OUR LONG-SUFFERING GOD!

THE LOVE OF GOD IS SEEN IN HIS

MERCY, GRACE, AND LONG-SUFFERING!

DEFINITION OF TERMS:
  
"Merciful"  -  Disposed to pity and to spare offenders.  Not giving what one deserves.
"Gracious"  -  Disposed to show kindness or favor.  Giving what one does not deserve.
"Long-suffering"  -  Patiently suffering the insufferable.  Merciful in delaying judgment; gracious in giving one time to repent.  Note:  One possible meaning is that God suffers (allows) mankind time to turn to Him.   Another is that God actually suffers agony over His rebellious creation; it is clear we can "grieve the Spirit" (Ephesians 4:30)!

EXAMPLES FROM GOD'S HOLY WORD:

Exodus 34:6 - And the LORD passed by before him, and proclaimed, The LORD, The LORD God, merciful and gracious, long-suffering, and abundant in goodness and truth....

Numbers 14:18 - The LORD is long-suffering, and of great mercy, forgiving iniquity and transgression....

Psalm 86:15 - But You, O Lord, are a God full of compassion, and gracious, long-suffering, and plenteous in mercy and truth.

Romans 2:4 - Do you despise the riches of His goodness and forbearance and long-suffering; not knowing that the goodness of God leads you to repentance?

Romans 9:22-24 - What if God, willing to show His wrath, and to make His power known, endured with much long-suffering the vessels of wrath fitted to destruction:  and that He might make known the riches of His glory on the vessels of mercy, which He had before prepared unto glory, even us, whom He has called, not of the Jews only, but also of the Gentiles?

1 Timothy 1:16 - Howbeit for this cause I obtained mercy, that in me first Jesus Christ might show forth all long-suffering, for a pattern to them which should hereafter believe on Him to life everlasting.

1 Peter 3:18-20 - For Christ also has once suffered for sins, the Just for the unjust, that He might bring us to God, being put to death in the flesh, but quickened (made alive again) by the Spirit:  by Whom also He went and preached unto the spirits in prison; who sometime were disobedient, when once the long-suffering of God waited in the days of Noah, while the ark was a preparing, wherein few, that is, eight souls were saved by water.

2 Peter 3:9, 13-15 - The Lord is not slack concerning His promise, as some men count slackness; but is long-suffering toward us, not willing that any should perish, but that all should come to repentance. . . . Nevertheless we, according to His promise, look for new heavens and a new earth, wherein dwells righteousness.  Wherefore, beloved, seeing that you look for such things, be diligent that you may be found of Him in peace, without spot, and blameless.  And account that the long-suffering of our Lord is salvation; even as our beloved brother Paul also according to the wisdom given unto him has written unto you....

WE ARE LIVING IN THE DAYS KNOWN AS THE END-TIMES!

GOD'S PATIENT ENDURANCE OF MAN'S REBELLION

WILL SOON END, AND HE WILL POUR OUT HIS WRATH!

TRUST IN JESUS CHRIST TODAY WHILE YOU STILL CAN!