BeyondSeeLevel

When Jonah fled on a ship to Tarshish, he brought something with him. He brought a storm. That storm was so intense that it affected every sailor on that ship. The sailors fought to keep the ship from sinking. They tossed cargo into the sea to lighten the load. But that didn’t work. Jonah confessed that the storm was his fault. He had disobeyed God. Neither tossing cargo overboard or Jonah’s confession calmed the storm. The storm became stronger and stronger and the sailors became desperate because they knew their lives were in jeopardy because Jonah was on the ship. They asked Jonah, “What should we do to you to make the sea calm down for us?” Jonah said, “Pick me up, and throw me into the sea, and then it will calm down. I know it is my fault that this great storm has come on you.” But even then, the sailors didn’t want to throw Jonah overboard. They tried to row the ship back to land, but they couldn’t. The sailors cried out to the Lord and eventually threw Jonah overboard to save their lives. The sea calmed. The storm was over. Their lives were no longer in jeopardy. Jonah was no longer in the boat.

The sailors on that ship came to realize what many of us have come to realize today. They realized that sometimes the drama in people’s lives become your drama when they get too close. Their storms become your storms. Jonah wasn’t a bad person. But he brought drama with him because of the choices and decisions he made that went against God’s commands.

Jonah confessed that he was the cause of the storm. But oftentimes, the people that come into our lives that bring trauma and drama won’t confess or even realize that they are the cause for so much chaos–not even when you tell them. Nevertheless, we have to make a decision whether or not to keep that person on our ship and risk our own demise or throw that person overboard.

This is why it is so important to use godly wisdom and discernment when allowing people into your lives and into your personal space. Because they don’t just bring themselves. They also bring energies, spirits and demonic influences. And when those energies, spirits and influences get close enough to you, they will attach themselves to you. Your entire world can be turned upside down. Not because you’re doing something wrong–but because you’ve allowed the wrong people into your life.

I once had a very significant relationship with an individual. I wanted this person in my life. But the relationship was abusive,toxic and dysfunctional. It seemed that every time I allowed this person into my life all hell would break loose. But as quick as they left, things would get better almost immediately. My peace would return. My stress would subside. My finances would improve. My overall life was better when they weren’t there. Eventually, I had to come to a realization and except that they were the reason for the storms in my life during that season. I remember the final conversation I had with this individual to close that chapter of my life. I told them that if I didn’t let them go, everyone in my ship would be destroyed.

Listen: You may have to tell someone, “Get off my ship!” to save your own life.

*Tressa Jo

In the Bible, the Rich Young Ruler asked Jesus what he needed to do to inherit the Kingdom of Heaven. Jesus told him to sell everything he had and give to the poor. The Rich Young Ruler became very sad because he had great possessions. Jesus then said that it was easier for a rich man to go through the eye of a needle than it was for a rich man to enter into the Kingdom of Heaven. Why? One lesson that we all have to learn in life is, the fact that anything we can do for ourselves–any strength that we have, has the ability to create in us a degree of pride that disables our willingness, ability or understanding of the magnitude of our need to trust God. Whatever we can do for ourselves, we don’t ask other people to do for us. Neither do we need other people to do for us. The Kingdom of Heaven is not flesh and blood. Therefore, if we don’t come into an understanding of our spiritual need for God, we never truly come into an understanding of what we actually need God for (everything). Neither do we pursue God for the things we can’t do for ourselves in the Spirit because we rely on our own strengths and abilities. This is why our flesh is our enemy. It’s seeks to keep us separate from a trusting relationship with God. True faith. Outside of faith and trusting God, it’s very possible to develop a pseudo relationship with God where we only seek Him to fix our situations, but we never come to a place where we humble ourselves enough to position ourselves for God to fix us. God extends His love and mercy towards us by allowing life’s strengths to fail us. Our physical health, our finances and our relationships–anything that gives us fleshy, wordly power and security. These are the things that our flesh innately rely on. It’s only when these things fail us that we seek a Higher Source. Which is actually The Source. All other things are resources. Make sure you don’t allow the blessings of God to become the very things that keep you separated from Him. Don’t put your trust in the blessings. Put your trust in God.

*Tressa Jo

Any concerned parent, grandparent or spouse will always want to make sure their loved one gets enough to eat. They know that having a good appetite is a good sign of good health. So whenever their loved one is not eating, they start wondering what’s wrong. Are they sick? Are they stressed or depressed about something? Why the loss of appetite?

