 life so you can experience peace and freedom and of course joy. We're so glad you're joining us on Hope Today. I'm so glad that we're here with Amy Schafer and Pastor Jay Anthony Gilbert and Amy tell us about our guest that is coming up today. Oh wow our special guest David Peterson is here with his new book all about a journey to forgiveness. What if you didn't blame others anymore for your lack of joy and didn't feel held hostage by the pain that others have inflicted on you? What would it be like to live in peace, experience true joy, and discover a healthier lifestyle? A step towards forgiveness is a decisive step towards wholeness and joy. Can I hear the church say amen? Listen forgiveness is a part of life. It is for all of us. The only person I don't have to forgive today is my most amazing wonderful 18 year old son Gabe who is graduating high school tomorrow night so he has been a delight and a joy to raise so he's about the only one I don't have to forgive right now but I'm sure the moment will come. Guys, forgiveness is always something we're going to have to deal with and work through. Yeah that is so true. Forgiveness can be a blessing blocker in our lives as well and I believe that's why you're tuning in is because God does not want you to get hung up or held up because of some unforgiveness in your life. I love Pastor Gary says it all the time. Forgiveness doesn't make them right but it makes us free. So don't allow forgiveness to stump your blessing and speaking of stumps, I guess we've got a thing called stump the host here. Let's check out the bumper. Well let's see here ladies and gentlemen here is the stump the host question of the day. In a vision ladies when the prophet Isaiah had a sudden sense of his sinfulness an angel came and touched his lips with what? A coal. Boom coal. That's what I'm talking about. I'm going to wrinkle that joy. Man a live coal Isaiah chapter 6 verse 6 through 7 awesome ladies. We did it. We did it. Okay are you ready here we go Jay Sydney this is for you who wrote this if we confess our sins he is faithful and just to forgive us of our sins and to cleanse us from all unrighteousness. Come on prophet. So I feel like it's a stump so I don't know if it's Old Testament or New Testament who's is it who said it yeah who wrote it John I don't know which John if we can the Baptist is a beloved the beloved. Come on somebody. I don't know. She got it. She got it. John the beloved. You got it. You got it. I completely guess on that one. Thank you Lord. The prophet is in the house. Thank you Lord. Oh my gosh. Oh we got another one. Okay we got oh three. Let's see we go three for three ladies. Micah 7 talks about God forgiving the sins of the people according to verse 19. Where will God send people's sins? Can we read that again because that doesn't. Micah 7 talks about God forgiving the sins of the people according to verse 19. Where will God send the people's sins? What can we call a lifeline? Sure I don't know to the pit. Do you know? I might know it but let's call the lifeline. I think it'd be fun. Let's bring it in. Let's do an audible. Let's see what our guest our lifeline has to say. What is your answer David? Okay now I'm going to need a little help actually myself. I believe that passage is in the deepest part of the sea but there is another place that says there you go. As far as the east is from the west. That's our sin. That's not in a big giant circle. Let's see a forgetfulness. David you need to google right now while we're all live on air and tell us the answer. Did we get it? Is it to see a forgetfulness? Is that our like what we're gonna say is our final answer? To never be remembered anymore. Listen y'all can't stop us. That's so funny. Hey that music. Wow. I never had the music with the confetti before. I love it. I love it. I love it. Well usually we always get it wrong. Maybe that's why. We should have the confetti and music every time we forgive somebody because asking for forgiveness and being willing to forgive are both essential to our Christian faith. But what exactly does it mean to forgive and how do we go about it? Are you ready? And what are the consequences of refusing to do so? Reverend David Peterson is our next guest and he's recently written a new book called Journey to Forgiveness 21 Milestones to Freedom. He joins us now to share not only why it's important to forgive but also to help us better understand how to forgive. David welcome to hope today. Thank you so much. It's joy to be along with you. David let's talk about forgiveness. First of all why is forgiveness so important and why is it so hard to forgive? You know it's so important because God has so much for us and we don't need to be getting tripped up and having our energy go in other directions because he has such a big plan for all of our lives. But unfortunately so much of our time and our energy gets focused on those that have offended or hurt us and perhaps even the traumas the deep traumas that we've experienced. So that's for our own our own best interest everything that God desires is always on our behalf. And so Journey to Forgiveness is the how of how do we go about forgiving and it's this guy's journey of walking in freedom and facing the challenges of forgiving every day. You start off your book by sharing your personal testimony and you have experienced bullying and you have experienced abuse as a child. Can you kind of share your story and what you've walked through to live in this freedom and forgiveness that you do today? So I was born with a condition called essential tremors and it runs in my family and it originates in deep down in the