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>WELCOME TO TIME FOR HOPE AN INTERNATIONAL FAITH BASED MENTAL
HEALTH PROGRAM WITH HOST DR. FREDA CREWS. AS YOUR HOST I WANT
TO EXPRESS MY APPRECIATION FOR YOU JOINING ME FOR ANOTHER
EDITION OF TIME FOR HOPE AS I WELCOME AND INTERACT WITH MY
GUEST FOR TODAY KWAME FRIMPONG. PASTOR KWAME FOUNDER OF
BREAKTHROUGH IN CHRIST MINISTRIES IS AN AUTHOR, BIBLE
TEACHER AND NATIONAL SPEAKER TODAY WE'RE
GOING TO BE DISCUSSING PASTOR KWAME'S BOOK TITLED THE
HEALING OF THE HEART IN WHICH HE RECOUNTS HIS OWN PERSONAL STORY
OF LETTING GO OF THE PAIN OF REJECTION AND LEARNING TO ACCEPT
GOD'S LOVE AND POSITIVE VIEW OF HIMSELF THROUGH FORGIVENESS. TO
LEARN HOW YOU CAN DO THE SAME, STAY WITH US.
>AND PASTOR KWAME IT'S GREAT HAVING YOU ON TIME FOR HOPE.
>THANK YOU
>AND I'M GOING TO EXTEND IT BY SAYING YOUR SPEECH BETRAYS YOU
AND TELLS ME THAT YOU'RE NOT ORIGINALLY FROM AMERICA.
> (LAUGHTER) YOU KNOW I ALWAYS SAY I'M FROM CALIFORNIA AND
PEOPLE WILL SAY WHAT IN CALIFORNIA? I'M FROM GHANA WEST
AFRICA AND I SEE MYSELF AS A MISSIONARY TO AMERICA. I AM SO
MUCH GRATEFUL FOR THE MINISTRIES IN AMERICA AND WHAT THEY ARE
DOING IN AFRICA. AND WE HAVE COME BACK TO AS A TESTIMONY TO
WHAT YOU ARE DOING NOW IN AFRICA.
>I THINK THAT'S A GREAT POINT OF VIEW OR VIEWPOINT BECAUSE WHEN
YOU SAY THAT YOU ARE A MISSIONARY OR SENSE A CALLING TO
BE A MISSIONARY TO THE USA I HAVE WONDERED JUST EXACTLY WHAT
YOU HAD IN MIND WITH THAT BECAUSE YOUR BOOK IT COULD BE
THE STORY OF MANY MANY PEOPLE IN AMERICA. AND I'M SURE IT MUST BE
THE STORY OF MANY MANY PEOPLE IN GHANA ALSO.
>YES, YES IT IS. WE HAVE RECEIVED MANY TESTIMONIES.
WHENEVER I SHARE MY LIFE TESTIMONIES AND WHAT GOD HAS
DONE THROUGH MY LIFE AND PEOPLE SEE ME TODAY AND THEY SEE THE
JOY OF GOD AND THE EXCITEMENT AND EVERYTHING ELSE I TELL
PEOPLE IT'S THE GRACE OF GOD THAT HAS TRANSFORMED MY LIFE.
>YES, NOW HOW LONG HAVE YOU BEEN IN AMERICA?
>ABOUT 18 YEARS NOW.
>OKAY BUT YOU GO BACK TO GHANA?
>YES.
>AND DO YOU FEEL LIKE YOU'RE A MISSIONARY WHEN YOU GO BACK
THERE?
> (LAUGHTER) I AM BOTH MISSIONARY TO US AND TO AFRICA.
BUT REALLY I SEE MYSELF AS GOD SENT MISSIONARY TO COME TO
AMERICA TO LIKE I SAID TO TESTIFY THAT THE MISSION WORK
THAT WE ARE DOING IN THE REST OF THE WORLD IS VERY POWERFUL AND
THEY SHOULD KEEP ON DOING IT BECAUSE WE ARE A TESTIMONY.
>WERE YOU SAVED AS A RESULT OF SOME MISSIONARY GOING TO GHANA?
