Joel Osteen Podcast - Living A Life Worth Remembering | Joel Osteen

Episode Date: April 11, 2025

You were created to make a lasting difference in the world. Let God enlarge your vision for your life. 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.Encounter the Savior who offers His provision and power in every moment. He Is I AM, the God who is with you always. Request our March offer and discover anew the presence and abundance of I Am—God is your answer right now, https://bit.ly/43F8PqH. 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 for listening to our podcast and thanks for supporting the ministry. If you enjoy today's message, why don't you be a blessing and share it with a friend. We appreciate you and pray for God's very best in your life. God bless you. It is always a joy to come into your homes. We love you. We know God has great things in store.

And if you're ever in our area, I hope you'll stop by and be a part of one of our services. We give you a personal invitation. I promise you, we'll make you a great thing. feel right at home. These are the finest people in all of Houston right here at Lakewood. So come out and see us, but thanks for tuning in today. I like to get started each week with something funny, and

I heard about this elderly man. He had had a serious hearing problem for years and years. He could hardly hear anything. And one day he went to the doctor, and he was fitted with a new type hearing aid to where he could hear 100%. A month later, he went back

for a checkup. And the doctor said, man, your family must really be happy. Your hearing is perfect. He said, no, I haven't told my family. I just sit around and listen to the conversations, and I've changed my will three times. All right. Hold up your Bible.

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 living a life worth remembering. So often we think, I'll never do anything significant. I'm just a business person. I'm just a school teacher.

I'm just to stay at home, mom. But really, that's the wrong mindset. You're not just anything. You're a child of the most high God. You have seeds of great. on the inside. Somebody needs what you have. Somebody needs your gifts and talents. Somebody needs your love and encouragement. You have something to offer that nobody else has. And if you don't rise up and do your part, this world will not be as bright a place as it should be. We have to

ask ourselves, a hundred years from now, will it have made a difference that I lived? Did I get up every day and give it my best, pursuing my dreams and goals. Did I keep my heart of compassion open, helping others, giving, caring, serving? Our attitude should be, I'm going to leave this place better off than it was before. I'm going to make a difference with my life. If we're going to live a life worth remembering, we cannot make little plans. Don't make little goals, little dreams, have a big vision for your life. It all starts right here. You'll never rise above the image you have of yourself. You have to make room in your thinking for the life you want. It has to be conceived on the inside before you'll ever receive it on the outside. And God is constantly trying to

plant new seeds in our heart. He's constantly trying to get us to enlarge our vision, to know who we really are. to know what we can accomplish. And God said there in Isaiah 4319, Behold, I am doing a new thing. Can you not perceive it? The reason some people never reach their full potential is because they don't have a vision for it. They're limited in their thinking.

It's like this man I heard about, he was out fishing one day, and he noticed another man across the bank fishing as well. And he saw that every time this other man caught a big fish, he would throw it back. But every time he caught a small fish, he would keep it. This went on all day long. And the more he watched, the more curious he became. Finally, he got his nerve up and went over to him and said,

sir, I just don't understand it. Why do you throw back the big fish, but you keep the small fish? The man said, oh, it's simple. All I have is a 10-inch frying pan. that's the way some people are today. Instead of getting a bigger frying pan, instead of changing their thinking and making room for the great things God has in store,

they just throw it back, so to speak. Oh, that's too big for me. Joel, I could never be that successful. I could never handle that responsibility. I could never have that kind of impact. What's the problem? Our frying pan is too small. We got to get rid of our limited

thinking. Make up your mind with me. I'm going to leave my mark on this generation. I'm not going to just make a living. I'm going to make a difference. I'm going to impact other people's lives. I'm going to be a giver and not a taker. I'm going to leave this place better

off than it was before. We have to realize we draw in what we constantly think about. If we go around thinking that I'll never do anything significant, I've reached my limits, gone as far as my education allows, I'll probably never get out of debt, Joel.

Come from the wrong family, not that talented. No, you've got to change your thinking. You've got to know who you really are, a child of the most high God. You have all kinds of potential on the inside. You can accomplish things that you've never dreamed of, but you've got to get a vision for it. You've got to know deep down in here,

the favor of God is surrounding you like a shield. You are full of can-do power. You have wisdom, strength, and ability. When opportunities come across your path, you feel the dreams and the desires rising up, don't shrink back. Think I can't do that? That's too big for me. No, dare to take that step of faith.

