Joel Osteen Podcast - Knowing God As A Father | Joel Osteen

Episode Date: January 30, 2025

Many people know God as their Savior, but when you know God as a Father, it takes on a whole new meaning. He is with you as a constant source of strength and encouragement.Your best days are still ahead, and together we can make a difference in this world with the message of God's hope and love. To give visit JoelOsteen.com/GiveHope.Start every day with faith to move mountains and peace that surpasses all understanding. Our 2025 Today's Word Daily Devotional includes 365 days of Scripture, inspiration, and prayers. Let this January offer encourage you all year long,https://bit.ly/3ZWYzX5. Subscribe to SiriusXM Podcasts+ to listen to new episodes of the Joel Osteen Podcast ad-free and a whole week early. Start a free trial now on Apple Podcasts or by visiting siriusxm.com/podcastsplus. Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising.

Hi, this is Joel and Victoria. Thanks so much for listening to the podcast and thanks for supporting the ministry. We believe you're going to have an awesome 2024, healthy, productive, and favor-filled. God bless you today and enjoy the message. And God bless you. It's always a joy to come into your homes. We love you and we know God has great things in store for each one of you. And if you're ever in our area, I hope you'll stop by and be a part of one of our services. I promise you, we'll make you feel right at home.

But thanks for tuning in today, and thanks again for coming out. I'd like to start with something funny each week, and I heard about this mom. She had two small boys that were known for their mischievous behavior. Anytime trouble occurred, they were sure to be a part of it. So she decided to take them one at a time to see her pastor. The pastor said to the first boy, where is God? There was no reply. He said it again, where is God?

He sat there silently. The third time the pastor asked, the boy bolted out the door, ran home and said to his brother, God is missing, and they think we did it. Hold your Bible up, say it like you mean it. This is my Bible. I am what it says I am. I have what it says I have. I can do what it says I can do.

Today I will be taught the word of God. I boldly confess, my mind is alert, my heart is receptive. I will never be the same. in Jesus name. God bless you. I want to talk to you today about knowing God as a father. There are many different ways

that we can know God. We can know Him as a God that's far off, way out there, untouchable, somewhere in the universe. We can know God in a very formal way where we have this deep respect and reverential fear. Some people see God

as a God that's out to get them. They think he's got a baseball bat looking down from heaven, waiting for them to make a mistake. They know God as an enforcer, harsh and mean. There's a pressure that they can never live up to. But that's the wrong image of God. The best picture we could have of God is as of a loving father. A father is someone that's for you, someone that helps you overcome mistakes, someone that cheers you on as you pursue your dreams.

someone that believes the very best in you. And many people know God as their Savior. That's the most important way. But when you know God as a father, it takes on a whole new meaning. You realize he's not a God that's far off. He's not out to get you. He's not just there to point out what you're doing wrong.

He's there as a constant source of strength and encouragement. He's there to lift you when you fall, to encourage you when you do. down to push you forward when you feel like giving up. He's the friend that sticks closer than a brother. Most people get their image of God from their earthly father. If you grew up without a father, or maybe your father wasn't nice and kind and loving, he was harsh and mean and not there when you needed him, then you have to make sure you don't let that image tank the picture of who your heavenly father is. One time, Victor,

and I got a new dog. Every time I tried to get close to him, the dog would run away like I was going to harm him. And it's funny, he wasn't afraid of women. He would go right up to Victoria. He was only afraid of men. And if I did get him cornered, he would coward down and look up to me like he was terrified. Come to find out, that dog had been mistreated by a man. It had been hurt and abused. now its image of all men was harsh and unkind. He was shrink back in fear. Took me several months of loving him and being kind for him to finally get over that. In the same way, if you were raised by a father that was harsh, judgmental, impossible to please, not caring,

it's very easy to have the wrong image and think that God is harsh. And God's going to berate you when you make a mistake. and God's going to condemn you when you do wrong, and you could never measure up. No, you cannot let that image get mixed up with who your heavenly father really is. I was very blessed to be raised by a great earthly father. I know that's one reason that I see God as being loving, kind, forgiving, good. It's because my father was incredibly loving and kind to us children. He thought we were the greatest things in the world.

He would do anything for us. I remember one time in the fourth grade, I was in class. There was a knock on the door. This man came and whispered to my teacher that I needed to go down to the principal's office. I thought, oh man, wonder what's wrong. I hope everything's okay.