>YES MA'AM BECAUSE YOU KNOW THE FIRST MISSIONARIES WHO CAME TO
GHANA I AM TOLD THEY DIED IN SIX WEEKS, ABOUT HALF OF THEM OF
MALARIA. BEFORE THEY CAME GHANA WAS INTO IDOL WORSHIP, THAT'S
ALL THAT WE KNEW. BUT THE MISSIONARY WORK THAT THEY DID
HAS TRANSFORMED THE COUNTRY. AND NOW THEY GO TO GHANA AND THEIR
TESTIMONIES ARE AWESOME. YOU CAN SEE JESUS CHRIST, THE POWER OF
GOD, THE HOLY SPIRIT MOVE, HEALING, DELIVERANCE, BORN-AGAIN
EVERYWHERE. IF YOU GO TO GHANA ON SUNDAY MORNING THE PLACE IS
LIKE QUIET. YOU KNOW 18 MILLION POPULATION BUT GOD IS WORKING IN
THE NATION.
>WE JUST PRAISE THE LORD.
>AMEN, AMEN.
>THERE WAS A TIME WHEN THERE WAS A LOT OF BLOODSHED GOING ON
THERE TOO, WASN'T THERE?
>YES, THE BLOODSHED TOOK PLACE IN LIBERIA AND SOME OTHER
COUNTRIES. BUT FOR SOME STRANGE REASON GHANA IT'S LIKE THE HAND
OF GOD IS UPON THE COUNTRY. ABOUT 20 YEARS AGO THERE WAS A
DEEP BLOODSHED. BUT SINCE THEN THE GOSPEL HAS TAKEN OVER
EVERYWHERE IN THE NATION.
>ISN'T THAT WONDERFUL? WHEN I THINK OF THE GOSPEL AND I THINK
OF WHAT THE LORD JESUS HIMSELF TAUGHT AND EVEN IN MY OWN
MEDITATION AND QUIET TIME I HAVE COME UP WITH THREE WORDS THAT GO
ALONG WITH THE GOSPEL AND THAT ALL SO I BELIEVE THAT WE WILL
EXPERIENCE IN ETERNITY. LOVE, JOY AND PEACE. YOU AGREE WITH ME
ON THAT?
>I AGREE, PAUL TALKED ABOUT IT IN THE BOOK OF ROMANS. HE SAID
THE KINGDOM OF GOD COMPRISES OF LOVE, JOY AND PEACE AND THAT IS
WHAT PEOPLE HAVE TO EXPERIENCE FOR THEMSELVES BECAUSE I SEE
MANY PEOPLE WHO ARE HEADING IN THIS WORLD. THEY ARE NOT
EXPERIENCED IN THE LOVE OF GOD AND THE JOY. THEY CAN EXPERIENCE
HAPPINESS, BUT TRUE JOY COMES FROM GOD.
>THAT IS CORRECT AND MOST PEOPLE ARE SEARCHING FOR IT BUT DON'T
KNOW WHAT THEY'RE SEARCHING FOR. YOU KNOW THEY WOULD ADMIT YOU
KNOW THAT THEY HAVE BAD RELATIONSHIPS OR BROKEN
RELATIONSHIPS WITH LACK OF LOVE. AND THEY CERTAINLY IF THEY'RE
DEPRESSED THEY LACK JOY. AND THAT ALL DISTURBS THEIR PEACE.
BUT JESUS SAID IN SPITE OF IT ALL WE COULD HAVE AN INNER JOY,
AN INNER PEACE FLOWING LIKE A RIVER INSIDE OF US.
>IN FACT HE SAID MY PEACE, I LIKE THAT, GIVE I UNTO YOU. NOT
THE PEACE THE WORLD OFFERS BUT MY PEACE. WOW, THAT'S AMAZING.
>AND YOU HAVE TO EXPERIENCE TO KNOW WHAT HE'S TALKING ABOUT
DON'T YOU?
>I HAD TO AFTER I WENT THROUGH REJECTION AND WHAT MY GRANDMA
TOLD ME. IN FACT THAT WAS THE REASON WHY I WROTE THE BOOK
BECAUSE I DID NOT KNOW MY FATHER AND I GO TO MEET HIM WHEN I WAS
ABOUT 20 YEARS OLD. AND I DID NOT UNDERSTAND WHY, WHY, WHERE
IS MY FATHER? YOU KNOW I WANTED TO SEE WHO HE IS, IS HE TALL?