center of the brain and then extends out through my arms producing fine little vibrations and sometimes that can be embarrassing. But I grew up with it and really don't know any other life other than having lived through that and sometimes there's some really embarrassing times and you can find yourself bullying at times. Everybody has bullying moments at times but it added to the overall stress of the situation and then when I was 11 I was targeted by a neighborhood pedophile. The statistics are one in six men as well as one in four women reported that when they were children they were sexually abused and the result of that is shame, anger, hurt, sleeplessness, effects of PTSD, so many effects that affect blood pressure. It affects you on an emotional level, even depression. I kept all of that silent for seven years until I was 19 and was finally able to share what had happened with my parents and that's when we began the process of getting the good counseling and went to a good solid Christian counselor and got on the path of healing but prior to that I had some very self-defeating behaviors and self-destructive ways. But then I was doing good. I've gone, finished my degrees, been through seminary, but now I'm at 35 and I have a wife and I have four wonderful sons and I realized that man I'll tell you what my anger level at times can be very very close to the surface and there's like this low rolling tension, a low boil there. It doesn't take much to put it over and so I went to my pastor and I said I think I have some forgiveness issues. Can you show me how? My pastor had been in ministry for probably 50 plus years so dealing with a congregation he learned a little something about how to forgive and he gave me three ways of dealing with it and from that three ways just daily I'm leaving up taking it to the Lord. I saw Holy Spirit and I'll tell you what I've been filled with Holy Spirit, knew the Lord but I realized that I was an anger junkie. I had this all this hurt and everything and I wanted real relationships and I think all of us did we just don't necessarily know how to get there. Talking about that low level boil or anger something you address in this book that I have never connected the dots with or read about or heard about was that scientifically in your brain chemicals are being released when you feel anger or hurt. Can you become addicted to anger? What is happening scientifically when you don't forgive? I call it an illegitimate energy what God really has for us. Now anger is just that it's just anger is just an emotion but when it takes over our lives and so consumes our personality that's nothing that God wants because he's given us a personality that is beautiful and God wants that to be able to come forward but sometimes we you know just like a drunk in a bottle or or any other controlling force that we find energy or derive comfort from or we find protection from. Anger can can provide that and getting to the heart of that was you know punching doors and walls and things and even if you don't you're not physically hurting folks living in an atmosphere of where others might feel intimidated by us. That's not a God thing. The fruit of the spirit is you know I don't see rage as one of them but you know we have to look at it and have mercy. There's always a source to that pain and that hurt that's creating that and we can't just tell people well you just have to forgive and forget. Sometimes that that does nothing for the one who provides no justice it provides no no comfort it just lays more shame into our laps of why we can't. There's biochemical reasons the point to why it's difficult to forgive dopamine so much along that line I tried to bring that out in this book. It was a unique discovery it felt and I want people to walk in freedom that's why I want to get this book into the hands of as many folks as I possibly can. So let's say someone's watching and they're just they're so mad they're so hurt I mean I just hearing your story about someone a pedophile targeting you that makes me so angry right now how what what is the first step for that person that just says I can't forgive I just I feel stuck what do you say to them? Forgiveness doesn't have to look like anybody else wants it to look like forgiveness is simply that point at which that person when you think of them no longer pushes your buttons and no longer generates the energy inside of you. The pain that you have encountered is very real it should not have happened you were abnormally used that's abuse to be abnormally used abuse you didn't deserve it it should never have happened to you but God is with you in the midst of that and wanting to walk with you toward a place of wholeness and trusting the person hey look folks need to need to face justice they need to encounter they need to be in a place where they don't ever hurt somebody again and this is an extreme kind of case that I'm referring to but even just the folks that we encounter in our lives of the daily offenses I believe that the next wave of revival is going to happen not just as we experience forgiveness from the Lord but as we extend forgiveness to others because it creates more space I don't know about you but I've had so many people come up and ask for me you know can you pray with me that Jesus baptized me in the holy spirit that I receive a filling or a new move from God and we'll pray over it we'll pray over it we don't see anything but then I'm gonna say is there someone in your life that maybe the Lord could bring to mind that you might need to forgive and even just seeing them in the early steps of turning things over the Lord all of a