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?”

 
 
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.
 
 

 
 
 
 
 
Planning for the Future

I used to consider myself to be a great planner - planning for the future weeks, months, years. I used to consider that to be one of my strong points. This month, God has taught me...

Proverbs 27:1

Do not boast about tomorrow, for you do not know what a day may bring forth.

James 4:13-14

 
 
 
 
 
 
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

Matthew 18:21-22 Then Peter came to Him and said, “Lord, how often shall my brother sin against me, and I forgive him? Up to seven times?”  Jesus said to him, “I do not say to you, up to seven times, but up to seventy times seven."
 
 
This afternoon, I was reading this text and was struck by how much God has forgiven me.  When we consider the amount of sin that we have done against God (and that he has forgiven us) we should be humbled and very willing to forgive others who have sinned against us.
 
 

 
Proverbs 3:13-22

Psalm 51:6b Behold, you delight in truth in the inward being
Many people today tell me that they follow God by going to church or praying or being nice.  Those are great things.  However, God is primarily concerned with the heart.  The Bible says that man’s heart is deceitful and desperately wicked.  Even though we might live externally good lives (according to what society tells us), we were born with sinful hearts.