WHO HE IS. AND I BEGAN TO SUFFER REJECTION DEEPER AND DEEPER AND
DEEPER AND DEEPER. AND WHEN I GO TO KNOW JESUS AND EXPERIENCED
THE OTHER SIDE I COULD TELL THE DIFFERENCE.
>YES AND WHEN YOU FINALLY FOUND YOUR FATHER SO TO SPEAK HE
DIDN'T RECEIVE YOU WITH OPEN ARMS DID HE?
>THE FIRST TIME I WENT TO MY SISTER FROM THE OTHER MOTHER TO
SHOW ME WHERE MY FATHER WAS. WHEN I WENT IN THERE THERE WERE
THREE MEN IN THE HOUSE. I DIDN'T KNOW WHO, WHICH ONE IS MY
FATHER. AND SO, WHO ARE YOU? I SAID MY NAME IS KWAME AND I'M
SEARCHING FOR MY FATHER. AND I'M TELLING YOU THE REST JUST; THE
FIRST TIME WAS I COULDN'T CONNECT SO WELL BECAUSE I'M
GROWN UP, 20 YEARS OLD. BUT I THANK GOD FOR SEEING JESUS OR
GIVING MY LOVE TO JESUS OR JESUS FOUND IN ME MADE THE WHOLE
DIFFERENCE OF MY LIFE.
>YOU HAD A FATHER THEN, DIDN'T YOU?
>YES (LAUGHTER).
>YOU HAD A FATHER THEN. AS A MENTAL HEALTH COUNSELOR, AS A
PROFESSIONAL COUNSELOR I HAVE WATCHED CLIENTS AND AS I
INTERACT WITH OTHER PEOPLE, THERE IS A DEEP HUNGER IN THE
SOUL I THINK OF EVERYONE TO KNOW THEIR FATHER. AND YOU KNOW MY
THEORY; MY THEOLOGICAL THEORY IS THAT IT'S REALLY ROOTED IN GOD
BEING OUR HEAVENLY FATHER. AND SO I'M SORRY BUT MOTHERS DON'T
SEEM TO HAVE THAT SAME PLACE, HOLD THAT SAME PLACE AS THE
FATHER BECAUSE I BELIEVE IT RELATES TO A FATHER AS IT WERE
REPRESENTING THE HEAVENLY FATHER.
>THE PROBLEM IS THAT IS WHAT WE SHOULD DO. WE SHOULD KNOW GOD
BECAUSE GOD IS ABLE TO FILL YOU UP SO YOU DON'T HAVE ANY LACK IN
YOUR LIFE. LACK OF LOVE, FATHER'S LOVE, MOTHER'S LOVE.
ONCE GOD FILLS YOUR HEART, BUT UNTIL THEN YOU'RE GOING TO GO
THROUGH PSYCHOLOGICAL PROBLEMS LIKE YOU DO KNOW. UNTIL I MET
THE LORD WHENEVER I SEE CHILDREN AND THEIR FATHER CALLING THEM, I
ASKED MYSELF WHEN AM I GOING TO CALL, WHEN WILL I EVER HEAR MY
FATHER SAY KWAME COME HERE? AND I NEVER HAD THAT. WHEN WILL I
EVER HEAR, I WENT TO ONE DAY WITH MY CLASSMATE AND HIS FATHER
SAID HAVE YOU EATEN? I NEEDED THAT; I NEEDED MY FATHER TO ASK
ME THAT QUESTION. BUT I NEVER HAD IT. SO THAT PSYCHOLOGICAL
PROGRAM WAS THERE UNTIL YOU MEET THE LORD. AND SOME PEOPLE AND
SOME OF OUR VIEWERS MAYBE HAVE THE SAME PROBLEM AND THEY DON'T
KNOW HOW TO GET OUT FROM THIS WHAT I CALL UNRESOLVED CHILDHOOD
ISSUES. YOU ARE GROWN MAN BUT THE CHILD IN YOU IS STILL
STRUGGLING BECAUSE OF WHAT HAPPENED IN THE PAST.
>WE CALL IT THE INNER CHILD, THE INNER CHILD KNOWS WHAT YOU
EXPERIENCED. AND MANY MANY TIMES I'VE HAD MANY MANY CLIENTS THAT
I WOULD WORK WITH WEEK AFTER WEEK AFTER WEEK, MONTH AFTER
MONTH AFTER MONTH GETTING THEM TO DEAL WITH THE PAIN AND THE
REJECTION AS YOU CALL IT OF THAT CHILD, THAT INNER CHILD AND THEN
GROWING THAT INNER CHILD UP TO BE THE ADULT THAT WE ARE TODAY.