sudden whoosh you just see them come into a new filling of his precious holy spirit I want to get there how about you amen and I did not see any faces when you said actually I did um how do I know that I have truly forgiven somebody what what are the signs that I have let it go and I have forgiven you know you may have it may be a process of walking back to it over and over and continuing to lay it at the foot of the cross um that that point in your life when that person's a memory of that person doesn't trigger rage or doesn't doesn't trigger extra energy or pain but some folks just all they need is is just to have a scent of of something that person was wearing that that hurt them and there's that pain that that's there when they are no longer um seized up whether it's with anger or hurt or absolute terror um walking that out day by day um that's that's walking and forgiveness and it's it's not easy hopefully this provides a little journal along the way this is an excellent journal and resource to have can you pray David for all of those that are watching that are just they're in pain they're hurting it's manifesting in their body physically signs of hurt and pain and anger mentally they feel foggy and just not clear can you pray for them today that they will experience that first milestone of freedom that takes place in forgiveness i'd be honored to come holy spirit release the power of the kingdom into each one of these lives that have experienced such devastation and lord it could have been something that's hugely dramatic or even uh even just a minor offense and yet um somehow we keep going back to this lord we are absolutely helpless to fix ourselves or to help ourselves we need you a mighty healer a mighty savior to step into our reality and set us free lord you have created us for so much more than just to hang on to bitterness and and old offenses you have created us to live freely and with great joy because there's a world in need of healing that is yet to be reached so lord any any hurts of the past we come against them in jesus name that they would we break them we bind them we cast them off so that the true person that you've created us to be in you would come shining forth our best us with jesus that's what we seek lord and lord any hurt or experiences of that we have caused to others bring wholeness and healing to those that perhaps we've hurt with with harsh words or impatience bring healing to them so they know precious jesus they are so loved be on a shout out of doubt and we give you praise and glory this day in the name of father son and holy spirit in the name of jesus thank you so much david i do believe that this this book and your prayer are going to help people taste and see freedom of forgiveness in their life thank you so much journey to forgiveness 21 milestones to freedom thank you well pastor amy great job on that and thank you david again and listen i've got a short message that i want to share with you so i want you to stay tuned because god has put you on my heart and i've got something special that i believe is going to minister just to you when we get right back he said i love your cornerstone television t-shirt where'd you get it i am so glad to do ask you know this is an exclusive offer for the month of june for you to receive this one-of-a-kind ctvn t-shirt you can support and support your favorite christian television network this summer when you go to barbecues hanging out with family and having tons of fun oh man that is so much fun and speaking of cornerstone television i love their programming especially that hope today show yes we love hope today in all of the programs and you know with your best gift request your cornerstone television network t-shirt when you give this month we have sizes from extra small to six xl it is a hundred percent cotton it is quality and we want you to have this on you today that's right we have one for everyone and you get to represent the station you love with your own logo t-shirt you'll enjoy this wearable reminder that hope happens here as together we spread the love of jesus every day you know we cannot do it without you when you give you help us to impact pittsburgh and beyond reaching those of all nations and generations because we know people need to know the hope and the love of jesus like never before so why don't you give us a call at 888-665-4483 and request your very own cornerstone tv t-shirt that's right you can also give online at ctvn.org slash donate we would love to see you out in public somewhere wearing this t-shirt maybe we'll have ours on too thanks for supporting us well i love this opportunity to be able to share with you what god's put upon my heart for just a couple of moments first people i want to minister to just for a second about two weeks ago god spoke he said there are many people that are under a major attack that have been going through may was a difficult month for you and the reason why the attack has been so heavy is because june we are in june one today is going to be a supernatural month of release the things that you've been battling with is because there is a release that is coming and not only with the release indoors being open there is going to be an anointing of acceleration that has come upon you there are many of you that have felt weary in this season and felt tired but i really sense the spirit of the lord saying june is going to be a turning point month it is going to be a month of release it's going to be a month of acceleration it's going to be a month when the grace of god comes upon your life that what has been reserved for you is going to come to you what has been