>> VICTORIA OSTEEN: AMEN,
AMEN.
THANK YOU FOR BEING HERE
TODAY.
YOU MAY BE SEATED.
I WANT TO ENCOURAGE YOU TODAY
THAT GOD HAS GREAT PURPOSE
FOR YOUR LIFE.
YOU HOLD MEANING, YOU HOLD
POTENTIAL, YOU HOLD
EVERYTHING YOU NEED TO MAKE
THIS EARTH A BETTER PLACE,
AND I WANT TO CHARGE US TODAY
TO JUST REEVALUATE OUR LIFE
AND REALIZE WE ARE HERE FOR
GOD'S PURPOSE AND GOD'S
GLORY.
YOU KNOW, SOMETIMES, IT'S
EASY TO FEEL LIKE WE'RE HERE
TO JUST GO TO OUR JOB, GO TO
SCHOOL, HAVE OUR FRIENDS,
RAISE OUR FAMILY.
BUT CAN I TELL YOU TODAY, GOD
HAS MARKED YOU TO HAVE AN
INFLUENCE ON THIS EARTH.
SEE, YOU'RE--YOU JUST BEING
HERE, YOU BEING THE BEST YOU
CAN BE, USING YOUR GIFTS,
USING YOUR TALENTS IN
HONORING GOD, YOU'RE MAKING
AN ETERNAL DIFFERENCE.
YOU ARE CAUSING THIS EARTH TO
BE ENRICHED AND YOU ARE
MOVING THE KINGDOM OF GOD
FORWARD.
YOU SEE, SOMETIMES, WE DON'T
APPRECIATE WHAT GOD HAS GIVEN
US.
WE DON'T UNDERSTAND THIS GIFT
AND THE PURPOSE THAT WE'RE
HERE FOR, AND I BELIEVE WHEN
WE SHAKE OURSELVES AND WE
SAY, "LISTEN, I'M NOT HERE BY
ACCIDENT.
I'M NOT HERE 'CAUSE MY
PARENTS WANTED A BABY.
I'M NOT HERE JUST TO TAKE UP
SPACE AND TIME ON THIS EARTH,
BUT I'M HERE FOR AN ETERNAL
REASON.
MY BEING HERE HAS MEANING AND
MY LIFE MATTERS."
YOU SEE, WHEN GOD LOOKS AT
YOU, HE LOOKS AT YOU LIKE YOU
MATTER, AND HE WANTS YOU TO
TAKE WHAT HE'S GIVEN YOU AND
HE WANTS YOU TO MIX IT WITH
FAITH AND HE WANTS YOU TO
MOVE FORWARD ON THIS EARTH.
YOU SEE, A LOT OF TIMES, WE
CAN'T SEE WHAT GOD HAS GIVEN
US.
LET'S JUST BE REALLY REAL.
YOU KNOW, SOMETIMES, WE CAN'T
SEE THE GIFTS AND TALENTS.
WE CAN LOOK AT OTHER PEOPLE
AND WE CAN SEE HOW THEY
EXCEL.
WE CAN SEE HOW THEY'VE GOT
SUCH A GREAT PERSONALITY.
OH, IT SEEMS SO EASY FOR
THEM.
THEY CAN JUST DO THIS,
THEY'RE SO CREATIVE.
OH, THEY'RE SO SMART.
HOW CAN THEY FIGURE ALL THAT
OUT?
WE CAN SEE IT IN OTHERS BUT
WE CAN'T ALWAYS SEE IT IN
OURSELF, AND SEE, WHEN WE
CAN'T SEE IT IN OURSELF
DOESN'T MEAN IT'S NOT THERE.
SEE, GOD SEES IT IN US
BECAUSE GOD PUT IT THERE.
THE BIBLE SAYS WHEN JESUS
WENT TO EARTH HE LED THE
CAPTIVES FREE AND HE GAVE
GIFTS TO MEN.
