Give, Forgive, And Live

14 "For if you forgive men their trespasses, your heavenly Father will also forgive you.

15 But if you do not forgive men their trespasses, neither will your Father forgive your trespasses.

Luke 6:37 (NKJV)

37 "Judge not, and you shall not be judged. Condemn not, and you shall not be condemned. Forgive, and you will be forgiven.

Luke 17:3-4 (NKJV)

3 Take heed to yourselves. If your brother sins against you, rebuke him; and if he repents, forgive him.

4 And if he sins against you seven times in a day, and seven times in a day returns to you, saying, 'I repent,' you shall forgive him."

**FORGIVENESS IS A CHOICE THAT WE ARE ALLOWED TO MAKE** WE CAN CHOOSE TO FORGIVE, MATTER OF FACT WE MUST CHOOSE TO FORGIVE!! WE CAN SAY WITHING OURSELVES- I CHOOSE TO FORGIVE YOU AND LIVE IT OUT!!**

** WHO WILL YOU HAVE TO PRACTICE FORGIVENESS ON THE MOST?? ** THE ONES THAT ARE CLOSEST TO YOU!!

A. FAMILY:

Matthew 10:36 (NKJV)

36 and 'a man's enemies will be those of his own household.'

1 Peter 3:7 (NKJV)

7 Husbands, likewise, dwell with them with understanding, giving honor to the wife, as to the weaker vessel, and as being heirs together of the grace of life, that your prayers may not be hindered.

B. FRIENDS:

Matthew 18:22 (NKJV)

22 Jesus said to him, "I do not say to you, up to seven times, but up to seventy times seven.

Ephesians 6:12 (NKJV)

12 For we do not wrestle against flesh and blood, but against principalities, against powers, against the rulers of the darkness of this age, against spiritual hosts of wickedness in the heavenly places.

*WHEN TO FORGIVE:

Ephesians 4:26 (NKJV)

26 "Be angry, and do not sin": do not let the sun go down on your wrath,

C. HOW TO FORGIVE- WE CAN KNOW THE OTHER TWO POINTS BUT IT IS MEANINGLESS UNLESS WE KNOW HOW TO FORGIVE:

A. THE ATTITUDE OF FORGIVENESS:

Ephesians 4:32 (NKJV)

32 And be kind to one another, tenderhearted, forgiving one another, just as God in Christ forgave you.

Colossians 3:13 (NKJV)

13 bearing with one another, and forgiving one another, if anyone has a complaint against another; even as Christ forgave you, so you also must do.

Colossians 3:17 (NKJV)

17 And whatever you do in word or deed, do all in the name of the Lord Jesus, giving thanks to God the Father through Him.

B. THE EXAMPLE OF FORGIVENESS:

** WE MUST BE FILLED WITH THE HOLY SPIRIT, HAVE OUR EYES FIXED ON THE PROPER PLACE, IN THE PROPER PERSON TO BE ABLE TO FORGIVE THE WAY GOD WOULD BE PLEASED WITH- LISTEN TO THE WORDS OF A MAN THAT HAD HIS EYES FIXED ON HEAVEN AND ON JESUS AS HE WAS STONED TO DEATH:

Acts 7:54-60 (NKJV)

54 When they heard these things they were cut to the heart, and they gnashed at him with their teeth.

55 But he, being full of the Holy Spirit, gazed into heaven and saw the glory of God, and Jesus standing at the right hand of God,

56 and said, "Look! I see the heavens opened and the Son of Man standing at the right hand of God!"

57 Then they cried out with a loud voice, stopped their ears, and ran at him with one accord;

58 and they cast him out of the city and stoned him. And the witnesses laid down their clothes at the feet of a young man named Saul.