Now Faith for a New Year

We end of our “Now Faith” series on this first day of the New Year. I pray we have been challenged to a fresh conviction of faith based on the characteristics of God. An unfailing faith moored in an unfailing God, unshaken by circumstances. Immovable. The kind of faith that changes our lives and the lives of those around us.What better way to start 2014?Let’s get right to our final three characteristics of God, starting with I:

God is invisible.

What is invisible to us, is visible to Him, and even when we can’t see what He sees and can’t see that He’s doing anything at all, we can know He is still doing. He is our omnipresent overcomer – everywhere, all the time, seeing all things – whether we’re privy to the details of His activities or not.This is where we walk by faith, not by sight (2 Corinthians 5:7), especially in light of Hebrews 11:6, which tells us "without faith it is impossible to please Him, for he who comes to God must believe that He is, and that He is a rewarder of those who diligently seek Him.”Whether we “see” Him or not, we can know His character, and we can believe Him because He is totally trustworthy, which is our T.

God is trustworthy.

Even when everything all around us looks impossible and God’s plan is hard, we can trust it is best, knowing His hard IS our easy.The easiest thing will always be to trust Him and yield to His will.No matter what God reveals or asks, and no matter what obstacles and objections you have in the natural, I want to encourage you with Moses’ words to the Israelites as they stood before the Red Sea with Pharaoh’s army closing in behind them:

Do not be afraid. Stand still, and see the salvation of the LORD, which He will accomplish for you today…The LORD will fight for you, and you shall hold your peace (Exodus 14:13-14).

The cloud before them moved behind them and became a light by night to the Israelites and a cloud and darkness to their enemy. God supernaturally obstructed the enemy’s access to His people as He parted the Red Sea, delivering His people on dry land and wiping out Pharaoh’s army and chariots behind them.THIS is the God we serve! THIS is the God of our Vision Provision!He alone can be trusted because His ways are higher, which is our H:

God is higher!

In Isaiah 55:8-9, God pointedly establishes His sovereignty: “’My thoughts are not your thoughts, nor are your ways My ways,’ says the LORD. ‘For as the heavens are higher than the earth, so are My ways higher than your ways, and My thoughts than your thoughts.’"God is Sovereign.He is God.We don’t get to question Him."Woe to him who strives with his Maker!” Isaiah 45:9 challenges. “Shall the clay say to him who forms it, 'What are you making?’"We don’t get to decide how or what He does.In 2004, my mother unexpectedly died from a cerebral hemorrhage caused by cancer. There was no warning. No advanced notice. We didn’t even know she was sick.I didn’t understand, but it didn’t change who God is and the fact that I could trust Him. And honestly, it catapulted my faith to a whole new level.As deep as my grief went, He went deeper. When sorrow overcame me, and no one could help, God was tangibly there. I experienced how real God is in our most difficult times. Not only that, but through my mom’s death, God made it possible for us to start home schooling and for James to change careers. I would never choose to lose my mom in order to gain those things, but I see now it was all part of His plan to bring about His vision for our lives.God’s ways are higher, and we get to come alongside Him and obey, becoming wholly or entirely His because of who HE is and His character.When we resist and rebel, we’re the ones who miss out. We cry out to Him about the desires of our hearts and the problems that plague us, and yet we refuse to do what He tells us to do.We resist His best for our better and get swept away by the empty deceit of the world’s ways.We can’t afford that style of living!As we approach the New Year, will you make a resolution with me? I’m not much of a resolution maker, but let’s engage in a little positive peer pressure: I will if you will!Let’s know God’s words and live them out with Now Faith, remembering:

God is notable. He will get our attention.

He is our overcomer – omnipotent, omniscient, and omnipresent. He will make a way to achieve His purposes.

He is wise, and His ways are best.

He is faithful, always.

He is able, always.

He is invisible, but He sees all and is always at work.

He is trustworthy.

His ways are always higher.

Lord, because of who You are and Your character, we commit to do whatever You ask with NOW FAITH! We trust Your vision provision and fully surrender to Your best as we become more wholly Yours today and in the New Year.To read this entire series, see below:

God's Vision Comes with His Provision

God Is Our Overcomer

God Is Wise and We Are Not

God Is Faithful and Able, Even When We Are Not

NOW Faith for a New Year