DO YOU KNOW, HE'S GIVEN YOU
GIFTS.
WE DON'T ALL HAVE THE SAME
GIFTS.
WE'VE GOT TO BE COMFORTABLE
WITH OUR GIFTS.
WE'VE GOT TO BE ABLE TO
RECOGNIZE OUR GIFTS.
WE'VE GOT TO WALK IN THOSE
GIFTS AND NOT COMPARE THOSE
GIFTS.
WE'VE GOT TO KNOW THAT OUR
GIFTS ARE HERE FOR A PURPOSE,
AND WE'VE GOT TO APPRECIATE
WHAT GOD HAS GIVEN US.
I THINK ABOUT MOSES.
HE WAS RAISED AS AN EGYPTIAN.
HE ENDED UP FLEEING TO THE
WILDERNESS AND HE WAS THERE
FOR 40 YEARS.
GOD APPEARED TO HIM IN A
BURNING BUSH ONE DAY AND
SAYS, "MOSES, I HAVE AN
ASSIGNMENT FOR YOU."
NOW, GOD KNEW EXACTLY WHO HE
WAS TALKING TO.
HE KNEW EVERYTHING ABOUT
MOSES, HE CREATED MOSES.
HE SAW MOSES FLOATING DOWN
THE RIVER.
HE SAW MOSES WHEN HE LIVED IN
THE PALACE.
HE SAW MOSES WHEN HE WAS
AFRAID AND RAN TO THE DESERT.
HE KNEW EXACTLY WHO MOSES
WAS.
HE KNEW WHO HE WAS DEALING WITH.
HE SAID, "MOSES, I WANT YOU
TO LEAD MY PEOPLE OUT OF
EGYPT INTO THE PROMISED LAND
BECAUSE I'M DOING A WORK AND
I'M GOING TO USE YOU TO DO
IT."
SEE, IT'S SO INTERESTING.
I CAN ONLY IMAGINE MOSES
STANDING THERE, LIKE,
"REALLY, GOD?"
IT SAYS IN EXODUS 4, HE
LITERALLY PLEADED WITH GOD.
HE SAID, "NO, GOD, NOT ME.
YOU'VE GOT THE WRONG MAN.
GOD, I STUTTER, I CAN'T SPEAK
WELL, I CAN'T CARRY THIS
ASSIGNMENT OUT."
I'M SURE HE WAS THINKING
ABOUT HIS PAST.
I'M SURE HE WAS THINKING
ABOUT HOW, "I'VE BEEN IN THE
DESERT, LORD.
YOU DON'T KNOW.
I MEAN, YOU'VE GOT THE WRONG
MAN."
BUT GOD WAS SAYING, "NO, I'VE
BEEN SHAPING YOU FROM THE
BEGINNING.
EVERY EXPERIENCE YOU HAVE,
EVERY GIFT I'VE PLACED IN
YOU, HAS BROUGHT YOU FOR SUCH
A TIME AS THIS, FOR THIS
ASSIGNMENT," AND DO YOU KNOW,
GOD USED MOSES IN A POWERFUL
WAY, EVEN THOUGH MOSES
COULDN'T SEE WHAT GOD HAD
PLACED IN HIS LIFE.
I FIND IT VERY INTERESTING IN
ACTS 7:22, HUNDREDS OF YEARS
LATER AFTER MOSES WAS DEAD,
THIS IS WHAT THE WRITER OF
ACTS WROTE ABOUT MOSES.
IT SAYS: "MOSES WAS WELL
EDUCATED IN ALL THE WISDOM OF
THE EGYPTIAN AND HE WAS
POWERFUL IN SPEECH AND
ACTION."
MOSES WAS POWERFUL IN SPEECH
AND ACTION?
THAT WAS A FAR CRY FROM WHAT
HE THOUGHT ABOUT HIMSELF.
IT WAS A FAR CRY FROM WHAT HE
WAS TELLING GOD.