He said, Joel, your dad's holding on the phone and he really needs to talk to you. My heart started beating fast. I went in there and said, yes, Daddy, what is it? He said, Joel, I'm about to go to Red Lobster and pick up dinner. Do you want french fries?

or tater tots with your meal? I said, Daddy, you mean you called just to ask me that? He said, yes, Joel, I want to make sure you get exactly what you want. I thought to myself later, Daddy, you need to get out more often. I went back to my class and my friends were saying, what's wrong? What's going on? I said, oh, nothing. I just had to order some tater tots.

That's the way my father was. He wanted the best for his children. when you know God as a father, you realize no detail is too small. He's constantly watching after you, making sure that you're well taken care of. Victoria and I get a lot of phone calls during the day here at the ministry, and unfortunately, we don't have time to take most of them. But there are two calls that we will always take without exception. I can be in the middle of an important meeting. I can have a thousand things left to do on my schedule. But when these two people call, no matter what I'm doing or who I'm with, I'm going to step aside and take that call.

That's our two children, Jonathan and Alexandra. They have 24-hour access. When they call, I'm going to respond. That's the way it is as God's children. You can call on your heavenly father whenever you need, and he will always be there to take your call. call. He won't put you on hold. You won't get a recording. It won't get transferred to a call center overseas. As God's child, you have a hotline. You have a direct access. He will always stop what he's doing and be right there to take your call, to see what you need. I have people say, well, Joel,

since you're closer to God, would you pray for me and talk to God about me? I appreciate their respect. But the truth is, you're just as much a child of God as I am. You don't have to go through a third party. Of course, I'd love to pray for you, but you don't have to come through me or your priest or your bishop or some

other saint that's already in heaven. You can go directly to God for yourself. You've got that hotline. God will always take your call. When my children call during the day and I see their name come up on the caller ID, something

on the inside comes alive. I smile before I even talk. They bring joy to my spirit. In the same way, when God sees your name come across his phone, so to speak, you bring a smile to his face. He says, wow, that's my son, that's my daughter, wonder what they want to talk about. And some of you today, you have this deep respect and a reverential fear of God, and that's good. But you're in such awe that you don't realize this majestic God, this king of kings, this awesome creator, he's your heavenly

father. He longs to hear from you. That's why when Jesus taught us how to pray in the Lord's Prayer, he didn't say, started off by saying King of Kings and Lord of Lords, or oh great, holy, majestic creator of the universe.

Now Jesus said, when you pray, address God like this. our Father, which are in heaven. He wanted us to see God, not as this all-powerful, untouchable, awesome creator, which he is, but he wanted us to have an image of God as a loving father, as someone right there close to us, someone that would listen to what we have to say, someone that guides us through our life. A while back I had an opportunity to pray at a very important event. There were several other religious leaders there to pray. One man prayed in the King James version of the Bible in Old English. To thee, O Lord, our maker, doth we bow down before thee today. Very beautiful

prayer. Another man prayed all in Latin, quoted scripture in another language. First, I thought he was speaking in tongues. It was very formal, very reverential. But I've learned you just got to be yourself. When I stepped up to pray, I simply said, heavenly father, we love you today. There's something about addressing God as a father. When you know deep down this great creator, this King James God, this Latin God, the same God that they're addressing, he's your father. When you see God as a father, it's easy to talk to him. It's easy to expect good things. It's easy to accept his forgiveness and his mercy.

When you know God as a father, you'll be strong and confident. You know your father controls the universe. You know your father is concerned about every detail. You know your father will always take your call. You know your father is incredibly proud of you. I used to travel with my dad and everywhere we would go, he would brag on me. he couldn't wait to find someone new that he could introduce me to. He would say, do you know my son Joel?

He is the most fantastic television producer. He would go on and on telling them how smart and great and talented that he thought I was. So much so that it would embarrass me. But he was so proud of me he wanted to show me y'all. Now, as a father, I know exactly how he feels. The other day after service, we saw some of the way. friends that we haven't seen in a long time. The first thought that came to my

mind was somebody go find our children. They haven't seen our kids in several years. I didn't say it, but I thought they've got to see how awesome our children are. They've got to see little Alexandra. She's gotten tall. She's a knockout. They've got to see our son

Jonathan. He's almost as good looking as I am now. But my point is, I could not wait to show them off. Let me tell you, That's how God feels about you. He loves showing you off. He's incredibly proud of you.

