>> VICTORIA OSTEEN: I JUST
WANT TO ENCOURAGE US ALL
TO OPEN OUR HEARTS
OF COMPASSION.
YOU SEE, SOMETIMES WE GET
SO BUSY IN LIFE THAT WE
DON'T EVEN NOTICE
THE PEOPLE AROUND US.
WE HAVE JOBS,
WE HAVE FAMILIES,
WE HAVE CHORES,
RESPONSIBILITIES,
AND SOMETIMES THOSE THINGS
CAN KEEP US SO FOCUSED ON
OURSELVES AND WHAT WE NEED
TO GET DONE THAT WE FORGET
ABOUT THE PEOPLE AROUND US.
WE DON'T UNDERSTAND THAT
MAYBE THEY NEED SOMETHING
FROM US, AND GOD WANTS US TO
OPEN OUR HEART OF COMPASSION,
TO SEE THROUGH THE EYES OF
THIS COMPASSION, AND SEE WHAT
THE PEOPLE AROUND US NEED.
SEE, GOD WANTS TO FLOW
THROUGH US TO OTHER PEOPLE.
HE WANTS TO USE US AS AN
INSTRUMENT OF LOVE.
HE WANTS US TO BE THE HANDS
AND FEET OF HIM RIGHT DOWN
HERE ON THIS EARTH, BUT WE'RE
NEVER GOING TO BE THAT UNTIL
WE BEGIN TO UNDERSTAND THIS
FEELING THAT GOD WANTS TO PUT
IN US SO THAT IT CAN FLOW
OUT OF US.
IT SAYS IN JOHN 3:17:
"'IF ANYONE SEES HIS BROTHER
IN NEED AND YET CLOSES
HIS HEART OF COMPASSION,
IS THE LOVE OF GOD
IN HIM?'"
QUESTION MARK.
YOU SEE, THIS SCRIPTURE SAYS
WE ALL HAVE A HEART OF
COMPASSION, AND IT INDICATES
THAT THIS HEART, THIS CHAMBER
THAT GOD WANTS TO WORK
THROUGH, CAN EITHER BE
OPENED, OR IT CAN BE CLOSED.
IT CAN BE SHUT OFF,
AND AS A RESULT OF IT
BEING SHUT OFF,
THE LOVE OF GOD
CANNOT FLOW OUT OF IT.
WE DON'T RECOGNIZE WHAT GOD
WANTS TO DO THROUGH US, AND
CAN I TELL YOU RIGHT NOW, GOD
WANTS TO WORK THROUGH YOU?
HE'S NOT LOOKING
AT YOUR MISTAKES.
HE'S NOT LOOKING
AT YOUR PAST.
HE IS LOOKING AT WHO
HE WANTS YOU TO BE
AND THE THINGS HE WANTS TO DO
THROUGH YOUR LIFE,
BECAUSE YOU ARE
VERY INFLUENTIAL.
YOU HOLD VALUE AND SUBSTANCE,
AND IN YOUR SPHERE
OF ATMOSPHERE,
WHEREVER YOU TRAVEL,
GOD WANTS YOU TO USE
WHAT HE'S GIVEN YOU, AND THE
FIRST WAY TO USE WHAT HE'S
GIVEN US IS TO RECOGNIZE THAT
GOD WANTS TO PUT IN US THE
ABILITY TO UNDERSTAND THIS
COMPASSION AND HOW
IT WORKS IN OUR LIFE.
YOU SEE, I BELIEVE THAT'S THE
REASON SOME PEOPLE ARE VERY
UNHAPPY TODAY, IS BECAUSE
THEY'VE CLOSED THEIR HEART
OF COMPASSION.
THEY'RE NOT PAYING ATTENTION
TO THE PEOPLE AROUND THEM,
TO THE WORLD AROUND THEM.
YOU SEE, IF WE'RE GOING
TO LIVE THIS FULL LIFE IN
THE ABUNDANCE THAT GOD
HAS GIVEN US,
WE NEED TO STIR UP THIS
HEART OF COMPASSION AND SAY,
"GOD, GIVE ME EYES TO SEE
WHAT YOU'D HAVE ME DO TODAY.
OPEN MY MIND AND MY HEART
TO THE PEOPLE WHO NEED
YOUR LOVE."
ALL THROUGH THE BIBLE,
WE CAN READ THIS WHEN
JESUS WALKED THE EARTH.
HE SAW THE MULTITUDES,
AND THE BIBLE SAYS THAT HE
WAS MOVED WITH COMPASSION.
HE SAW THE SICK.
IT SAYS THAT HE HAD THIS
DEEP INWARD MOVING
OF COMPASSION.