SEE, ISN'T IT INTERESTING
WHAT HE COULDN'T SEE IN
HIMSELF, GOD HAD OTHERS SEE.
SEE, YOU MAY NOT BE ABLE TO
SEE YOUR GIFTS, YOUR TALENTS,
YOUR ABILITY, BUT CAN I TELL
YOU, IF YOU WILL USE THEM FOR
GOD, LET GOD TAKE THOSE AND
TURN THEM INTO SUPERNATURAL
ABILITIES, PEOPLE WILL SEE
WHAT YOU HAVE AND YOU WILL
ACCOMPLISH GREAT THINGS IN
YOUR LIFE.
BUT IT'S UP TO US TO MIX OUR
ABILITIES, OUR GIFTS THAT
GOD'S GIVEN US, WITH FAITH
AND GET UP EVERY DAY AND PUT
ONE FOOT IN FRONT OF THE
OTHER.
BECAUSE I CAN TELL YOU, WHEN
GOD ASKS YOU TO DO SOMETHING,
CAN I JUST GIVE YOU A LITTLE
HINT RIGHT NOW THAT YOU
PROBABLY ALREADY KNOW, IT'S
NOT GOING TO BE EASY.
GOD'S GOING TO CALL YOU TO
SOME HARD STUFF.
WHY, GOD?
I LIKE EASY.
I LIKE COMFORTABLE, GOD.
I LIKE TO DO THOSE THINGS
THAT ARE EASY FOR ME TO DO.
GOD'S SAYING, "I WANT TO--I
WANT YOU TO TAKE THOSE THINGS
THAT ARE EASY FOR YOU TO DO
AND THOSE THINGS THAT ARE
DIFFICULT FOR YOU TO DO AND I
WANT YOU TO GIVE THEM TO ME."
BECAUSE, SEE, THOSE DIFFICULT
PLACES, THAT'S WHERE YOU
GROW.
WHEN GOD SPEAKS TO THOSE
DIFFICULT PLACES, YOU KNOW
WHAT HE'S DOING?
HE'S NOT BEING MEAN.
HE'S SPEAKING TO YOUR
POTENTIAL.
HE'S SAYING, "IF YOU STAY
HERE, YOU'RE NOT GOING TO
BECOME EVERYTHING YOU WERE
DESIGNED TO BE."
HE'S NOT GOING TO CALL YOU TO
THE EASY PLACES.
HE'S GOING TO CALL YOU TO
SOME TOUGH THINGS BUT, JUST
LIKE MOSES, YOU'RE GOING TO
LOOK BACK AND YOU'RE GOING TO
GO, "GOD, YOU DID MORE THAN I
COULD ASK, THINK, OR IMAGINE.
GOD, YOU FULFILLED MY LIFE.
YOU'VE ENRICHED MY LIFE."
BUT SEE, ALL ALONG THE WAY,
WE'RE GOING TO HAVE TO STIR
UP THE GIFTS OF GOD WITHIN
US.
WE'RE GOING TO HAVE TO USE
OUR FAITH.
WE'RE GOING TO HAVE TO
BELIEVE IN OUR ABILITIES.
THE APOSTLE PAUL WROTE TO A
YOUNG MAN NAMED TIMOTHY.
HE WROTE A LETTER TO HIM FOR
TWO REASONS: ONE, BECAUSE HE
LOVED HIM; AND TWO, BECAUSE
HE SAW THAT TIMOTHY WAS
EXTREMELY DISCOURAGED.
HE WAS FACING SOME SITUATIONS
AND HE DID NOT FEEL LIKE HE
HAD THE ABILITY TO CARRY OUT
WHAT GOD HAD CALLED HIM TO
DO.
IN FACT, HIS MENTOR, PAUL,
WAS IN PRISON, THE MASTERMIND
OF EVERYTHING, AND HE
THOUGHT, "OH MY GOSH, AM I
EVER GOING TO SEE PAUL AGAIN?