SO LITERALLY THAT HAPPENED IN YOUR LIFE ACCORDING TO YOUR
STORY.
>IT DID AND WHAT CAUSED MORE PROBLEMS WAS WHEN MY GRANDMA
TOLD ME I LOOK UGLY.
> (LAUGHTER) IT ALL STARTED, LET'S GO BACK IT ALL STARTED
WITH THAT.
>BECAUSE I LIVED WITH MY GRANDMA, SEE MY MOTHER WAS
ALWAYS TRAVELING SO I LIVED WITH MY GRANDMA. AND ONE DAY AT A
FAMILY GATHERING SOMEBODY ASKED THE QUESTION WHO IS NOT UGLY IN
THE FAMILY? AND MY GRANDMA, THE PERSON I LOVED, I TRUSTED WHO
TOOK CARE OF ME SAID KWAME. NOW THAT DAMAGED MY SOUL. FOR YEARS
AND YEARS AND YEARS I HATED MYSELF I HATED MYSELF AND I
NEVER TOOK PICTURES. I DIDN'T WANT TO SEE MYSELF. I JUST DON'T
LIKE ME. AND I LIVED WITH IT AND NEVER SHARED THIS WITH ANYBODY
BECAUSE I'M AFRAID OF WHAT PEOPLE ARE GOING TO TELL ME,
RIGHT?
>YOU WERE AFRAID THEY WOULD AGREE HER.
>WOULD AGREE WITH WHAT MY GRANDMA SAID.
>DID YOU GET TO THINKING OF YOURSELF THAT WAY ALSO? DID YOU
ENDORSE WHAT SHE SAID?
>HOW CAN YOU ENDORSE FOR SOMEONE WHO YOU TRUST?
>YES, SO NOT ONLY DID YOU EXPERIENCE REJECTION, YOU
EXPERIENCED BETRAYAL.
>YES.
>WHICH IS VERY PAINFUL.
>VERY VERY VERY PAINFUL.
>WHEN SOMEONE WE LOVE AND TRUST BETRAYS US.
>YOU BELIEVE WHAT THEY SAY AND YOU KNOW IT JUST DAMAGES YOU ON
THE INSIDE. AND IF YOU DON'T GET TO SOLVE THAT PROBLEM YOUR
SELF-ESTEEM IS LOW, YOU DON'T LIKE YOURSELF. YOU KNOW BUT I
THANK GOD FOR WHAT THE BIBLE SAYS. I AM FEARFULLY AND
WONDERFULLY MADE IT SAID THAT. AND THE BIBLE SAYS IF MY FATHER
AND MOTHER FORSAKE ME LIKE I SAID GOD WOULD TAKE ME UP.
>YES AND IT DOESN'T ALWAYS COME AT THE POINT OF SALVATION.
THAT'S SOMETIMES THE BEGINNING OF GETTING THESE THINGS COMING
TO WHOLENESS AND HEALING AFTER WE COME TO KNOW THE LORD. DO YOU
AGREE WITH ME ON THAT?
>IT'S A PROCESS FOR ME WHEN I EXPERIENCE BORN-AGAIN IN HIGH
SCHOOL IN MY COUNTRY THAT STARTED THE LOVE OF GOD. AND
THEN FOR SOME STRANGE REASON I BEGAN TO LOVE THE PRESENCE OF
GOD.
>YES YOU KNOW WHAT HE PROMISES, THAT HE'LL NEVER LEAVE US, HE'LL
NEVER ABANDON US, HE'LL NEVER BETRAY US. ISN'T THAT WONDERFUL?
>THAT'S COOL.
>WHEN WE HAVE ALL OF THOSE PROMISES AND HE SAYS HE CANNOT
LIE AND THAT WE CAN TRUST WHAT HE SAYS. IT'S TIME FOR A BREAK
AND WE'LL BE RIGHT BACK.
>SWEET REVENGE. IT CAN FEEL GOOD, BUT WHAT ABOUT THE COST?