If you’ve ever known someone to be diagnosed with a serious or terminal illness, if they stop eating, there’s cause for concern. Why? Because we know that in order for the body to be strong enough to function properly and get better, they need to eat. And you don’t just give them anything to eat. You give them what you know has the ability to give them the nutrients they need that promote good health.

Even the healthiest person needs to make sure they eat enough to maintain good health. As a matter of fact, having enough to eat and what a person eats, plays a major part in the quality of that person’s health.

Likewise, as we purpose to make sure we get enough to eat for our physical bodies, we must make sure that we get enough to eat for our spiritual bodies. The same can be said about our spiritual strengths and well-being when it’s not being fed enough. We get weaker, more susceptible to disease and injury. But we may not even realize just how weak we’ve become until life ushers in a series of hardships, struggles and troubles. We start to realize that we’ve been infecteded by the spiritual toxins around us. We know when we try to lift the loads of life and we find ourselves straining to bare the weight. We’re too weak. We start catching other people’s demon diseases when we thought we were immune. Our bones become frail, weak and pained. And what once gave us a strong, upright spiritual posture has now become ravaged with injuries and now has us walking with spiritual limps and crutches.

Consider, the spiritual meal you ate today. (If you ate at all). Understand that whatever feeds you will lead you. If the Spirit isn’t dominating what you consume (spiritual vs carnal) the Spirit can’t lead you. You’re weak. You’re malnourished. You’re susceptible to the enemies diseases and attacks with little to no strength to fight. And all it will take is a strong enough force from the enemy to crush your bones.

The enemy will always interfere with our pursuits for spiritual things. He doesn’t want us to study the Word of God or to pray. He knows that this is his kryptonite and our Popeye’s Spinach. It’s our power! It’s our strength. It’s the only Source we have that equips us for battle in spiritual warfare.

As children of God, we must make sure that we make Bible study and prayer a priority. We must also make sure that our work doesn’t take precedence over our worship. Mary understood this in Luke chaper 10. Martha was consumed with working in the presence of Jesus. But Mary was at the feet of Jesus listening to the words He spoke. She positioned herself to feast on the Word of God. She was making sure she got enough to eat.

Mary didn’t let the business of her surroundings pull her away from listening to Jesus. In verse 42 of Luke 10, Jesus says, “Mary has chosen what is better, and it will not be taken away from her.” Don’t let the work of ministry or the “preparation that need to be made” take you away from hearing the Word of God because that’s the only things that can’t be taken away from you.

*Tressa Jo

Saying “Thank You” is almost an automatic response for most people. “Thank You” is uttered to express appreciation for being the recipient of something; a compliment, a gift, assistance, etc. It’s simply me recognizing that you gave me something. But do you realize that saying “Thank You” is not the same as being “Thankful”. When you are “Thankful” you are full of Thanks. And whatever you are full of on the inside will somehow show up on the outside. Yes, your “thank you” recognizes that you are a recipient of something and it recognizes the one who has given you that something. But true “thankfulness” not only recognizes the recipient and the giver; true “thankfulness” recognizes the sacrifice and efforts of the giver. And that recognition is manifested in you making an effort to express some kind of effort or sacrifice in return.

We say “Thank You God” every day. But are we “Thankful”? Are we simply, recognizing the gift and the giver our gifts? Or are we recognizing the sacrifice? If you are recognizing the sacrifice, are you compelled to make sacrifices in return? Or are you comfortable always being the recipient, but never compelled to be the giver?

Christ died “for” my sin. Thank You, Jesus. I will die “to” my sin.

Christ forgave me of my sin. Thank You, Jesus. I will forgive others.

Christ looked beyond my faults and saw my need knowing that I didn’t deserve it. Thank You, Jesus. I will be patient, loving, long-suffering toward others and consider their needs, even knowing that they don’t deserve it.

Christ “gave” His life for me. Thank You, Jesus. I will deny myself and give my life for Him.

The Sacrifice
John 3:16 For God so loved the world that he gave his one and only Son, that whoever believes in him shall not perish but have eternal life.

Thankfulness
Luke 9:23 And he said to them all, If any man will come after me, let him deny himself, and take up his cross daily, and follow me.

Don’t just say “Thank You”. Be thankful.

