism or contempt. This requires us to pay close attention to our own heart condition.

We all need encouragement. Especially in this season, with so much societal chaos going on.

But let’s stay humble and leave room for being affirmed and corrected as well.

· Even if you’re mature and maturing.

· Even if you’re faithful and committed.

· Even if you have love for others.

There will always be room for growth.

Now let’s zero in on what Paul was encouraging the Thessalonian Church to do.

2 Thess 3:5, Paul encouraged them to do 2 things:

· Direct your hearts into God’s love.

· Direct your hearts into Christ’s perseverance.

Observation: Paul is taking time to encourage the church, but he’s in need of some encouragement, himself.

2 Thess 3:2, Paul requested prayers that “we” may be delivered from the wicked and evil people.

2 Thess 3:3, Paul expressed that even though people are evil, people are wicked, and we need God to deliver us…The Lord is faithful and will strengthen you and protect you from the evil one.

Paul is including himself in needing prayers, as well as needing deliverance from evil and wicked people. Paul is including himself in the struggle.

This is important as well, because one way to turn people off, is to always have a “yall”, “them” and “they” approach. But never be in the number of those needing help, encouragement, instructions or correction, yourself. You must be willing to be part of the “we”.

Sidebar:
This is word for those of us that are considered strong Christians. We’re the ones that others seek for encouragement and support. We’re the ones that are always serving others. We’re the ones that are always ministering to and praying for others. Just like no one is exempt from needing correction, none of us are exempt from needing encouragement. You’re just as human as those you’re ministering to. It’s one thing to ask someone to pray for you. It something different to actually allow them to minister to you. You must stay humble enough to allow someone to get close enough to your hurt and struggle, to allow them to minister to you. God made us a family for a reason.

Let’s read 2 Thess 3:5 in the Message Version.

May the Master take you by the hand and lead you along the path of God’s love and Christ’s endurance.

How does being led in the paths of God’s love exhort us?

Love keeps us connected to God’s character and His heart.

1 Cor 14:1 Follow the way of love

1 Cor 13:1 without love, I am only a resounding gong or a clanging cymbal.

In other words, without love, you’re talking a whole lot, but ain’t saying nothing!

Love allows us to see people the way God does.

God’s love for us is not performance based. God’s love for us is in spite us. It’s in spite our sin. It’s in spite our inconsistency. God’s love wants what’s best for us even when we don’t have enough sense to want what’s best for ourselves.

God’s love is a place of refuge.

God’s love does for us what we can’t do for ourselves.

God’s love saved/s us.
God’s love justifies us.
God’s love sanctifies us.
God’s love glorifies us.

How does being led in the paths of Christ’s perseverance encourage us?

Because Jesus endured the cross and crucifixion, we don’t have to fight FOR the victory. We only fight FROM the victory!!

That’s great news! Jesus already won on our behalf! Our salvation is sealed in heaven because of what Jesus did on the cross for all those willing to answer His call of salvation. It’s not contingent upon what we do. Thank You Lord for that!

So the Word of God exhorts us to:

Don’t grow wearing in well doing.
Gal 6:9

Run with perseverance…
Heb 12:1

Phil 3:12-14
Not that I have already obtained all this, or have already arrived at my goal, but I press on to take hold of that for which Christ Jesus took hold of me.

Thank You, Lord for taking hold of me!
Thank You, Lord for sustaining me!
Thank You, Lord for affirming me!
Thank You, Lord for correcting me!
Thank You, Lord for exhorting me!

We ALL need to be encouraged as we strive to walk out our faith. It won’t always be easy, but it’s always worth it!

*Tressa Jo

For the single person, desiring marriage is honorable. However, it can also be out of order. Often times, the single person will seek to perfect themselves to qualify for the choicest prospective spouse. They present the best them in order to attract the best. They learn to talk right and act right. They perfect domestic or provisional abilities. They say, I’m preparing myself for the man/woman God has for me.

All the while, failing to remember the fact that God created you for His good pleasure; not your own or a spouse’s pleasure. God tells us in His word that He is a jealous God.

How do you think God feels when we put our best foot forward to be the best for another, but not Him? What do you think God thinks when we have more urgency to acquire and maintain romantic relationships, than we have to maintain a pleasing relationship with Him?

Have you ever had love and lost it? Do you remember how you felt? Did you cry? Did you lose any sleep? Were your minds consumed with thoughts of your lost love? God wants to ask you a few questions. Be honest in your assessment.

Do you have an out of order kind of affection or desire for romance?

God asks….
Have you ever cried when You didn’t hear from Me?
Have you ever lost your appetite when you felt disconnected from Me?
Have you ever lost any sleep waiting on Me to show you some love and affection?
Have you ever manipulated your schedule to make sure you were able to spend time with Me?
Am I really your #1 priority?

*Tressa Jo