ALTHOUGH WE CAN BELIEVE IT PAYS RICH DIVIDENDS, EVENTUALLY OUR
STATEMENT WILL REVEAL NOTHING BUT LOSSES. WHAT KIND OF LOSSES
ARE INVOLVED IN HOLDING ON TO YOUR GRUDGES? ACCORDING TO A
FORGIVENESS PROJECT CONDUCTED AT STANFORD UNIVERSITY, THERE WAS
EVIDENCE THAT SUGGESTED THAT LETTING BYGONES BE BYGONES CAN
LEAD TO DECREASED ANGER, DEPRESSION, ANXIETY AND STRESS.
A STUDY PUBLISHED IN THE JOURNAL OF THE AMERICAN PSYCHOLOGICAL
SOCIETY FOUND THAT PEOPLE WHO DIDN'T FORGIVE BUT INSTEAD HELD
GRUDGES SHOWED INCREASES IN HEART RATE, BLOOD PRESSURE AND
MUSCLE TENSION. OTHER RESEARCH HAS SUGGESTED THAT HEART ATTACK
VICTIMS WHO DEMONSTRATED LESS ANGER AND HOSTILITY BY ACTING IN
A MORE FORGIVING WAY OFTEN LOWERED THEIR RISK OF DYING AND
REPORTED AN IMPROVED OVERALL QUALITY OF LIFE. AND
INVESTIGATORS AT THE UNIVERSITY OF WISCONSIN FOUND THAT THE LESS
PEOPLE FORGAVE, THE MORE DISEASES THEY HAD AND THE MORE
MEDICAL SYMPTOMS THEY REPORTED. THESE EXAMPLES ALONE SHOULD
SUGGEST TO ALL OF US THAT HOLDING A GRUDGE AGAINST SOMEONE
HAS THE POTENTIAL OF HURTING US MORE THAN IT HURTS OUR OFFENDER
OR ABUSER. UNFORGIVENESS CAN EAT AWAY AT US LIKE A CANCER. IT CAN
SLOWLY POISON OUR SOULS AND RELATIONSHIPS. BUT, I HEAR
SOMEONE OFFER, "HE OR SHE SHOULD PAY FOR WHAT THEY HAVE DONE." MY
RESPONSE TO YOU IS THIS, "DO YOU WANT TO HAVE TO PAY FOR
EVERYTHING WRONG YOU HAVE EVER DONE?' THEN, I MUST ALLOW YOU TO
ASK IF I'M SAYING THAT JUSTICE SHOULD NOT BE SOUGHT FOR CHILD
ABUSERS, RAPISTS, THIEVES, MURDERERS AND OTHERS? I
EMPHATICALLY ANSWER, "NO, THAT IS NOT WHAT I AM SAYING." I AM A
STRONG BELIEVER IN MATCHING THE PUNISHMENT WITH THE CRIME, AND A
GREAT SUPPORTER OF OUR CRIMINAL JUSTICE SYSTEM. BUT FORGIVENESS
AND JUSTICE ARE NOT MUTUALLY EXCLUSIVE. YOU CAN FORGIVE AND
WANT THE GUILTY PUNISHED AT THE SAME TIME. BUT, AS WE MUST ALLOW
THE LEGAL SYSTEM TO WORK FOR CRIME, WE MUST ALLOW GOD TO
AVENGE US WHEN WE HAVE BEEN ABUSED, REJECTED, TREATED
UNFAIRLY OR DISRESPECTFULLY, OR WRONGED IN OTHER WAYS. AGAIN, I
AM NOT ADVOCATING PUTTING OR KEEPING OURSELVES IN A POSITION
FOR THE OFFENCES TO CONTINUE. INSTEAD, I ENCOURAGE THE SETTING
OF APPROPRIATE BOUNDARIES AND TAKING THE NECESSARY ACTION TO
PROTECT YOURSELVES FROM PHYSICAL AND PSYCHOLOGICAL HARM AND
RESTING YOUR CASE WITH GOD (SEE FOR REF. ROM 12:17-21).
