Some people ask me how it is possible to forgive others.  The answer is that in light of the vast number of sins that God has forgiven me, I forgive others.  One of my favorite Bible passages to help explain this is from Matthew 18.
 
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Matthew 18:21-35
 
21 Then Peter came to Him and said, “Lord, how often shall my brother sin against me, and I forgive him? Up to seven times?”

Mark 8:34-36
When He had called the people to Himself, with His disciples also, He said to them, “Whoever desires to come after Me, let him deny himself, and take up his cross, and follow Me. For whoever desires to save his life will lose it, but whoever loses his life for My sake and the gospel’s will save it. For what will it profit a man if he gains the whole world, and loses his own soul?"
-Jesus

When dealing with an angry person in a tournament, here is something to consider...
 
Proverb 15:1
A soft answer turns away wrath, but grievious words stir up anger.

 
 
800 Fishing Trips
 
 
I'm very thankful that my dad invested so much time into me and still does to this day.  Growing up, we did many activities together including going on 800 fishing trips during the first 20 years of my life.  Some highlights included catching carp when I was 4 years old, catching walleye when I was 7, catching salmon when I was 9, catching steelhead when I was 12, catching massive sharks and other ocean fish when I was 14, and later going spearfishing as well.
 
 

 
 
 
 
Coronavirus and the Tower of Siloam
 
Our Bible verse of the week is from Luke 13.  I would like for you to read the passage, then read what Pastor John MacArthur says about these verses.
 
Luke 13:1-5 

 
 
 
 
 
 
Matthew 18:21-35
21 Then Peter came to Him and said, “Lord, how often shall my brother sin against me, and I forgive him? Up to seven times?”

 
 
 
 
 
1 Peter 4:1-2  Therefore, since Christ suffered for us in the flesh, arm yourselves also with the same mind, for he who has suffered in the flesh has ceased from sin,  that he no longer should live the rest of his time in the flesh for the lusts of men, but for the will of God. 
 
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In reference to these 2 verses, Pastor John MacArthur gives the following commentary...
 
Therefore

 
 
 
 
 
 
 
Respect
 
Everyone wants respect for who they are. 
 
However, the question today is…   Do you respect others?  Particularly, how do you respect God - His Name, His Book, and His Son?
 
I have a list of rules at the Samson Dubina Table Tennis Academy.  For the most part, people are respecting my rules.  However, the one that isn’t being followed is the most important – don’t use God’s name in vain. 
 

Philippians 3:7-9

But what things were gain to me, these I have counted loss for Christ. Yet indeed I also count all things loss for the excellence of the knowledge of Christ Jesus my Lord, for whom I have suffered the loss of all things, and count them as rubbish, that I may gain Christ and be found in Him, not having my own righteousness, which is from the law, but that which is through faith in Christ, the righteousness which is from God by faith