COLOSSIANS 3:13

                        BE GENTLE AND FOR BEARING WITH ONE ANOTHER AND, IF ONE HAS A DIFFERENCE (A GRIEVANCE OR COMPLAINT) AGAINST ANOTHER, READILY PARDORING EACH OTHER, EVEN AS THE LORD HAS (FREELY) FORGIVEN YOU, SO MUST YOU ALSO(FORGIVE).

                                          BE QUICK TO FORGIVE

                       THE FASTER WE FORGIVE, THE LESS APPORTUNITY THERE IS FOR STRIFE TO DEVELOPE. WHEN A PERSON FORGIVES FREELY, HE ALSO FORGIVE QUICKLY. FORGIVENESS CLOSE THE DOOR TO SATAN'S ATTACK AND REFUSE TO GIVE HIM A FOOTHOLD THAT WOULD EVENTUALLY BECOME A STRONG HOLE.

                      GOD'S WORD GIVES US MANY INSTRUCTIONS ABOUT THE DANGERS OF UNFORGIVENESS, BITTERNESS, AND RESENTMENT. FORGIVENESS CAN PERVENT OR END STRIFE.

                     LET'S TAKE A VERSE BY VERSE LOOK AT A PORTION OF SCRIPTURE IN EIGHTENTH CHAPTER OF MATTEW, WHERE CHRIST IS TEACHING HIS FOLLOWERS ABOUT FORGIVENESS.

                    AGAIN I TELL YOU, IF TWO OF YOU ON EARTH AGREE (HARMONIZE TOGETHER, MAKE A SYMPHONY TOGETHER) ABOUT WHATEVER (ANYTHING AND EVERYTHING). THEY MAY ASK IT WILL COME TO PASS AND BE DONE FOR THEM BY MY FATHER IN HEAVEN. FOR WHEN EVER TWO OR THREE ARE GATHER(DRAWN TOGETHER AS MY FOLLOWERS) IN (INTO) MY NAME, THERE I AM IN THE MIDST OF THEM MATTEW 18 -19-20)

                   THE LORD SO DESIRES HARMONY AND UNITY THAT HE PROMISES TO BE RIGHT IN THE MIDST OF ANY TWO OR MORE PEOPLE WHO WILL DO WHATEVER IT TAKES TO KEEP STRIFE OUT OF THEIR LIVES AND LIVE IN PEACE. HE ALSO TELLS US THAT THIS POWER OF UNITY AFFECTS OUR PRAYERS IN A POSITIVE WAY. WHAT PEACEFUL PEOPLE ASK FOR THEY RECEIVE. CHRIST'S PRESENCE IN OUR LIVES ALONE IS WORTH WHAT EVER WE HAVE TO DO TO LIVE IN UNITY.

                  THERE IS A DIRECT CORRELATION BETWEEN PEACE AND THE PRESENCE OF GOD. DESPERATELY NEEDING AND WANTING GOD'S PRESENCE PROVOKED ME TO DO WHATEVER WAS NECESSARY TO KEEP STRIFE OUT OF MY LIFE. WE ALSO HAVE THE ADDITIONAL PROMISE OF RECEIVING ANSWERS TO OUR PRAYERS.

                                 MATTEW 18-21-22 SAY'S

                  THAN PETER CAME UP TO HIM AND SAID, LORD, HOW MANY TIMES MAY MY BROTHER SIN AGAINST ME AND I FORGIVE HIM AND LET IT GO? (AS MANY AS) UP TO SEVEN TIMES? JESUS ANSWERED HIM, I TELL YOU, NOT UP TO SEVEN TIMES, BUT SEVENTY TIMES SEVEN!

                 I BELIEVE PETER WAS DEALING WITH SOMEONE IN HIS LIFE WHO OFFENDED HIM REGULARLY. THEY MAY OR MAY NOT HAVE BEEN DOING ANYTHING TO PROVOKE HIM. IT MAY BE THAT ONE OF THE OTHER DISCIPLES WAS SIMPLY A CONTINUAL THORN IN PETER' FLESH.

                I CAN THINK OF AN INDIVDUAL IN MY LIFE WHOM I HAVE HAD TO FORGIVE NUMEROUS TIMES IN MY LIFE AND HE DOESN'T EVEN KNOW HE NEEDS FORGIVENESSS. FORGIVENESS SERVESPOSE; IT IS AVAILABLE WHEN A PERSON WHO HAS OFFENED YOU ASKS YOU TO FORGIVE HIM OR HER, AND YOU DO. BUT YOU ALSO HAVE THE OPTION OF OFFERING IT TO THE PERSON WHO DID NOT INTEND TO OFFEND YOU AND PERSON WHO DID NOT INTEND TO OFFEND YOU AND DOES NOT KNOW HE DID, BUT YOU NEED TO FOR GIVE HIM IN ORDER TO KEEP YOURSELF IN PEACE.