*Tressa Jo

I’VE BEEN THERE FOR EVERYBODY ELSE. WHAT ABOUT ME?!

Some of us are killing ourselves trying to figure out who loves us. Who loves us enough to make a big deal out of us when we’re hurting? We’ve served, saved and rescued everybody in our circle of love. We’ve given. We’ve sacrifice. We’ve had sleepless nights. We’ve poured out of ourselves and into others so much, that we’ve given everybody what they needed. But no one gave us what we needed. Our wells are dry. Our tires are flat. Our tanks are empty. And now we find ourselves looking for someone to show us some love. To make a big deal about us and what we need for a change. To run to our aide. To prove to us that we matter too. But guess what? No one is coming for that. No one is coming around to give to us. They’re still coming to get. To receive. To be helped. To be rescued. But it hurts too much to accept the fact that after all we’ve done for them, after all the love without expectations, that they don’t/can’t love us enough to reciprocate the magnitude of sacrifice we’ve made for them. Not even in our time of need. Not even in our sickness. Not even in our suffering. They don’t even have the capacity to see beyond our strengths to see our need.

So we have a decision to make. Do we keep struggling, stay sick, keep hurting in wait to see who cares? Who wants to help us? Who loves us the way we love them? Who will step up? Do we keep running the risk of dying trying to prove what isn’t our responsibility to prove? You’ve proven your love for them. You don’t have to prove their love for you too! I had to learn myself the hard way. You have to consider yourself, even if no one else does. Because you matter! You matter! You matter! They don’t have to see that. But you need to see it! And when you do, it’ll change how you place yourself in the lives of the ones you love. You’ll realize that your place is to help, not save. Assist, not carry. Advise, not do. Pray for them, not provide for them. Lead them to God, not become their god. You learn that you were never meant to be for them what only God is supposed to be for them. So, sometimes you realize that if you don’t get off the boat, everyone in it will sink. Everybody will sink because you’re too tired to paddle, and they never had to learn how to paddle. So please hear me…. You matter enough to say no. You matter enough to stop. You matter enough to leave. You matter enough to take time to heal. You matter enough to stop trying to give on the fumes of an empty tank. And as much as it hurts that they won’t come to your rescue during your time of need, you have to remember that God loves you and cares enough about you to make a big deal about you. His love for you is so deep that He died for you to prove His love for you. But you don’t have to die to prove your love for anyone. Take care of yourself!

*Tressa Jo

A man ought not to cover his head, since he is the image and glory of God; but woman is the glory of man. For man did not come from woman, but woman from man; neither was man created for woman, but woman for man. It is for this reason that a woman ought to have authority over her own head, because of the angels. Nevertheless, in the Lord woman is not independent of man, nor is man independent of woman. For as woman came from man, so also man is born of woman. But everything comes from God. – 1 Corinthians 11:7-12

One of the most relational and marital defeating mentalities is that we don’t need one another. We just want one another. The world teaches us not to need a man; not to need a woman. Just want one enough to be willing to commit to. But from Genesis, the Bible shows us the necessity of woman and man coming together to manifest design, purpose, calling and ministry. Discovering why you need someone in your life doesn’t make you needy or thirsty. It’s makes you understand your piece in a bigger puzzle fashioned for Divine purpose. This isn’t just limited to romantic relationships. It’s evident in every area of life why there’s a major need for the presence of both women and men to come together, to connect and to collaborate. In families. In churches. In schools. In government. In medicine. Etc.

And it’s really unfortunate because the world constantly tells you to make sure you don’t need a man or a woman in your life. But the Bible clearly shows us that we actually need one another. God created us this way. And instead of us developing relationships from a biblical perspective, understanding fully how God designed us to need one another in order to fulfill Divine purpose, we are constantly trying to figure out why we don’t need each other. And we’re constantly told to build ourselves up as much as possible so that we won’t actually need the person we commit to. Just want them. But you’re not supposed to need them. And in doing so, instead of us building relationships that understand and value the significance of the individual that God has placed in our lives, we build on a matrimonial arrangement that’s pleasure, play and plan driven. But we never truly embrace the reality that marriage also comes with pain, problems and purpose that we are assigned to steward toward healing. And we never embrace that fact that God has positioned this person in your life to help bring you to another level of God glorification.