Dare to believe. After all, if you can do it in your own strength, you don't really need God. That doesn't really take faith. But if you'll get out of your comfort zone and stretch to the next level, that's when you'll see God show up and do great things. things in your life. We've all heard the saying, you're not everyone, but you are one. You can't do everything, but you can do something. I'm asking you to make a difference with your life. In the book of judges, there's a lady by the name of Deborah. She was living in a city that was

filled with violence and all kinds of wrongdoing. It had gotten so bad you couldn't even travel on the main roads. People were constantly being harassed and attacked. But one day, Deborah decided that she was going to make a difference. She had a big vision. Here, she was a woman. Back in those days, women didn't have the leadership roles like they have today. Deborah wasn't wealthy. She didn't have anybody backing her up. She didn't have a special police force. All she had was a desire to make a difference. The scripture says the highways were unoccupied. The city was starting to shut down until Deborah, a mother in Israel arose. Think about it, a mother. There were certainly more powerful people there, people with more influence, more expertise, but this mother decided she was going to make a

difference. Her attitude was, God and I are a majority, and I'm not going to just sit back and watch things go downhill. I'm going to do what I can and trust God to do what I can. when she rose up, her action triggered other people to get behind her. That's what happens many times. Your actions will stir people out of complacency. If you'll dare do what's in your heart, other people will get behind you and help you to make a difference. But we can't have the attitude, well, I'd love to help, but I'm just a mother, Joel. I'm just a student.

I'm just a young person. I just graduated from college. No, you have the most powerful force in the universe. verse on the inside of you. You can make a difference. What I love about Deborah was she was a catalyst for change. She saw a need and met it. She didn't let it overwhelm her. If she had had that 10 inch frying pan, she had thought too bad, can't do anything about it. No, she rose up and made a difference. We need to have that same attitude. I may only be one, but I can be a catalyst for change. I'm going to live a life worth remembering. A friend of

is a medical doctor. He specializes in internal medicine. He's got a very successful practice here in town. He's always had a desire to help the less fortunate. But he could have easily thought, there are so many needs, what can I do? I'm just one person. I don't have a big organization. Like Deborah, I don't have anybody backing me up. No, he realized that feeling down in here was something God put on the inside. One of the ways God leads us is by the desires of our heart. When you have a desire

to do good, a desire to see change, or a compassion towards someone or some cause, that's God leading you. That's an indication of what you should do. So about 10 years ago, this medical doctor instead of just thinking about it,

he started taking his vacations and traveling overseas to third world countries. He would work in the clinics, help treat the sick. He got his medical suppliers here in town to donate supplies. All it took was a phone call. They were glad to do it. He had ended up taking two or three suitcases full of medicine with him.

Every year, his outreach overseas grew. It got to where these medical companies, they weren't just giving him two or three suitcases full of medicines. They were given him big crates. He couldn't carry it anymore. He had to ship it. Over time, other doctors, and other organizations got wind of what he was doing.

They joined forces with him. It continued to grow. Last year, because of his efforts, 13 million children in Africa received a pill to keep them from getting a deadly parasite. One doctor, just an average, ordinary person in the natural, touched 13 million lives. He told how there are 300 million children right now

that need this pill. This year they expect to treat 40 million of those children. He said, Joel, we're not going to stop until every one of those children get the treatment they needed. Just one doctor. What happened? He rose up and said, I can make a difference. When his time here on this earth is done, he will have lived a life worth remembering. I'm asking you to do the same thing.

Be a catalyst for change in your family, in your neighborhood, at your school, at your office. don't just think, oh, there are so many needs. My family's always been this way. My school's so negative, they'll never change. No, you can make a difference. God has you where you are on purpose. You can touch people that nobody else can. Pay attention to what you're feeling down in here.

And then take the limits off of God. Quit telling God what you can't do and let God tell you what you can do. God will never ask you to give what you don't have. When he puts a dream in your heart, he will always equip you with everything you need to accomplish it. If you'll just dare take that step of faith, you'll see how God has already made crooked places straight. He'll open up doors that you never thought would open. He'll cause people to go out of their way to be good to you.

And even when it looks impossible, even when you don't see a way, God will supernaturally make a way. You have everything you need to make a difference. the seed of Almighty God is on the inside. Sometimes we think, oh, only the powerful ones will make a difference. Only the strong, the talented, the good looking. After all, they come from the right family. Joel, they have the right name. I don't have what they have.