I MEAN, I NEED PAUL."
HAVE YOU EVER NEEDED SOMEONE?
"CAN YOU COME WITH ME?
I'LL DO IT IF YOU COULD COME
WITH ME."
THAT'S PROBABLY HOW HE FELT.
"PAUL, WHERE ARE YOU?
I CANNOT DO THIS BY MYSELF.
I'M YOUNG."
YOU SEE, BUT PAUL WANTED HIM
TO KNOW THIS, THAT HE COULD.
SO PAUL SAID, "THERE'S A
COMBINATION, A WINNING
COMBINATION.
I'M GOING TO TELL YOU ABOUT
IT."
SO HE WROTE HIM A LETTER, AND
HE SAID, "TIMOTHY, I'M
WRITING YOU THIS LETTER TO
REMIND YOU TO STIR UP THE
GIFTS OF GOD WITHIN YOU BY
FAITH."
BUT SINCE IT'S MOTHER'S DAY,
CAN I BACK UP IN THAT LETTER
AND JUST TELL YOU ONE THING
THAT PAUL SAID TO ALL OF YOU
MOTHERS OUT THERE, AND I WANT
YOU TO TAKE THIS MOTHER TO
HEART 'CAUSE I REALLY BELIEVE
THIS IS WHAT GOD'S SAYING TO
YOU TODAY.
HE'S SAYING--HE WROTE THIS.
HE SAID, "TIMOTHY, I SEE THE
FAITH OF YOUR GRANDMOTHER AND
OF YOUR MOTHER, AND THE FAITH
THAT THEY HAD, I'M SURE,
LIVES IN YOU."
WHAT A COMPLIMENT.
I MEAN, FOR A MOTHER, THAT'S
A VERY GOOD COMPLIMENT, IF
YOU SEE THAT I WAS A GOOD
EXAMPLE TO MY CHILDREN.
HE WAS SAYING, "I SEE THAT
YOU CAME FROM A GOOD EXAMPLE.
YOU'VE LEARNED HOW TO LIVE."
BUT THEN HE SAID THIS: "PAUL,
I BELIEVE THIS FAITH LIVES IN
YOU SO IT'S TIME FOR YOU TO
USE YOUR FAITH AND STIR UP
YOUR GIFTS."
I THINK IN ESSENCE HE WAS
REALLY GIVING THOSE MOTHERS
THE GREATEST COMPLIMENT IN
THE WORLD.
HE WAS CHARGING THEIR SON TO
SAY, "DON'T LIVE OFF YOUR
MAMA'S FAITH.
THAT'S GREAT THAT YOU HAVE AN
EXAMPLE BUT IT'S TIME TO FIND
YOUR FAITH AND IT'S TIME TO
MIX IT WITH YOUR ABILITY
BECAUSE YOU'VE GOT A JOB TO
DO."
YOU SEE, THE BREATH OF
ENCOURAGEMENT IS THE GREATEST
GIFT YOU CAN GIVE SOMEONE'S
CHILD.
TO SAY, "FIND YOUR FAITH."
YOU SEE, MY DREAM WOULD BE
THAT MY CHILDREN WOULD FIND
THEIR OWN FAITH.
YES, I'VE BEEN A GOOD EXAMPLE
BUT THEY WOULD FIND THEIR
FAITH AND THEY WOULD MIX THAT
FAITH WITH THE ABILITY AND
THE GIFTS THAT GOD'S GIVEN
THEM, AND THEY WOULD CHARGE
INTO THIS WORLD, HAVING A
POSITIVE EFFECT AND ETERNAL
RESULT ON THIS EARTH.
SEE, THEY'RE NOT HERE BY
ACCIDENT AND NEITHER ARE YOU.
THEY'RE HERE FOR A PURPOSE.