It’s wonderful to discover why God places your spouse in your life. Understand, it’s not always about what they give you in every season. Sometimes, it’s about what they bring out of you. Sometimes it’s about what you bringing out of them. The good, bad and the ugly.

I once heard “Marriage isn’t purposed to make you happy. It’s purposed to make you holy.” I 💯 cosign. Marriage is a personal assignment to ministry. God calls us to minister to our spouses. And he calls our spouses to minister to us. In order to minister to your spouse, it requires you to learn your spouse’s needs, look beyond their faults to see their needs, deny yourself, get over yourself, sacrifice and serve. It even requires you not to abandon one another when you discover the true depths of one another’s issues and brokenness. One brother said “Don’t complian about what you’ve been assigned to heal.” I’m not implying that you have to take abuse. I’m simply saying that part of marriage is embracing one another’s ugly, not just their beauty. Know that your needs (and your spouse’s) can change from season to season.

When I consider my own heart issues and strengths, I realize why God assigned me to my husband. And why He assigned him to me. It’s a beautiful three-piece puzzle for Divine purpose. My husband, me and God. We are intentional about ministering to one another’s broken places and serving one another. We don’t get frustrated  with one another because we aren’t perfect or where we need to be in every area of our lives. But we extend patience as we grow as individuals and as we grow as husband and wife. And we’re committed to helping one another get there.

As we commit to being who God has called us to be, we become more like Him in the process. This is why it makes us holy and not just happy. It’s not always easy. But it’s always worth it. Understanding that we are “not independent of one another” is key. God brought THIS woman together with THIS man for a reason. And if you can’t see the reason, pray that God reveals it to you. But just as diligent as you are in asking God to help you understand why y’all are together, ask Him to help you walk in your assignment in your spouse’s life. You’d be surprised how that can shift the direction of your entire marriage. For your growth and God’s glory. ❤️

I need you. 🎶 You need me. 🎶

*Tressa Jo

Every now and then I find myself unintentionally disconnecting from everyone and everything around me. I don’t ignore who’s around me. I just don’t initiate much engagement with who’s around me. I enter into my “Quiet Place”. I’m not being antisocial. I’m being intersocial. Whenever I enter into my Quiet Place it’s me trying to hear God’s voice. It’s usually when I’m trying to hear the “why” to my “what”. I’m asking God for answers to questions; for guidance; for wisdom; for understanding; for help. I’m desperate to hear Him so I get very quiet and still in my spirit so I don’t miss when He speaks.

From the outside looking in, my Quiet Place may make me seem to be troubled at times. I’m not my usual self (whatever that is). But nothing’s wrong. I’m just searching. I’m in a constant, ongoing interaction with God in my spirit. It’s slow and intentional. And even mystical at times because all I have to offer is question after question. And He speaks. But He doesn’t speak loud. He whispers to me. And at first, I can’t hear Him. But I know He’s speaking to me. Even His whispers are intentional. He whispers and if I want to hear Him, I have to get closer to Him. I have to engulf myself in all things spiritual. I read spiritual. I sing spiritual. I talk spiritual. All of my input is spiritual.

I can’t imagine how many times I’ve missed out on hearing God’s voice because I wouldn’t be quiet long enough to hear Him. Or I wouldn’t tune out what was going on around me long enough to hear God’s voice. Too many distractions. Too many noises. How many times have I prayed but didn’t listen to what God had to say? Because God always has a response whether we like it or not.

Often times, Jesus would go off by Himself to pray. He would go to His Quiet Place. Away from the hustle and bustle. Away from all the surrounding noises. Away from any distractions. Away from everybody. All to speak to the Father, to hear His voice and to feel His presence.

It’s a beautiful thing when God invites you into a Quiet Place. Quiet Places are where we have encounters with God. And those encounters always leave you different and changed. Because you can’t come into the presence of God and leave unchanged.

A Quiet Place is so much more than an experience with the Lord. As Christians, we have religious experiences all the time. But encounters with Jesus happen in Quiet Places. My Quiet Place is me looking for an encounter with God.

*Tressa Jo

New Mission…New Mind…New Living

Many of us have resolved within ourselves to change or stop some unhealthy, unprofitable and unproductive behaviors/habits.
We will adjust, rearrange and shift somethings around in order to accomplish this.