Yes, that may be true, but the good news is you have what you need. You are anointed, you are equipped, you are empowered to do what God's called you to do. You may not touch 13 million children, but you can influence a dozen office workers. You can impact one young man that doesn't have a positive role model. You don't know. You may touch one person, and that person will touch many, many others. I know my father, he wasn't raised in church. He grew up during the Great Depression.

His family, they were good people. They just didn't know anything about God. He didn't have any kind of spiritual upbringing. As a teenager, there was a young man by the name of Sam Martin. Sam would get to school early every morning and write scriptures on the blackboard. And my father and a lot of the other students would make fun of him. They thought he was kind of far out. That didn't bother Sam.

Week after week, he kept showing up early writing those scriptures, doing what he felt like he was supposed to do, making a difference. Well, one day at the age of 17, my father was walking home from a nightclub. at 2 o'clock in the morning. All the sudden, he began to think about God in eternity. The seed was planted by Sam. He went and found him and said, Sam, what's wrong with me?

Why do I feel this way? The next day, Sam took my dad to church. The end of the service, the minister, asked people to come forward to receive Christ. My father wouldn't go. He was too scared. Sam leaned over and said, John, if you'll go, I'll go with you.

That was the day that forever changed my family. line. Because of Sam Martin, we got out from under the curse. Today we're living under the blessing. What's interesting to me is Sam became a minister like my father, but he never had the size of ministry. My dad did. Sam never had a big church. He never had a big following. Yet think of the impact he made by simply touching my father. He'll get a reward for every person my dad helped, every person I'm able to help. Fifty years. Fifty years. later, Sam wrote a book. On the cover was a picture of he and my father at the age of 17. His title was, I touched one and he touched millions. You never know who you're touching when you're

so into that one person at the office, that one young man that's discouraged. You can't do everything, but I'm asking you to do something. Make a difference wherever you go. the true joy in living is in helping others. I want you to feel your sense of destiny. You can accomplish things that nobody else can. You may be teaching students, but you don't know, one of those students may impact nations. You're a calling, maybe, to raise a child.

You're a stay-at-home mom. You don't know. That child may influence millions. We don't read much in the scripture about Pharaoh's daughter, just the fact that she went out and found a little baby floating down the Nile River. She was kind and caring, took him in. It was Moses. Little did she realize he would

become one of the heroes of faith. I believe she'll get a reward for impacting his life. When you sow into those around you, you're making a difference. You're living a life worth remembering. There's a young man that attends our church. He was in an accident many years ago and wasn't supposed to survive. Miraculously, he made it. But he lost his ability to to drive. He can't see very well and he had to relearn his motor skills and some of his speech. When we moved the church from our other location to this place, he couldn't take the bus anymore. For some reason, it didn't run from that place to our new place. But I love the fact that he didn't just give up and say too bad for me. He went down week after week to the public transportation

meetings and he told them that they needed to run the buses on Sunday, morning so he could get to Lakewood. He was passionate about it. Here in the natural, he didn't have money, power, influence. All he had was a desire to make a difference. They told him again and again, I'm sorry, sir, but there's just not enough demand to run the buses on Sunday morning. He wouldn't take no for an answer. He went out and got a petition, went door to door, had people sign it, took it back to the board. They voted on it. Longstreet. Longstom. He went out. He went out. He went out. He went door to door. Had people sign it. took it back to the board. They voted on it. Long story short, today, the bus is run on Sunday morning. All because one young man decided to make a difference. See, he knew the secret when God puts something in your heart.

He always gives you what you need to accomplish it. He'll give you the favor. He'll give you the words to speak. He'll give you the strength. It may not happen overnight. You may have some obstacles. The critics and naysayers will probably come out of of the woodwork, but don't let that keep you from pressing forward. When somebody tells you no, you've got to do like he did and go back and ask again. I found the favor of God will cause people to change their mind. God's favor on your life will cause people to want to be good to you. It'll cause you to be at the right place, at the right time. You may only be one, but you and God are a majority.

and today thousands of people have transportation on Sunday mornings because of one young man. He's making a difference. He's living a life worth remembering. And in the natural, he's just a plain old ordinary person like you and I. But remember, God uses ordinary people to do extraordinary things. Why don't you make up your mind? You're not going to live an average life. You're not going to sit back and be complacent when down in here you feel passion towards something. recognize that's God leading you to make a difference. A lot of times we think, well, what's my two cents going to count?

