Psalm 103:9
In Psalm 103:9 we read: "He will not always chide: neither will He keep His anger forever." To chide is to utter words of reproof, scold or contend. Oh yes He warns and instructs us in His Word and by His Spirit, but He does not haggle.
God, being love and loving His own with an unconditional love, does not keep His anger forever. When he does see fit to discipline us, He does it out of love and for our good, and not out of revenge.
By way of example, God, in sovereign grace, chose Israel as His people and made a great nation out of them. But when they would no longer walk with Him, He disciplined them by allowing them to become captives. Even today they are not what God wants them to be, but prophecy reveals they will come into their own in the future. Yes, we can anger God, but He does not keep His anger forever.
In verse 10 we see a great truth that should cause us to praise Him: "He has not dealt with us after our sins; nor rewarded us according to our iniquites." What love, what mercy, what grace!! Man's sins and iniquities not covered by the blood of Christ reaps him God's judgement and lands him in an eternal hell"... where the worm dieth not, and the fire is not quenched."
Dear reader friend, make certain yours sins are under the blood of the Lamb, Jesus Christ.
Life Lines is a Bible based inspirational series authored by Brother Lowell M. Barnard of Grace Baptist Church, New Castle Indiana; and Blessed Hope Baptist Church, Huber Heights, Ohio.