We’ll stop going to that place.
We’ll stop hanging out with that person.
We’ll stop watching or listening to those/that.
We’ll stop smoking or drinking this/that.
We’ll X instead of Y.
The list goes on & on….

But in order for us to be consistently successful, we have to do more than modify our behaviors.There has to be a transformation of our minds. Otherwise, we’ll only make a switch, but we won’t make a change.

Many will struggle with this process because the appetites of our flesh dominate us. (perhaps not in all areas of our lives, but in certain areas of our lives).

The Bible teaches us that the flesh wars against the spirit.

You can not fix a spiritual problem making a physical sacrifice.

Switching up what we do is just a temporary manipulation of the flesh. But in order to produce some stick-to-it-ness you must have a different mind. Not just a new mind, but a transformed mind. Having a transformed mind is the result of submitting to a God-shapening process, not just an independent decision to do something different.

Having a transformed mind will give you new appetites. New appetites will give you new behaviors and new habits.

The only way to do this is to allow God to transform your mind by the transforming power of His word. He will plant His seed in your spirit that will bring forth fruit of its own kind. You may not see it at first. But before you see the evidence, trust that a work/growth is going on underground. Keep planting and keep watering the seed that God places in your spirit. In due season, you will see growth.

This is His process. Plant a God seed, get a God fruit.

*Tressa Jo

Being disappointed by people will cause to you separate yourself from them. But pride will lead you to stay away from them. No man is an island. You will need people. Sometimes you have to humble yourself to ask those that agitate you to help you. Disappointment may have caused your disconnect. But don’t let pride cause your deterioration.

It’s not about being at a level. And I definitely haven’t mastered it myself. I think it’s more about self awareness and realizing that, as humans, we have the propensity to take the shape of our wounds. In essence, we conform to them and allow hurt to shape who we become. It’s an intentional discipline imo. Not easy or natural at all. It’s natural and makes a whole lot of sense for us to want to disconnect from what disappoints us. But we have to always strive to be constantly self aware and test our own spirits so that our hurts don’t bring us into a place of sin/pride. The enemy is always attempting to use our hurts against us. So we have to pay close attention to ourselves when we are hurt, wronged or disappointed by others. Sometimes, we have to realize that our disappointments with others can cause us to separate ourselves from them as a defense mechanism. It’s easier to remove them out of our lives to avoid any more disappointment than it is for us to look beyond their faults to see their needs or to adjust our expectations of them, understanding that you can’t expect to draw water from empty wells. Sometimes, the defense mechanism of having “the gift of goodbye”, as some say, removes our God appointed opportunities for next level spiritual growth and development. I definitely believe in self care and self preservation. But disconnecting from everyone that troubles you may not be effective or conducive to personal growth in the long run. This is why it requires much prayer and petition of the Lord. It’s never just about how you deal with the other person. But it’s always about how you deal.

*Tressa Jo

Many don’t believe they’re affected by social toxins. All things are spiritual. Even if we don’t duplicate the sins depicted in songs, shows, books or movies, seeds are still being planted in our spirits. We should love what God loves and hate what God hates. But when those seeds are planted in our spirits, we develop a tolerance or a desensitization to what we should vehemently be against, simply because God is against it. Satan repackages sin. Offers it to us. And we take the bait. We call it entertainment, recreation, relaxation or whatever. Satan holas……got em! Satan knows that whatever we see as ok in any light (even if it’s only for our entertainment) we won’t have a sense of urgency to stand against. We lose our proactive power. We reduce ourselves to being reactive. We don’t speak up against certain sins until they meet us at our front steps. That adulterous character won’t be an issue until our significant other starts to tip out on us. Then we become sensitive to unfaithfulness. That funny crack head will always be funny until our loved one is strung out out drugs. We’ll just watch and shake our heads at that wayward teen until ours get pregnant or thugs out. Or that promiscuous single person living their life to the fullest, until your son or daughter brings home a baby or an STD. Or our favorite character is that flamboyant homosexual that makes us laugh so hard. Then we wonder why our children gravitate toward all these lifestyles even when we teach them they’re sinful. Maybe we can help by not being entertained by these lifestyles. I know many of the story lines are realistic. But we have to be mindful of what’s real entertainment and what’s satanic exploitation. When will we be able to be entertained by pictures of righteousness? Better yet, when will we desire to be entertained by pictures of righteousness? Are we really as spiritual as we say or think we are?

Tressa Jo