IF IT IS TO BE, IT IS UP TO ME

I wrote a blog last week entitled “God’s Conditional Promises”, this blog caused quite a response. This blog today is a further development of this very important truth. Just this morning I was meditating on James 4:8 NKJV
DRAW NEAR TO GOD AND HE WILL DRAW NEAR TO YOU..    Do you see the condition, we must first draw near, then James says, God will draw near to us. I love the Message Bible that says “Say a quiet yes to God, and He’ll be there in time”.  Sometimes all we may feel we can do is utter a quiet yes, and God sees our heart, and quickly draws near, isn’t our God awesome.
Phil. 2:12b NKJV WORK OUT YOUR SALVATION WITH FEAR AND TREMBLING.  We must NEVER take our salvation for granted, God has done His part, now we must do our part. again the message Bible says, Better yet, redouble your efforts, be energetic in your life of salvation, reverent and sensitive before God. v.13 That energy is God’s energy (that He will give us) an energy deep within you, God Himself willing and working at what will give Him the most pleasure. We do our part, God will do His part.
Phil. 3:14 NKJV I PRESS TOWARD THE GOAL FOR THE PRIZE OF THE UPWARD CALL OF GOD IN CHRIST JESUS. The word “press” is a doing word. You must never say, “well I am saved that is good enough” it isn’t, we must consciously continually make the decision never to relax, but keep on pressing on. Again the Message Bible says, I am off and running and I’m not turning back”.  Make this the determined attitude of your heart.
Now hear the words of Jesus Matt. 6:33 NKJV BUT SEEK FIRST THE KINGDOM OF GOD AND HIS RIGHTEOUSNESS, AND ALL THESE THINGS WILL BE ADDED TO YOU. The Psalmist days “Delight yourself in the Lord and He will give you the desires of your heart”.  What is Jesus saying here. Make  the seeking and knowing of  God your number one priority, and let the righteousness of God that has been imputed into you be your daily outworked experience, as you do your part, then God will meet all your needs (and more).
My title says, “If it is to be, it is up to me”  each of the 4 scriptures I have shared this morning we first must do our part, then God promises to do His part. We must do what we can do, and God will do what we cannot do.
Let this awesome truth, not just be information to us, but let it become more and more a revelation to us. It would be nice to simply relax, and there is that sense that we must learn to live in the “Sabbath rest” mentioned by the writer to Hebrews, but we have an enemy that wants to rob us of present and future blessing. We mudt learn to do our part from a position of trust and rest.
I encourage you even today to  make the decision that by God’s grace you will  do your part, for we are GUARANTEED that God will do His part.