Now, don't you dare drag through life, beaten down. Don't listen to the negative things people are saying about you. Don't let your own thoughts, your own mistakes, convince you that you're all washed up. Listen, you have been fearfully and

wonderfully made. Your Heavenly Father, the one that breathed his life into you. The one that gave you your gifts, your personality, your smile. When he looks at you, he stands in amazement. He calls you his masterpiece. I love what God said about Job. Have you seen my servant Job? There's none like him in all the land. Notice God was bragging on one of his children. If God were standing here today, he would say the same thing about each one of you. Have you seen my son William? He's amazing. There's nobody like him. Have you seen my

daughter, Judy, she is so beautiful, I'm incredibly proud of her. Have you seen my son Ramon? When I think of him, my world lights up. See, many people have never seen God as being proud of them because they don't know God as a father. They know him as a Savior. They know their sins are forgiven. They know him as the king of kings, sitting on the throne. Let's bow down in worship. And that's good. But God is saying, I want you to take it one step further and get to know me as a father. I want you to know when I see you, you bring a smile to my face. I see each one of you as one of my favorite children. Have you ever noticed how as parents we all think our children are the smartest,

the greatest, the fastest, the most talented, the most beautiful? I've had parents bring up their newborn babies so proud, beaming with joy to show them all. They say, Joel, look how beautiful she is. Look how cute he is. And I say this very respectfully, but that baby can be as homely as can be. Skin all dried up, head not proportionate yet, drool coming out of his mouth. Doesn't matter. Those parents think it's the most beautiful baby that's ever been born. Why is that? Here's why. Parents see their own children differently than other people do. Can I tell you, you're a heavenly father. is crazy about you? He thinks you're amazing. He loves showing you all. I remember when our son

Jonathan was just a toddler, maybe two years old. We bought him this Batman book that he really loved and we'd read it to him again and again all through the day. About a week later, I came home and he was sitting on the couch by himself with that book. I was going to sit down and read it with him. But he opened up the book, turned to the first page, and he pointed to the words, and he started it word for word. My eyes got this big. He turned to the next page, pointed it and read it word for word. I thought, my goodness. I knew he was smart, but this kid is a total genius. I call Victoria. I said, come in here. He's two years old. He's already reading. He went to the next page, the next, the next, read it word for word. But at one point, he looked up at us and he quoted exactly what was on the page.

I suddenly realized he wasn't reading. He had it all memorized. I was so disappointed. I thought he was the smartest child in all the world. That's the way your heavenly father feels about you. Well, you said, you all know, God couldn't see me that way. I've made mistakes. I've lived a rough life. I've got some bad habits.

Listen, my children aren't perfect. They've made mistakes, but nothing they've ever done for one moment has changed the way I feel about them. I may not always be proud of their actions, but I am always proud of them. Now, as a parent, I will naturally have more mercy on my own children. I'll take up for them. I won't condemn them. I will forgive them and help them to do better next time. Now, other people, when you make mistakes, they may beat you down.

Friends and family members may judge you and try to make you feel guilty. A coworker may be harsh on you because you, because you made some kind of mistake. But your heavenly father will always see you in a different light. He'll be more merciful, understanding, forgiving, loving. Why? Because you're his own child.

I grew up watching Dr. Charles Stanley on television. He's a great pastor, a great Bible teacher. I know his son, Andy. He pastors North Point Community Church in Atlanta. He's a fantastic minister as well. Andy told how when he was growing up in his team, he would go to his father's church on Sunday mornings,

but when his dad got up to minister, he and his friends would sneak out and go across the street to the donut shop. There was a television there, and they would switch it on to his dad's channel. The service of his dad's was carried live on television. That way, when his father asked him what the sermon was about, he would know he saw it in the donut shop.

One day, a staff member saw him in there. He went to Dr. Stanley. huffing and puffing and told him how his son was skipping church, and that was very wrong, and he needed to set a better example, and on and on all these ways, how he needed to correct him. Dr. Stanley looked him in the eyes and said, do me a favor. You raise your son, and I'll raise my son. See, fathers see their own children in a different light. That man wanted him to chew his son out and wanted him to read him the right act. But Dr. Stanley was much more loving, much more understanding, much more forgiving because it was his own son.