>IT'S ALWAYS A JOY TO HAVE YOU JOIN US ON TIME FOR HOPE. OUR
GUEST FOR TODAY IS PASTOR KWAME FRIMPONG AND WE'RE TALKING ABOUT
HIS BOOK THE HEALING OF THE HEART. AND I WANT TO GO AHEAD
AND GIVE YOUR SUBTITLE PASTOR KWAME, SECRET TO HEALING AND
FORGIVING GRACIOUSLY BECAUSE WE'RE GOING TO BE TALKING ABOUT
FORGIVING BEFORE THIS IS OVER. WE'VE TALKED ABOUT REJECTION,
WE'VE TALKED ABOUT BETRAYAL BUT I WANT TO GO OVER THE FOUR
THINGS THAT YOU SET OUT IN YOUR BOOK, FOUR PRINCIPLES THAT YOU
LEARNED ALONG THE WAY TO GROW THAT INNER CHILD UP AND YOU BE
REJOICING IN THE LORD. AND ALSO HAVING A GOOD SELF-ESTEEM, A
POSITIVE SELF-ESTEEM. YOU KNOW SOME PEOPLE THINK THAT
NON-CHRISTIAN. I TOTALLY DISAGREE WITH THAT.
>SEE THE BIBLE SAYS THAT DON'T THINK MORE HIGHLY, BUT THINK
HIGHLY OF YOURSELF. IT'S BIBLICAL.
>YOU KNOW WHAT TO THINK LESS HIGHLY OF MYSELF OR NOT HIGHLY
ENOUGH OF MYSELF WHEN JESUS CHRIST LIVES AND REIGNS IN ME.
>YOU ARE THE SON OF THE KING.
>THAT MAKES NO SENSE. SOMEONE HAS COMPARED IT TO LIKE HAVING
$1 MILLION IN THE BANK AND LIVING LIKE A POOR PERSON. BUT
THE FOUR PRINCIPLES THAT YOU LEARNED ALONG THE WAY, I WANT TO
SEE THEM, RECEIVE YOUR AFFIRMATION AND APPROVAL FROM
GOD. LET HIM DETERMINE WHO YOU ARE, RIGHT?
>IT IS VERY IMPORTANT FOR YOU TO ACCEPT YOURSELF EXACTLY AS GOD
SEES YOU.
>ACCEPTS AND SEES YOU, AND THEN DO A SELF-MINISTRATION, THAT IS
MINISTER TO YOURSELF, TALK TO YOURSELF, SELF-TALK. IT IS GOOD
TO LEARN GOOD SELF-TALK. IT CAN REALLY GIVE US A POSITIVE; WE
CAN REPLACE NEGATIVE THOUGHTS WITH POSITIVE THOUGHTS WHEN WE
TALK TO OUR SELF. THEY SAY IT'S OKAY AS LONG AS YOU DON'T ANSWER
YOURSELF. (LAUGHTER) I EVEN SOMETIMES DO THAT SO. THEN DO
NOT MAKE EVERY REJECTION PERSONAL. NOW THERE IS SOME AREA
THERE THAT I HAVE TO DEAL WITH AND I THINK MOST PEOPLE DO HAVE
A DIFFICULT TIME IF SOMEONE REJECTS US OR BETRAYS US NOT
TAKING IT PERSONALLY. BUT IF WE TAKE IT PERSONALLY AND LOOK AT
IT AND GET IT WORKED OUT BETWEEN US AND GOD THAT'S OKAY. BUT TO
JUST STAY HUNG UP THERE, THAT'S WHERE THE SICKNESS AND THE
MENTAL ILLNESS AND THE HEALING NEEDS TO COME. AND THEN THE LAST
ONE PRACTICE FORGIVENESS AND BE A PEACEMAKER. YOU KNOW I'VE BEEN
A STUDENT OF THE BIBLE A LONG TIME BUT THERE'S SOMETHING
THAT'S OPENING UP TO ME MORE AND MORE AND MORE AND THAT IS BEING
A PEACEMAKER, BEING A PEACEMAKER. WE ARE NOT SENT OUT
AS IT WERE, BUT JESUS DID SAY WHEN I COME INTO A HOUSEHOLD I
OFTEN BRING A SWORD AND THEN HE LEFT HIS PEACE WITH US. SO
SOMETIMES IT'S NECESSARY TO DO BOTH AS IT WERE. BUT WE ARE TO
PRACTICE FORGIVENESS AND BE A PEACEMAKER. SO WE'RE GOING TO
TALK ABOUT THEN THE FORGIVENESS. PEOPLE HAVE A WRONG IDEA, MANY
PEOPLE HAVE A WRONG IDEA ABOUT FORGIVENESS AND I HAVE ONE OF
YOUR QUESTIONS HERE. THEY SAY FORGIVE AND FORGET, IT'S NOT
POSSIBLE TO FORGET.
