It’s up to God and it’s up to You
This morning while shaving my head, and simultaneously meditating and talking to God like I do, I had a revelation.
I want to share it because what applies to me also applies to you.
You see, I have a stronger work ethic than most; granted I have the advantage of doing what I was called to do for a living, but I do work hard.
It’s a big advantage.
But I also know that all of my hard work means nothing unless God blesses my labor.
I’ve worked hard and not had the blessing to reap what I sow.
Fortunately, I often have the experience where I do too.
I believe the difference is the blessing of God.
When God has His hand of favor upon me, I reap what I sow.
I find this is more true, by the way, the more i am living right.
So far, this message doesn’t seem too revolutionary I know.
Other than that fact, I am also aware that, if you don’t believe, you have probably already dismissed what I’ve said and what I’m going to say next.
And that’s OK. Everyone has the right to their own beliefs, and I am only sharing what I believe, and my own revelation, in the hopes that some of it may be useful to some of you.
And now here’s the other half of the revelation…
I have also noticed that God is much more inclined to bless when we do our part.
He’ll send the rain, but He wants you to plant the seed.
And when we not only plant it, but also make sure to do so in fertile ground, and sow that soil, and protect it from insects and predators…
God is even more likely to bless our labor, so that we reap what we sow.
I’ve noticed all of this in my own life and in scripture too.
Notice that David didn’t just pray about the giant; he fought him with his sling and stones and killed him.
God gave Joshua strange direction at Jericho, but he still made him (and his followers) do something:
3 Walk around the city. Have all the men of war go around the city once. Do this for six days. 4 Seven religious leaders will carry seven rams’ horns. They will walk in front of the special box of the agreement. Then on the seventh day you will walk around the city seven times. And the religious leaders will blow horns. 5 When you hear the long sound of the ram’s horn, all the people should call out with a loud noise. The wall of the city will fall to the ground. And then all the people will all go in the city.”
Joshua 6:3-5
And they did, and the wall did- obviously God did.
God clearly handed them that victory.
Sometimes He makes it obvious that He was the one who delivered the victory, lest we get too proud and think it was we.
But He always wants to see us do something…..
I am always moved by the story of the paralyzed man that Jesus heals at Bethesda; again, He heals the man, but also tells him what he must do to claim that blessing.
5 After this there was a feast of the Jews, and Jesus went up to Jerusalem. 2 Now there is in Jerusalem by the Sheep Gate a pool, which is called in Hebrew, [a]Bethesda, having five porches. 3 In these lay a great multitude of sick people, blind, lame, [b]paralyzed, [c]waiting for the moving of the water. 4 For an angel went down at a certain time into the pool and stirred up the water; then whoever stepped in first, after the stirring of the water, was made well of whatever disease he had. 5 Now a certain man was there who had an infirmity thirty-eight years. 6 When Jesus saw him lying there, and knew that he already had been in that condition a long time, He said to him, “Do you want to be made well?”
7 The sick man answered Him, “Sir, I have no man to put me into the pool when the water is stirred up; but while I am coming, another steps down before me.”
8 Jesus said to him, “Rise, take up your bed and walk.” 9 And immediately the man was made well, took up his bed, and walked.
John 5:1-9
it is quite amazing and I think very refective of the self defeating prophechies that some allow themselves to love in. Even if you don’t believe that Jesus was God, the lesson in this scence is powerful.
and if you do believe, as i do; you’ll cry. i just did again.
I could of course go on and on with the Biblical examples, and I could share so many from my own life too.
But in the interest of keeping you, I’ll get to my point.
My revelation was that it’s up to God and it’s up to you.
While praying, see what you can and should do.
In the words of some old-school, cliche I remember, “God helps those that help themselves”, and in a newer one:
“pray as if it’s up to God and work as if it’s up to you”.
I believe that we should use all of our gifts towards a worthy calling, and that we should work hard too.
And then we wait for the rain.
That’s the part only God can do.
Prepare To Live; Empower To Lead!
Grand Master Stephen J. Del Castillo
Founding Master Instructor, Krav Maga Martial Arts
TampaKravMaga.com
Author of Developing Your Superpowers Meditations On Mastery Vol One
Check out the Meditations On Mastery Blog and Podcast too!
———————————————————————————————————————-
TampaKravMaga.com and Krav Maga Martial Arts have been empowering lives through the martial arts in the Tampa Bay area for 20 years!
Founded in 2000 by Grandmaster Stephen J. Del Castillo, a 7th degree Black Belt and Sr. Master Instructor, Krav Maga Martial Arts and Karate lessons for pre-school children ages 3-6 and elementary age kids ages 7 and up are designed to develop the critical building blocks kids need – specialized for their age group – for school excellence and later success in life.
Krav Maga Martial Arts Adult Krav Maga training is a complete adult self defense, fitness, and conditioning program for adults who want to learn real world self defense, lose weight, and/or get (and stay in shape).
If you have any questions about our program, or would like to go ahead redeem your 2 weeks FREE, you can call us anytime at 813-547-6368 or visit our Krav Maga Martial Arts website.
About Grandmaster Stephen J. Del Castillo: Grandmaster Del Castillo is the founding Master Instructor of Krav Maga Martial Arts and has been empowering lives in Pasco and Hillsborough Counties since October of 2000. He is a 7th degree Blackbelt, MBA, author, mentor and success coach, a US Army Veteran and a proud father and grandfather. He is married to Ms. Barbara Del Castillo who helps him run the school. Grand Master Del Castillo began his training in the early 80’s and has high level blackbelts in Tae Kwon Do, Karate, Premier Martial Arts and Krav Maga Martial Arts as well as experience in kickboxing, Jeet Kune Do and Jiujitsu. He has high level instructor certifications from BBSI, IKMF, and KMG and has been featured in numerous Martial Arts publications and also Success magazine. He was a competitive sport karate and American Kickboxing instructor until he enlisted in the US Army where he served in the 82nd Airborne Division, where he won an Army Green to Gold scholarship and proceeded to ROTC and the University of Tampa. He was commisioned in 1992 and went on to serve in Germany with the 3rd Infantry Division and then in several other posts in the US until he left military service to pursue his dream of creating KMMA in 2000.
The Krav MagaMartial Arts Headquarters is in Lutz, FL at 1900 Land O’ Lakes Blvd., 33549. Krav Maga Martial Arts serves Lutz, Land O’ Lakes, Wesley Chapel, and surrounding areas.
Also, check us out on Fun4TampaKids & on Go2Karate.com