It's the same way with our Heavenly Father. When we make mistakes, so often people judge us, put you down, tell you you don't deserve anything good, you should have known better. Thank God our Heavenly Father, he doesn't see us in that same life. I'm not saying this is an excuse to live sloppy. and not have integrity and not be disciplined. But I am saying that we're all going to make mistakes. We're all human.

Many people are living guilty, condemned, beaten down by life because they're constantly listening to the accusing voices reminding them of everything that they've done wrong. You've got to know, your Heavenly Father does not judge like other people judge. He sees the wrong, but like Dr. Stan. He's not going to give you what you deserve. He's going to show you mercy because you're his child. When we make mistakes, three main things that we need to do. Number one, ask for forgiveness. Number two, receive God's mercy. And number three, move forward with your life. Let it go and press ahead.

Some of you are still beating yourself down over something that you did five years ago. you've asked God to forgive you a thousand times, but you can't let it go. You're living depressed, defeated, feeling unworthy, trying to show God that you're sorry, trying to pay God back. Listen, the price has already been paid. The first time you asked God to forgive you, he forgave you. Now you've got to receive God's mercy and press ahead. Listen, that mistake did not change your name. My children have never once gotten up in the morning as an O-Stee. and then done something wrong and gone to bed that night with a different last name. No matter what they did, they're still my children.

You may have made mistakes, done something you're not proud of, but you need to know you are still your father's child. You are still the apple of God's eye. You are still his most prized possession. And God may not be pleased with every action, but he's still pleased with you. He's still pleased that you're in the game. He's pleased that you're here today. watching. One of the greatest examples of God as a father can be seen in the parable Jesus told of the

prodigal son. The young man left home, wasted all of his money, living a wildlife. He ended up living in the hog pen. At his lowest moment, he thought, man, even the servants at my father's house live better than I do. So I will arise and go to my father's. When you make a mistake, the best decision you can follow it up with is to not run away from God, but do like this young man and say, I will arise and go to my father. When this father saw the son a long way off, he took off running down the road toward his son. He gave him a big hug, said to the staff, bring the best robe, kill the fatted calf, we're going to have a party. My son has come back home. The only picture of God running in the Bible is where he's running as a

a father to one of his children in need. And sometimes when we make mistakes, religion will beat us down. You don't deserve anything good. You blew it. Sit on the sidelines of life. Nothing good is in store for you. Please don't

believe those lies. If you'll dare do like this young man and take one step toward your heavenly father, he'll come running toward you. With his arms held open wide, he'll receive you back. He'll restore you, give you a new beginning. God can even make the rest of your life better than the first part.

But a lot of times when we make mistakes like this young man, we bring trouble on ourselves. We think, oh, I can't ask God to help me. I'd be a hypocrite. I knew it was wrong. I knew I shouldn't do it, but I did it anyway. No way God is going to help me out of this mess. No, think of it like this. When our son Jonathan was about five years old, we had a big oak tree in the backyard.

that he loved to climb. This tree had some low branches, maybe six or eight feet off the ground. But I told him, Jonathan, don't ever climb the tree without me being here because you could fall off and really get hurt.

Imagine one day I'm in my bedroom and I hear these screams coming from the backyard. I look out there and sure enough, Jonathan is hanging from that tree holding on for dear life, about to fall and get hurt. He's saying, Daddy, Daddy,

please come and help me. What kind of father would I be? If I said, hang on, Jonathan, let me check and see if you've done your chores. Victoria, has Jonathan cleaned his room lately? Daddy, please, I'm about to fall hurt. Just a second. Has he been nice to his sister lately? No, you know as well as I do. We would run out there as fast as we could to help that child get down. It's the same way with God. You may have made the mess. You may have brought the trouble on yourself. The good news is your heavenly father is not going to leave you out there hanging. If you will call to him, if you will call out to him knowing that he's not just your God. He's not just your creator.

He's more than that. He's your father. When you ask him, the scripture talks about how God will help you without finding fault. A lot of people, they're living guilty, condemned. They go around, they don't think they deserve God's goodness. it's because they know God as God, but they don't know him as a father. If you'll start to see him as a father, then when you make mistakes, you won't run away from God. You will run to God.