>IT'S NOT BIBLICAL. SEE WHEN JOSEPH'S BROTHERS CAME TO HIM TO
BUY FOOD HE KNEW THAT THEY WERE HIS BROTHERS. IN FACT HE TOLD
THEM YOU MEANT IT EVIL BUT GOD TURNED IT FOR GOOD.
>YES HE HAD NEVER FORGOTTEN HAD HE? HE NEVER WOULD FORGET THAT
DAY.
> (LAUGHTER) NEVER. BUT I ALWAYS SAY IF YOU HAVE TRULY FORGIVEN
YOU MAY REMEMBER THE EVENT BUT THE PAIN WILL BE GONE ALL THE
PAIN WILL BE MINIMIZED.
>OH I LOVE THAT. I LOVE YOU PUTTING IT THAT WAY BECAUSE
THAT'S EXACTLY WHAT I'VE EXPERIENCED IN MY OWN LIFE AND
WOULD LIKE TO SEE OUR VIEWERS GET HOLD OF THAT OR GET THEIR
HANDS AROUND THAT OR THEIR HEART AROUND THAT SO TO SPEAK THAT YOU
CAN REMEMBER BUT NOT EXPERIENCE THE PAIN ANYMORE.
>I USED TO LIVE IN THE VILLAGE. I HAVE SO MANY SCARS ON MY
HANDS, I CAN SEE IT, I CAN SEE IT. THERE IS NO PAIN. (LAUGHTER)
>SCARS ARE TOUGH THEY SAY BY THE WAY. SO ANYWAY IN THE FIRST PART
OF THE BOOK YOU TALKED ABOUT HEALING OF THE HEART, YOU TALKED
ABOUT UNRESOLVED CHILDHOOD ISSUES WHICH WE'VE TALKED ABOUT
AND WE'VE GONE OVER HOW TO GET OVER THOSE AND THEN YOUR
QUESTION DOES FORGIVENESS MEAN FORGETTING ABOUT THE ISSUE
COMPLETELY? NO, BUT IT BRINGS US TO WHAT ARE THE BENEFITS OF
FORGIVENESS PASTOR KWAME?
>WOW. FIRST OF ALL WHEN YOU PRACTICE FORGIVENESS YOU TAKE
CONTROL OF YOURSELF. YOU LOOK AT JESUS.
>YOU'RE IN CONTROL.
>YES.
>YOU KNOW AS LONG AS YOU DON'T FORGIVE THE OTHER PERSON AND
YOU'RE ANGRY WITH THEM, THEY ARE IN CONTROL OF YOU AREN'T THEY?
>AND LIFE IS TOO SHORT. WHEN JESUS WAS GOING THROUGH TOUGH
TIMES, I'M TALKING ABOUT THE GARDEN OF GETHSEMANE AND ON THE
CROSS HE WAS GOING THROUGH PAINS. HE COULDN'T DO ANYTHING
UNTIL HE OPENED HIS MOUTH AND SAID FATHER FORGIVE THEM. ONCE
HE SAID THAT HE GOT HIMSELF TOGETHER. HE BEGAN TO TELL HIS
MOM WHAT TO DO, JOHN. HE BEGAN TO PUT THINGS RIGHT BECAUSE NOW
HE IS IN CONTROL. ONCE PEOPLE FORGIVE YOU ARE IN CONTROL OF
YOUR LIFE. NUMBER TWO PROVERBS 14 VERSE 30 SAYS A SOUND HEART
IS THE LIFE OF THE BODY. SO IF YOU ARE SOUND IN YOUR SPIRIT
YOUR WHOLE LIFE IS SOUND. IN FACT IT'S PROVEN MEDICALLY THAT
IF YOU FORGIVE EASILY YOU'RE ABLE TO OVERCOME A LOT OF
SICKNESSES IN YOUR SYSTEM BECAUSE YOU ARE SOUND IN YOUR
SPIRIT.