YOU'RE GOING TO GO THROUGH
MANY DIFFERENT SEASONS OF
LIFE.
DON'T JUST DO IT, THINKING
YOU'RE GETTING THROUGH IT.
DO IT WITH PURPOSE AND
DESTINY, STIR UP THE GIFTS.
YOU ARE MAKING WAVES
EVERYWHERE YOU GO FOR GOD.
YOU HAVE AN ASSIGNMENT.
GOD NEEDS YOU.
YOUR LIFE MATTERS.
INVITE JESUS INTO EVERY AREA
OF YOUR LIFE.
INVITE HIM INTO YOUR BOAT, SO
TO SPEAK.
YOU SEE, THE FIRST TIME THAT
JESUS MET SIMON PETER BEFORE
HE CHANGED HIS NAME, HE HAD
NEVER MET HIM BEFORE.
SIMON PETER DIDN'T KNOW
JESUS.
JESUS CAME WALKING UP BECAUSE
THE CROWDS WERE FOLLOWING
HIM, AND JESUS NEEDED TO PUSH
BACK A LITTLE BIT FROM THE
CROWDS.
HE SAW SIMON PETER AND HIS
CREW OVER THERE, WASHING
NETS, BECAUSE THEY'D BEEN
FISHING.
THEIR BOATS WERE ON THE EDGE
OF THE WATER, AND JESUS SAID,
"I NEED TO GET IN YOUR BOAT,
SIMON PETER."
HE SAID, "YOU NEED TO PUSH ME
OUT A LITTLE WAYS," AND SIMON
PETER LET HIM IN HIS BOAT AND
HE PUSHED HIM OUT, AND JESUS
SAID, "I NEED TO GET IN THAT
BOAT BECAUSE, SEE, WHAT I
NEED TO DO IS CONTINUE THE
WORK THAT I AM DOING."
HE WAS PREACHING TO THE
PEOPLE BUT HE NEEDED A LITTLE
BIT OF BREAK.
SO HE NEEDED TO GET IN SIMON
PETER'S BOAT SO HE COULD
FINISH THE WORK.
NOW, SIMON PETER'S BOAT, YOU
KNOW WHAT IT REPRESENTED?
IT REPRESENTED HIS OFFICE.
IT WAS HIS VOCATION.
IT WAS HIS LIVELIHOOD.
HE COULD HAVE SAID, "NOW,
WAIT A MINUTE, MAN, THAT'S MY
BOAT.
CAN'T GET IN MY BOAT, THAT'S
ONLY FOR FISHING."
YOU KNOW, IT'S REAL
INTERESTING.
THE DAY THAT SIMON PETER LET
HIM IN HIS BOAT, THAT JOB
THAT HE HAD, THAT FISHING
JOB, IT BECAME MORE THAN A
JOB.
IT BECAME A CALLING.
WHEN HE ALLOWED HIM IN HIS
BOAT SO THAT JESUS COULD DO
THE WORK, THAT JOB WASN'T
JUST A JOB, IT BECAME A
CALLING FOR PETER'S LIFE.
IT BECAME A DESTINY AND A
PASSION.
HE REALIZED, "NO MATTER IF
I'M FISHING OR IF I'M--OR IF
I'M WITH JESUS, I'M GOING TO
DO THE WORK OF GOD."
YOU SEE, HE WAS A FISHERMAN
BUT THAT CALLING CHANGED HIM
INTO A FISHER OF MEN.
GOD WANTS IN YOUR BOAT.
HE WANTS IN YOUR SCHOOL.
HE WANTS IN THE MIDDLE OF
CHANGING DIAPERS.
HE WANTS IN THE MIDDLE OF
YOUR FAMILY.
HE WANTS TO KEEP DOING A WORK
BUT, GUESS WHAT?
HE'S GOT TO GET IN YOUR BOAT
TO FINISH IT UP.
YOU KNOW, I LOVE MY MOTHER.