He could have thought, this is the fourth largest city in America. They're not going to change the bus route for me. I'm just one person. Yes, you may only be one, but with God's favor, with his anointing, with his strength, with his wisdom, with his power, you can do great things. If God be for you, who dare even be against you? I remember when we were, when we were, were trying to acquire our new facility here, the former compact center, we needed 10 votes from

the city council members to win. The night before, we only had nine. It looked like we were going to lose. But at the last moment, a young Jewish council member changed his mind and he voted for us. It was his vote that gave us the victory. I was talking to him later and I asked him, what was it that caused you to change your mind? After all, he'd been against us for nearly two years. He said, Joel, although you were very persuasive, thousands of your members called my office, it wasn't any of that. He told how there was this elderly Jewish lady

that he had known since he was a little boy. He hadn't talked to her in years and years. But the night before the main vote, out of the blue, she called him and told him in no uncertain terms he was to vote for Lakewood. He said, it was that phone call that chance. my mind. What's interesting to me is, I don't know that lady. I've never met her, never talked to her. She may not even realize it, but it was her three-minute phone call that caused us

to have this facility. She made a difference. She was only one, but it just so happened, she was the right one. She was the one God anointed. She was the one that touched his heart. Sometimes we think, well, I'm not the most qualified. Joel, I'm not the most talented one. for this job. I'm not the most eloquent speaker. That all may be true, but none of that matters when you're the right one. None of that matters when God's anointed you to do it. You can do more with one touch of God's favor than you can do in your whole lifetime in your own efforts. What I'm saying is when you have a desire down in here, know that God's anointed you to do it. He's going to give you the favor. He'll cause people to hear the right things. You've been empowered to accomplish your

dreams. Most of the time, it's not ability, it's availability. Are we willing? Will we dare get out of our comfort zones and stretch to the next level? You have to realize God has matched you with your world. In other words, he's given you everything you need to fulfill your destiny. You may not feel like sometimes you're able to do it. But that's okay. You have to get beyond your feelings and know right down in here, I have the seed of Almighty God. God will never ask you to give something. He'll never put a dream in your heart

without first equipping you with everything you need on the inside to accomplish it. So even if you don't feel like you have the wisdom, the talent, the ability, you've got to just remind yourself, no, God has matched me with my world. He's already put in me what I need.

I heard this minister illustrating this point before the service he handed a man a $20 bill. And he asked him to secretly put it in his wife's Bible to make sure she didn't see him doing it. It was a small church. Everybody knew each other. During the sermon, he asked the lady to stand up. He said, ma'am, do you trust me? She said, yes, I do.

He said, will you do what I ask you to do? She said, yes, I will. He said, well, please open your Bible and hand me a $20 bill. She kind of cringe and said, oh, I'm so sorry, I don't have a $20 bill. he said, ma'am, do you trust me? She said, yes, I do. He said, will you do what I ask you do? Yes, I will. Then please open your Bible and hand me a $20 bill. She opened it up, and much to her surprise, there was the $20 bill. She couldn't believe it. She said, how did it get there? He smiled and said, I put it in there. And in the same way, God will never ask you for something without first putting it in you.

if you have a desire, if you have a dream, you may not feel like you're able to do it. You may not feel like you have the strength, the wisdom, the talent, but if you'll dare take that step of faith anyway, you'll discover things in you that you never knew you had. This is where many people miss it. This is why many people are in mediocrity. They talk themselves out of it. Think about even Moses. When God told him to go stand before Pharaoh and tell him to let my people go.

first thing Moses said was God I can't do that I stutter I'm not a good speaker I love the way God answered him back he said Moses who made your tongue who made your voice God was saying in effect Moses I've already put it in you just do it God told Gideon he was going to deliver the people of Israel God called him a mighty man of valor Gideon said no not me God I'm the least one in my family everybody's more talented than I am. Notice he had a 10-inch frying pan. He needed to go down to Walmart. He needed to enlarge his vision.

Don't let the size of your dream intimidate you. Don't let the fact that there are naysayers in your path keep you from pressing forward. I love what the apostle Paul said. People were trying to talk him out of his dreams and telling him what he couldn't do. He said in Romans, what if they don't believe? Will their unbelief make the promise of God of no effect in my life?

