Proverbs 3:3--"...let not mercy and truth forsake thee. Bind them about thy neck. Write them upon the table of thine heart."

Luke 17:1--"...offenses will come, but WOE to them through whom they come!"

We need to forgive. If we don't forgive when offenses come, we are not forgiven by God. If we are walking in unforgiveness, then we are continually walking in sin and cannot have fellowship with God. We need to realize that walking in unforgiveness will cut us off from the life of God.

Matthew 24:10-14 And then shall many be offended, and shall betray one another, and shall hate one another. [11] And many false prophets shall rise, and shall deceive many. [12] And because iniquity shall abound, the love of many shall wax cold. [13] But he that shall endure unto the end, the same shall be saved. [14] And this gospel of the kingdom shall be preached in all the world for a witness unto all nations; and then shall the end come.

In the story in Luke 7 where Mary is anointing Jesus' feet, Jesus says the one who is forgiven much, loves much. We need to realize how much we are forgiven!

Many times offenses come because our expectations are not met. We have a hope for something that is not fulfilled. We need to make sure our hopes are based in God's Word. And then when offenses come, we will have God's promise to keep us steady (an anchor to our soul).

There are several scriptures that talk about unforgiveness and prayer:

Matthew 5:23-24 Therefore if thou bring thy gift to the altar, and there rememberest that thy brother hath ought against thee; [24] Leave there thy gift before the altar, and go thy way; first be reconciled to thy brother, and then come and offer thy gift.

Mark 11:25-26 And when ye stand praying, forgive, if ye have ought against any: that your Father also which is in heaven may forgive you your trespasses. [26] But if ye do not forgive, neither will your Father which is in heaven forgive your trespasses.

Matthew 18:15 Moreover if thy brother shall trespass against thee, go and tell him his fault between thee and him alone: if he shall hear thee, thou hast gained thy brother.

Offenses are a trap. Traps have bait and are disguised. Satan comes to try to destroy us in this trap. We need to decide before we ever are offended, that we WILL forgive! Then the trap will not affect us.

Romans 12:21 Be not overcome of evil, but overcome evil with good.

Matthew 18 talks all about offenses and what to do about them. In verse 18, where it says, "Whatsoever you bind on earth is bound in heaven, and whatsoever you loose on earth is loosed in heaven", it is talking about offenses. When we hold an offense against someone it binds them and us! Pastor Doyle used a very good illustration to demonstrate this. He took his Bible and used it as an example of the offense. He held it up against the chest of one of the men in the church. He showed how when we hold an offense against someone and do not forgive them, we are bound to them by having to hold the offense against them, and they are bound because we are holding it against them. When we LOOSE them, or forgive them, then we are free from holding it against them, and they are free too!

In Romans 12, the Word says we are to show mercy with CHEERFULNESS!