Victoria has a fantastic father. He's one of the kindest, most generous people that I've ever known. When Victoria was a teenager, she asked if she could borrow the car and go to a friend's house in the neighborhood. He said, yes, you can, as long as it. you'll go directly there and come directly back home. Well, Victoria was not quite as holy as I was growing up. Of course, I never did anything wrong, but Victoria did go directly to her friend's house,

but when she got there, she thought, since we have the car, we might as well go out and drive on the freeway a little while. The only problem is when she went to put the car in gear, instead of putting it in drive, she accidentally put it in low one. which is basically first or second gear. It's for climbing steep grades.

So she's out there on the freeway trying to go 50 miles an hour in first gear. The engine is screaming like a race car. She's wondering why it won't go any faster. It begins to smoke. About 15 minutes later, the engine blows up. The car dies, the engine's ruined. She's sitting on the side of the freeway.

Most people in that situation, the last thing they would do would go call their father, but not Victoria. She said like the prodigal, I will arise and go to my father. She said, Dad, I blew it. I'm sorry, forgive me, but I went out on the freeway and something happened to the car and it won't run anymore. Now, if her father, years before, would have been mean and harsh and judgmental, always beating her down,

she would have run away from him instead of running to him. The reason people live guilty and they think God's mad at them and they give up on life, give up on their dreams, is because they have. the wrong image of God. It was easy for Victoria because her father is so loving and kind. Her father came and picked her up, had the car toad, and do you know he never said a word to her about that situation? That's the mercy of a father. Sometimes we learn our lesson without God ever having to say a word. And yes, God can bring correction. Yes, he can bring discipline, but God doesn't harp on us. God doesn't berate us. God doesn't nag on us. God doesn't nag on us.

Those are the voices of the accuser trying to keep us from moving forward. When you make mistakes, God stands before you with his arms held open wide. He says, come on back home. I've already forgiven you. You may have made the mess, but I'm going to help you clean it up. Go get the best row. Get a ring for their finger. Get shoes for their feet.

We're going to have a party because my child has come back home. Many of us today, we know God as a Savior. We know God as the king of God. kings, and that's great. But my prayer is that we'll begin to know God better as a father. If you didn't have a good father growing up, don't let that taint the image of who your heavenly father is. He's merciful. He's forgiving. He's loving and he's incredibly proud of you. He loves showing you off. He thinks that you're amazing. Remember, you don't have to go through anybody else to talk to God. You have a direct line. Your heavenly father will always take your call.

and if you will begin to see God as a father, then you won't live life guilty, condemned, feeling like you don't measure up. No, you'll be strong, confident, secure. And I believe and declare, you will become everything he's created you to be and you will live that life of victory that he has in store.

Amen. Do you receive it today? We never like to close our broadcast without giving you an opportunity to make Jesus the Lord of your life. Would you pray with me? Just say, Lord Jesus. I repent of my sins. Come into my heart.

I make you my Lord and Savior. Friends, if you prayed that simple prayer, we believe you got born again. Get in a good Bible-based church. Keep God first place. He's going to take your places that you've never dreamed of. It's a new year,

an opportunity for a fresh start. It's a new year. Time to forget the struggles of the past and make room for new blessings. It's a new year. the perfect time to build expectation and faith for an amazing new season. The beginning of the year is a great time to start a fresh and anew, to let go of negative things of the past and to get ready for the new things God has in store.

Every January, we create a new devotional calendar. When you start off each day in faith, grateful for what God has done, making positive declarations over your future, you're setting the tone for a blessed day and a victorious. year. This devotional calendar will help you get your mind going in the right direction so you can live in faith expecting the goodness of God. As our way of saying thank you for your gift of any amount this first month of the year, we would like to send you a copy of our brand new 2025, 365, 365 day devotional calendar. Using this devotional calendar is as easy as one, two, three. One, wake up with an

expectancy in your heart. Two, reflect on the daily scripture verse and devotional from Joel. Three, capture the Lord's promises to you on journaling lines for writing and reflection. This is going to be one of your best years. Our 2025 devotional calendar is going to help you stay in faith and see the goodness of God in ways you've never seen. Victoria and I pray for you and your family every day. And thank you so much for your prayer and support. Your generosity is impacting lives around the world.

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