Is Your FAITH Dead or Alive? ( KEEP LEAPING!! )

Pretty Blunt right? Just bare with me for a moment. I was never ever good at math but this is one equation we all need. One formula I never want to forget. LOVING GOD IS EQUAL TO OBEYING GOD IS EQUAL TO ABIDING IN HIM IS EQUAL TO ALIVE AND ACTIVE FAITH. ( Love + Obedience + Abiding in Him = Active Faith )

What exactly is it to Abide in Him? What does that really mean? Here are many of the definitions of the word Abide: to act in accordance with, to obey, to observe, to follow, stick to, uphold, heed to, stand by, respect. So, how do we do all of these things to such a Big and Omnipresent Father? Creator of the Universe, Alpha and Omega, Beginning and the End? King of all Kings, and Lord of all lords? We can spend time in His presence….Yes ( He does want intimate relationship with you ) We can worship and Glorify His name…Yes ( He loves a Worshiping Heart like David, one who is Free in their worship ) We can pray with a grateful heart and Seek His heart with our whole heart…Yes

But to truly Abide in HIM, is to MEDITATE on His Word. John 1:1 “In the beginning was the Word, the Word was with God, and the Word was God,” Meditating on His Word Day and Night by “ LEANING INTO IT” ( Anticipating what He will Speak to us, having an Expectant heart ). The Holy Spirit lead me to say this right in this very moment but John 3:3 says, “ You must be born again to enter the Kingdom of Heaven.” And to read his word before doing that is like reading any other book. Your heart needs to be softened and pliable in order for the hands of God to mold you into what He has actually created you for through His Word. But you will need His Holy Spirit to guide you, lead you, bring your understanding. It never ceases to amaze me how many meanings a verse can take on in different seasons of your life. The Word never gets old, it never becomes stale. Like watching your favorite movie 8x by then it gets a little boring , you know what to expect, you know how it all ends. But with HIS WORD, it only gets more exciting. It is the actual Breathing and Living Word of God. He and His Word are 1.

Now if you are starting with 5 - 10 minutes a day, then that’s amazing and a great place to start. I pray that God take that seed, and bears fruit with it to only stir IN YOU a Deeper Hunger for Him and His Word.

I actually spent years under the Word. My mother was a Pastor since I was 2, She was a Fire Cat for Jesus to say the least. For years I loved God and thought I knew Him, BUT I didn’t, not really. I realized after so many bad choices and going down so many dead end roads, selfish roads, that someone who just goes to church on a Sunday, or someone who isn’t willing to obey or let go of “MY WAY” of doing things Does Not Know God Period! I believe my heart was distant from His heart because I never got into His Word for myself. Now don’t get me wrong, there is absolutely power in Listening to His Word being taught and I believe and know with every fiber of my being that it is all those years of sitting under His word that actually brought me back to Him.

But I never granted my mind the opportunity of being “RENEWED”. Romans 12:2 “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.” (NIV)

At first, it may seem overwhelming, but never let that Stop you! Just Dive right in. If its 5-10 minutes a day, then that s a great place to start, but not to stay. He wants more of you and your undivided attention, so He can give and reveal more of Himself to you. John 15:4-5 “ Remain in me, as I also remain in you. No branch can bear fruit by itself; it must remain in the vine. Neither can you bear fruit unless you remain in me. ‘I am the vine; you are the branches. If you remain in me and I in you, you will bear much fruit; apart from me you can do nothing.” (NIV)

Now that is Active Faith! You are trusting His voice and you go to His Word to hear from Him. I ask you to pray if you already don’t before opening your Bible or getting on the App. Ask the Holy Spirit ti time and brung you a fresh understanding. God knows exactly where you are with Him. He knows your thoughts, and the exact situation you may be dealing with internally or externally. He knows your ambitions, hearts desires, and even your wildest dreams. If they line up with His Word and His Will for your life, I genuinely believe God is actually the one who placed those very desires on your heart. But remember, to do anything separate from Him is not faith, YET to have Faith that is not in motion or action is Dead Faith. Look to James 2:17 for this.

James 2:22 says “ You see that his faith and his actions were working together, and his faith was made complete by what he did. “

Your faith is then made complete. I mean think about that for a minute. How powerful of a statement is that. To have Complete Faith , and yet with our Lord that is only the beginning…. its only a Breeding ground for ore faith and more opportunities to come your way to grow, build, exercise that faith and take leaps. Keep leaping towards your God given purpose here on earth. Keep leaping towards those Big Dreams, and towards the small whispers even that He speaks to you in the morning with your children, or a business decision, or with a Big move that you can’t seem to decide on. Maybe even reaching out to an old friend or family member you haven’t spoken to in a while. Just keep Leaping! Keep Believing! He is a big and Sovereign God but He also sees YOU. The person you are the hurts you have and the dreams you carry. I pray right now that this encourages you! Lean into Him. Lean into His Word. Keep your Faith Active and Alive!!

Kinder Ruth,

@kinderruthsuzanna

@dreamscollect_