Put on Longsuffering

In this most Holy Season, this is not what we would normally think about – “Longsuffering!”  Yet “Longsuffering” is seen in Scripture pertaining to God and to Christ.  Even since the days of Noah, God Himself has experienced Longsuffering! As Noah was preparing the Ark, God waited in Expectation of Saving His people. In the case of Noah, saving them from the flood was a symbol of bringing Salvation through His Son, the Lord Jesus Christ. In Num. 34, God again is shown as Longsuffering; In this Old Testament Passage of Scripture God is dealing with the disobedience of the Israelites while they were in the wilderness. Vs 17-21 – We hear: “I beseech thee, let the power of my Lord be great, according as thou hast spoken, saying, The Lord is Longsuffering, and of great Mercy, forgiving iniquity and transgression … And the Lord said, I have pardoned according to thy Word: As truly as I live, all the earth shall be filled with the Glory of the Lord.” How awesome is the Word of the Lord!  God embraced Suffering at great length as He waited for all people to come to the Saving knowledge of His Son overcoming death, hell, and the grave!  Sometimes we forget the grief in the heart of God to send His Only Begotten Son to die for mankind.  God is a Spirit and we must worship Him in Spirit and Truth.  Longsuffering is a “fruit of the Spirit of God!” With the ‘Joy of Salvation came the Suffering of our Saviour!’ We are challenged and called by God’s Word in Eph. 4:1-2 “…I beseech you that ye walk worthy of the vocation wherewith ye are called, With all lowliness and meekness, with Longsuffering, forbearing one another in love;” Again we hear in Scripture: Col. 1:10-11 “That ye might walk worthy of the Lord unto all pleasing, being Fruitful in every good work, and increasing in the knowledge of God; Strengthened with all might, according to His Glorious Power, unto all patience and Longsuffering with Joyfulness; Longsuffering has everything to do with the Lord’s Birth, You can read the Book of Hebrews where it over and over talks about the Jesus’ suffering – talk about Long suffering; Heb. 9:26“For then must Jesus often have suffered since the foundation of the world: but now once in the end of the world hath He appeared to put away sin by the Sacrifice of Himself.  This is the season of Jesus Birth, but we have received so much more in His death and Resurrection!  His Gift to us is Eternal Life!  O Jesus we Exalt You and Glorify Your Holy Name! There is Great Expectation that You are coming in the clouds of heaven to bring us unto Yourself!     Loving you, Pastor MERRY  CHRISTMAS  TO ALL AND A JOYOUS NEW YEAR!