What he was saying in my Texas translation was, so what if they don't believe? The promise is not in them. The promise is in me. That's the attitude we need to have respectfully, but so what if they don't think I can do it? So what if they're trying to pull me down? So what if they're criticizing?

I'm not going to let their sour attitude cause me to give up on my dreams. I'm not going to let their unbelief keep me from leaving my mark. In other words, just because they have a 10-inch frying pan, doesn't mean I have to have a 10-inch frying pan. Anytime you go to do something great in life, anytime you step out of your comfort zone, it stirs up the jealousy in small-minded people. You have to accept the fact,

not everybody's going to cheer your own. Not everybody's going to be excited about your dreams. Sometimes you just have to encourage yourself. when people are criticizing don't sink down to their level be an eagle and rise above it I read where the first time Billy Graham ever went over to England

some 50 years ago the press was so negative they said we don't need your religion we don't need another minister one reporter said to him how can you even justify coming over here on a big ocean liner seeing that Jesus wrote a donkey

everywhere he went Billy Graham said if you'll find me a donkey that can walk on water. I'll be the first one to buy. Don't change for your critics. Stay true to who you are. Mother Teresa said, people will criticize you for doing good, but do good anyway. Make a difference in your world. Live a life worth remembering. The prophet Joel said, wake up the mighty men. I believe I'm looking at the mighty men and women of God today. You are full of strength, full of wisdom, full of can-do power. There is nothing in your destiny, nothing in your future that you cannot accomplish. Why don't you take the limits off of God?

Get rid of the words I can't. I'm not able to. That's too big for me. No, God has matched you with your world. He's already put in you everything you need and everything you're going to need to make a difference, to leave your mark. But it starts right here. Get rid of a 10-inch frying pan. When you have a dream down in your heart, dare to take a step of front.

faith. You may only be one, but remember, you and God are a majority. And if you'll have a big vision for your life, and not just live for yourself, but live to make a difference in others, when you do that, God will take your places that you've never even dreamed of. He'll promote you, he'll increase you, and when it's all said and done, you will have lived a life well worth remembering. 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 church, keep God first

place, he'll take your places that you've never dreamed up. When we face challenges, it's easy to feel like God has forgotten about us. We don't see anything happening. Thoughts tell us it's not going to work out. But God is not called the great I was or the great I will be. He's called the Great I Am. In my new book, He is I Am, you'll discover that God is with you in every area of your life. I Am is always in the present. Not at a later time. God is working in your life right now. I Am means I am your healer. I am your provider. I am your waymaker. Whether you're facing a challenge or pursuing your dreams, stay in faith. The great I Am is right there with you.

As our way of saying thank you for your gift of any amount this month, we would like to send you a copy of Joel's book. He is, I Am. God is for you, here and now. Are you in need of protection or provision today? Jesus assures us, I am the good shepherd. Does the path ahead seem uncertain or dark? Jesus declares, I am the light of the world.

Do you feel like your career, calling, or marriage is beyond hope? Jesus promises, I am the resurrection and the life. With every I am statement, you'll discover more about who God is and what He has made available for you, not someday, but today. Request your copy today and watch God's promise come alive. No matter what you face, He is here and now for you. Be sure to request your copy of He Is I Am. God is for you here and now.

Today, visit Joelostean.com or call 888-567 Joel. You're never alone. The Great I Am is behind the scenes, making ways, opening doors, turning things in your favor. Victoria and I want you to know we love you and we pray for you every day. Thanks for your prayer and support of the ministry. your generosity is making a difference in people's lives around the world. Special thank you to our Champion of Hope partners for your monthly support. If you're not a partner, I hope you'll consider becoming one.

Remember, you can watch the services online every Sunday morning, download our daily podcast, listen on SiriusXM, watch our YouTube channel, and the new Joel Osteen Network, streaming on television 24 hours a day. But until we see you next time, may the Lord bless you. and keep you. Be sure to request your copy of He Is I Am. God is for you here and now today. Visit Joel Osteen.com or call 888-567 Joel. For an additional donation this month, we are offering the I Am collection. It includes a beautiful two-piece scripture wall art, plus the He Is I Am book bundle.

The stretched canvas elegantly features I am and scripture reference John 146. You can request these unique resources by calling 888-567, Joel, or logging on to joelosteen.com today. Call or click any time, 24 hours a day. Yes, be reminded that the power of I am is for you each and every day.