Joel Osteen's Quotes
I purposely don't talk about money, because people are already skeptical about TV preachers. But I do say that I want you to be blessed. To me, prosperity is having health, having great children, having peace, good relationships. It's not about the money.
Joel OsteenYes, the Bible should be taught in our schools because it is necessary to understand the Bible if we are to truly understand our own culture and how it came to be. The Bible has influenced every part of western culture from our art, music, and history, to our sense of fairness, charity, and business.
Joel OsteenEncouragement to others is something everyone can give. Somebody needs what you have to give. It may not be your money; it may be your time. It may be your listening ear. It may be your arms to encourage. It may be your smile to uplift. Who knows?
Joel OsteenI'm not for gay marriage, but I'm not for discriminating against people.
Joel OsteenI don't think that a same-sex marriage is the way God intended it to be.
Joel OsteenIf you want to reap financial blessings, you have to sow financially.
Joel OsteenI believe God, Jesus, died that we not just go to Heaven but that we excel in this life. I never think you make money your goal... God wants you to excel. Just keep Him in first place, and God will open up doors you never dreamed of.
Joel OsteenI don't believe we are supposed to go through life defeated and not having enough money to pay our bills or send our kids to college.
Joel OsteenI believe God's keeping the records, and I believe you will be rewarded even in this life. Somehow, some way, God will make it up to you. It may be He protected you from an accident you never knew. You can't give God something without God giving you more in return, whether it's peace or joy or satisfaction.
Joel OsteenI'm not a big believer in trying to jam stuff down somebody's throat: 'You're going to do it my way.' I'd rather show by example and live my life and have people say, 'You know what, I want to live like Joel has. He's got peace and joy, and he seems content.'
Joel OsteenSometimes you need faith and victory spoken over your life. Words have created power. When you receive them into your spirit, they can ignite seeds of increase on the inside.
Joel OsteenA lot of psychological principles and even medical principles, you see them coming around to what the Bible said hundreds of years ago: a merry heart is good like a medicine.
Joel OsteenTo me, it's OK to have differences. But we don't have to be mad about it. You know? And I think that's where sometimes we get so passionate that we - you know, it turns into anger.
Joel OsteenIsn't it funny how babies laugh a lot? I read a toddler, a young child laughs 300 times a day. The average adult laughs, like, four times a day. God put it in them. He put the laugh in us, but I think sometimes we let life get us down, you know, have bad breaks, and we lose our breaks.
Joel OsteenI mean we all need a second chance sometimes.
Joel OsteenI do know this... I seem to reach a lot of previously unchurched people. So many people have told me they never went to church until they heard our message of hope that God is a good God who desires to bless those who are faithful and obedient to Him through Jesus Christ.
Joel OsteenI don't know what can be so dangerous about giving people hope.
Joel OsteenTo me, we're marketing hope.
Joel OsteenI don't know what can be so dangerous about giving people hope. Causing people to have better relationships. I'm not leading them to some false God or something like that.
Joel OsteenI always try to put a seed of hope into people's hearts. I'm not there to teach them doctrine necessarily, but to let them know that God is a good God, and has a plan for their lives. Hopefully, that will restore their faith, or draw them into faith.
Joel OsteenWhen my dad founded our church, he used either a globe or a map of the world behind him. It was symbolic of what Christ said: to go forth and preach hope to the world. We believe in the cross, but we just continued with the globe.
Joel OsteenIt's in the difficult times that we're growing and you can't just rebuke everything hard. We've got to endure it and fight the good fight of faith and pass the test.
Joel OsteenGod didn't make a mistake when He made you. You need to see yourself as God sees you.
Joel OsteenThe main rule to me is to honor God with your life. To life a life of integrity. Not be selfish. You know, help others. But that's really the essence of the Christian faith.
Joel OsteenLife's a fight. It's a good fight of faith.
Joel OsteenFaith is easy; I think people complicate it.
Joel OsteenPeople define Christianity differently. I think a large portion of our population are Christians, they're not all growing in their faith, they're not all active, but I believe that a lot of people believe in Jesus and believe that he is their Lord and Savior.
Joel OsteenYou cannot let where you are today cause you to get stuck. I'm going to be my best right now. That's what faith is all about.
Joel OsteenI like sports, and I enjoy playing basketball and lifting weights.
Joel OsteenWhen I used to play sports, I'd be the one cheering the team on, 'Come on, we can beat these guys!' That's just in me.
Joel OsteenMy parents were the same in the pulpit as they were at home. I think that's where a lot of preachers' kids get off base sometimes. Because they don't see the same things at both places.
Joel OsteenOn Sundays when I speak, I hopefully give somebody something that they can use the next day at work or at home.
Joel OsteenYou're going to go through tough times - that's life. But I say, 'Nothing happens to you, it happens for you.' See the positive in negative events.
Joel OsteenI didn't try to copy my dad or fit into the pressure or the mold that everybody tried to make me fit into.
Joel OsteenMy dad had a church of 90 people when I was born. It was just, over the years it continued to grow.
Joel OsteenI made a decision when my father passed away that I was going to be who God made me to be and not try to preach like my father.
Joel Osteen