held up and why you've been attacked you have to understand the attack has been heavy on your life just like when jesus told them to go to the other side that demonic spirit sent out a storm to try to destroy them and i want you to realize the storm is only a test and if you can get through the storm it is because you are going to dispossess every enemy on the other side it is proof of the fact that when you make it through this that today even is going to be a turning point for your life and so i just wanted to encourage you and i want you to declare decree and believe june is going to be my month of release june is going to be my month that i'm going to step into the fullness of what god had for me and speaking of release not only is important for us to forgive others i believe it's a month of release that you need to be released from the kingdom of darkness maybe you're watching right now and you've been going through all sorts of hell and you don't realize that today is the day that god wants to turn everything around in your life and you say pastor j what do i need to do sometimes the reason why we're battling so much is because jesus is trying to get us to a point where we're ready to make him savior and lord of our life and maybe you know what people have done you wrong maybe the church has done you wrong but god will never do you wrong and even all the things that have gone wrong the things that you have done wrong the things that people have done wrong to you god can make lemonade out of those lemons if you're willing to give your heart to him and it's not only is important for us to forgive others but we need to be forgiven ourselves and we do that by receiving jesus christ as the lord and savior of our life and no matter where you are today june 1 of 2023 can be the turning point of your life if you're willing to give jesus your life today would you pray this prayer with me and if you will pray this prayer god will supernaturally transform your life come on let's pray together say dear father in heaven i thank you today today is the day of salvation today lord jesus i believe you came you died you were buried and you rose again that i might have eternal life lord jesus i receive your forgiveness you are now my savior and my lord satan i renounce you you are not my god world i'll no longer serve you jesus is my savior from this day forward in jesus name amen amen and that's all that it takes to receive jesus and now you're on the winning team it's time to kiss the past bye bye those of you that are dealing with unforgiveness let it all go because it's only a blessing blocker to stop you from getting to your future if you need prayer for any of those things that i mentioned call right now if you accepted jesus christ as your savior pick up that phone now 888-665-443 the number's right on the bottom of your screen call right now they're a prayer partner standing by because today is a turning point for your life i really believe ladies that this month is going to be a turning point that even in the next six months people are going to pick up acceleration in the battles that they've been in it's because of what is getting ready to hit their lives with the blessing of the lord amen amen oh i'm just like sitting like sitting right now just there's certain moments where it's just like just what you just spoke pastor j about it is the season of release grab hold of that today and you know one thing i was just recently studying in the word i believe it's in deuteronomy when the lord says i will not leave you nor forsake you if you look it up in the hebrew word it is really powerful what god is actually saying he's like i will not drop you and i will not desert you that is a promise that we hold from god so no matter the situation maybe you can relate to david's story and i have the same story in testimony as well of being sexually abused and being you know there's perpetrators that have come in our lives maybe that you're going through something devastating in your marriage maybe something is happening with your children maybe you have a health diagnosis and you don't know what's going to happen and how it's going to work out but we just want to encourage you today that today is a day of release declare that over yourself and today is a day that you need to speak of say god that you say you will not drop me and you will not desert me that is a promise from god that is a promise from adonai the lord and the savior of our life and when we grab hold of that we hold on to that truth it is life changing we'll see us louis said this to be a christian means to forgive the inexcusable because god has forgiven the inexcusable in you and i think it's important today to remember that we love because he first loved us we forgive because he forgave us you can do this you must do this this is not a time to hang on to grievances to hang on to the hurt to let it affect the very fibers of your being to scientifically become addicted to that dopamine of what that anger does stop right now that is not god's best for you and i love what he said it is misused energy there is a life of god and a peace of god and a joy that comes from god and there is a hope that he has for you today on tomorrow's hope today discover how god brings beauty and purpose to your story author and artist ann nielson shares her story of overcoming disappointment and provides a message of hope and reassurance that god is always with us even when we feel abandoned that's tomorrow on hope today cornerstone television wishes to thank all our faithful viewers whose consistent prayers and financial support have made this program possible