SHE'S HERE TODAY.
HAPPY MOTHER'S DAY.
I LOVE MY DODIE, SHE'S HERE
TODAY.
HAPPY MOTHER'S DAY.
I'VE WATCHED MY MOTHER.
SHE'S HAD A BUSINESS IN
HOUSTON FOR THE LAST 40 YEARS
AND I'VE WATCHED HER TAKE
THAT BUSINESS, THAT JEWELRY
BUSINESS, AND TURN IT INTO A
PULPIT.
NO, SHE WASN'T CALLED TO A
MINISTRY BEHIND A PULPIT BUT
YOU KNOW WHAT SHE'S DONE?
SHE'S LET JESUS COME IN HER
BOAT.
SHE'S ALWAYS BEEN THE TYPE OF
PERSON WHO WANTED TO HELP
PEOPLE, WHO LOVED PEOPLE, WHO
WOULD ALWAYS BE AN
ENCOURAGER, AND I WATCH HER,
FROM THAT BUSINESS, ENCOURAGE
PEOPLE, INVITE THEM TO
CHURCH, FUEL THEIR FAITH.
SEE, SHE LET JESUS IN HER
BOAT, AND I WAS THINKING
ABOUT THIS THE OTHER DAY.
SHE'S BEEN IN BUSINESS A LONG
TIME IN THIS CITY AND SHE'S
SEEN THE ECONOMY GO UP, SHE'S
SEEN THE ECONOMY GO DOWN, AND
GOD'S BEEN GOOD TO HER.
HE SUSTAINED HER BUSINESS.
HE SUSTAINED IT, AND I
BELIEVE IT'S BECAUSE HE SAID,
"I STILL NEED YOUR BOAT.
I STILL NEED YOUR BOAT, AND I
KNOW THAT YOU'LL GIVE ME YOUR
BOAT, SO I'M GOING TO KEEP
YOU AFLOAT."
CAN I TELL YOU, WHEN YOU LET
JESUS IN YOUR BOAT, HE'LL
KEEP YOU AFLOAT?
HE'LL KEEP YOU AFLOAT.
WHAT AN EXAMPLE TO HAVE A
MOTHER WHO LOVES PEOPLE, WHO
WANTS TO ENCOURAGE PEOPLE TO
BRING JESUS INTO OUR BOAT.
I FEEL A LITTLE LIKE TIMOTHY.
I'M BLESSED THAT WAY, BUT YOU
KNOW WHAT THE GREATEST
COMPLIMENT TO MY MOTHER AND
EVERY MOTHER IN HERE COULD
BE?
THAT ME, HER DAUGHTER, WOULD
FIND MY OWN FAITH, WOULD
LEARN FROM THE EXAMPLE BUT
FIND MY OWN FAITH.
MIX IT WITH THE GIFTS GOD'S
GIVEN ME AND LAUNCH OUT IN MY
BOAT SO I CAN LET JESUS GET
IN WITH ME.
TODAY, YOU WANT TO GIVE YOUR
MOM THE BEST GIFT THERE IS?
FIND YOUR FAITH, THANK HER
FOR THE EXAMPLE BUT LET HER
KNOW, "MOM, 'CAUSE OF YOUR
EXAMPLE, HEY, I'M FINDING MY
FAITH AND I'M GOING TO STIR
UP MY GIFTS, AND I'M
LAUNCHING OUT FOR JESUS,"
AMEN?
AMEN.
HE'S AN AWESOME GOD.
> JOEL: THANKS FOR
WATCHING THIS
MESSAGE.
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> VICTORIA: LET US
KNOW IN THE
COMMENTS BELOW HOW
THIS MESSAGE HAS
ENCOURAGED YOU.
WE WOULD LOVE TO
HEAR FROM YOU.
WE'RE PRAYING FOR
YOU AND YOUR FAMILY.
WE'LL SEE YOU
NEXT TIME!