>YES BUT SOMETIMES IT CAN BE PREMATURE AS A COUNSELOR, AS A
PROFESSIONAL COUNSELOR I HAVE TO ENCOURAGE CLIENTS, I'VE HAD TO
ENCOURAGE CLIENTS, LET'S WAIT ON THE FORGIVENESS, LET'S DEAL WITH
THE PAIN FIRST. LET'S DEAL WITH THE REJECTION, LET'S DEAL WITH
THIS, LET'S DEAL WITH THAT AND THEN LOOK AT FORGIVENESS BECAUSE
WITH FORGIVENESS CAN COME BOUNDARIES SO THAT WE DON'T
FORGIVE AND ALLOW THEM TO DO THE SAME THING OVER AND OVER AND
OVER. I WAS TEASING MY PASTOR RECENTLY HE SAID I'M GOING TO
FORGIVE YOU ONE TIME FOR THIS. AND I SAID WELL HOW ABOUT THE 70
TIMES SEVEN PASTOR? AND HE SAID I'M NOT GOD, I CAN'T DO THAT.
(LAUGHTER) BUT WE DON'T WANT TO SET OURSELVES UP TO BE ABUSED
WHEN WE DON'T HAVE TO. GOD DOESN'T WANT HIS PEOPLE ABUSED
BY SOMEONE ELSE.
>THAT'S WHERE THE PROBLEM IS. IN FACT IF PEOPLE SAID TURN THE
OTHER CHEEK, IF JESUS WANTS PEOPLE TO ABUSE YOU WOULD HE
HAVE SAID IF YOUR FRIEND OFFENDS YOU GO TO HIM, SHOW HIS FAULT
AND GET IT TAKEN CARE OF. BECAUSE GOD DOESN'T WANT US TO
GO THROUGH ABUSE, NO NO NO NO NO.
>NO NO NO THAT'S NOT WHAT WE MEAN. THAT WE'RE GOING TO HAVE
TO CUT IT OFF BUT I DO APPRECIATE YOUR COMING AND
SHARING YOUR STORY WITH US. IT'S USUALLY VERY POWERFUL WHEN A
PERSON SHARES THEIR STORY AND YOU'VE DONE THAT SO FREELY AND I
CERTAINLY ENCOURAGE OUR VIEWERS TO GET A COPY OF YOUR BOOK AND
THANK YOU AGAIN FOR COMING ON TIME FOR HOPE.
>THANK YOU FOR HAVING ME TODAY.
>AND THEN DON'T GO AWAY I HAVE SOMETHING TO SHARE WITH YOU FROM
A VIEWER RIGHT ALONG THE LINES OF WHAT WE'VE BEEN TALKING ABOUT.
>
>WHAT A PRAYER REQUEST THAT THIS WOMAN AND CERTAINLY WE HAVE
PRAYED OVER THIS SITUATION. AND I DO PRAY THIS WOMAN CAN FIND A
WAY TO GET OUT OF THIS PRISON AS IT WERE AND EXPERIENCE FREEDOM
FROM THIS ABUSE. BUT SHE'S IN RELATIONSHIP WITH THE LORD SO
WE'LL AS IT WERE LEAVE HER WITH HIM AND ASKING HIM TO TAKE CARE
OF HER AND HONOR HER REQUEST. AND THEN I HAVE A NOTE OF
ENCOURAGEMENT.
>
>AND WE THANK THE LORD THAT WE CAN HAVE THIS PROGRAM ON
TELEVISION AND HAVE GUESTS SUCH AS PASTOR KWAME. MY VIEWERS WHEN
THEY SEE ME LOCALLY THEY ALWAYS HAVE TO SAY WE APPRECIATE YOUR
GUESTS SO MUCH AND WE APPRECIATE OUR GUESTS ALSO. AND WE
APPRECIATE HEARING FROM YOU WHETHER IT'S A WORD OF
ENCOURAGEMENT, WHETHER IT'S A CONTRIBUTION TO THE MINISTRY
WHICH WE CAN ALWAYS PUT TO USE BY THE WAY OR WHETHER IT'S A
PRAYER REQUEST. WE APPRECIATE YOU JOINING US ON TIME FOR HOPE.
> TO ORDER OUR RESOURCES, FOLLOW THE CONTACT INFORMATION ON YOUR
SCREEN.
>UNTIL NEXT TIME, HAVE A GREAT WEEK AND REMEMBER IT IS TIME FOR
HOPE! .