HE SAW TWO BLIND MEN.
THEY WERE YELLING HIS NAME,
"JESUS, SON OF DAVID,
HAVE MERCY ON ME."
IT SAYS, "HE WAS MOVED
IN HIS INNER BEING WITH
COMPASSION."
IT'S INTERESTING BECAUSE
JESUS WALKED OVER TO WHERE
THOSE BLIND MEN WERE.
HE TURNED RIGHT AROUND, HE
WALKED OVER, HE LOOKED THEM
RIGHT IN THE FACE.
THEY COULDN'T SEE HIM,
BUT I BET THEY COULD FEEL HIM.
THEY COULD FEEL HIM.
THEY FELT THAT COMPASSION.
THEY SAID, "HAVE MERCY
ON US."
HE SAID, "WHAT DO YOU WANT?"
THEY SAID, "WE WANT TO SEE,"
AND DO YOU KNOW
THAT COMPASSION
THAT WAS IN CHRIST JESUS
WENT OUT OF HIM IN POWER
AND HEALED THOSE
TWO BLIND MEN?
YOU SEE, COMPASSION
IS POWERFUL.
COMPASSION CAN BRING
FORTH MIRACLES.
YOU SEE, JESUS FED
THE MULTITUDES BECAUSE
OF THE COMPASSION.
JESUS HEALED THE SICK, OPENED
BLIND EYES BECAUSE HE
UNDERSTOOD THAT GOD WAS
SAYING, "THIS IS YOUR TIME,
MOVE OUT IN COMPASSION."
YOU SEE, HE DIDN'T JUST FEEL
SORRY FOR THEM.
HE DIDN'T JUST SAY, "OH,
WELL, THAT'S PITIFUL.
AWW, MAN, THAT'S TOO BAD.
OH, MY HEART HURTS
FOR THEM."
YOU SEE, HIS COMPASSION
HAD ACTION.
IT MOVED, IT HAD ACTION, AND
YOU SEE, YOU MAY SAY TO ME
TODAY, "WELL, I DON'T THINK
I CAN OPEN BLIND EYES.
I DON'T THINK I CAN HEAL
THE SICK.
I CAN'T FEED THE MULTITUDES."
BUT DO YOU KNOW, THE
COMPASSION THAT LIVES IN YOU,
WHEN YOU'RE AWARE OF IT,
IT WILL CAUSE YOU
TO MOVE OUT IN POWER?
IT WILL GIVE YOU THE DESIRE
TO HELP SOMEONE ELSE,
BECAUSE, SEE, IT'S NOT YOU.
IT'S THE POWER OF GOD IN YOU
BEING RELEASED
TO SOMEONE ELSE
FOR A MIRACLE.
HOW FREEING IS THAT?
YOU KNOW, DON'T PUT THE
PRESSURE ON YOURSELF.
SAY "GOD, I UNDERSTAND WHAT
YOU'RE DOING ON THE INSIDE
OF ME, AND, GOD, I AM GOING
TO REACH OUT AND MOVE IN
THE COMPASSION THAT YOU'VE
GIVEN ME, THIS DIVINE FLOW
OF LOVE."
YOU SEE, WE ARE DIRECTED
TO FOLLOW LOVE
AND LET IT GUIDE US.
WHEN YOU FEEL
THIS COMPASSION,
THIS COMPASSION IS FROM GOD.
THIS COMPASSION HAS
MIRACLE-WORKING POWER IN IT.
YOU SEE, SOMETIMES WE'RE
LOOKING FOR A MIRACLE, BUT
GOD WANTS YOU TO BE
SOMEONE'S MIRACLE.
HE WANTS YOU TO RELEASE YOUR
INFLUENCE, YOUR POWER,
YOUR LOVE ON THIS EARTH.
JESUS SAID, "THERE WAS TWO
GREAT COMMANDMENTS.
THE FIRST ONE IS, 'LOVE GOD
WITH ALL OF YOUR HEART,
WITH ALL OF YOUR MIND,
AND WITH ALL OF YOUR SOUL,"
AND HE SAID,
"THE SECOND IS THIS ONE,
AND IT'S JUST LIKE THE FIRST,
'LOVE YOUR NEIGHBOR
AS YOURSELF.'"
THERE WAS AN EXPERT IN THE
LAW WHEN JESUS WAS SAYING
THIS SCRIPTURE, AND HE SAID,
"JESUS, HOW AM I SUPPOSED TO
KNOW WHO MY NEIGHBOR IS?
WHAT CLASSIFIES A NEIGHBOR?
WHO AM I SUPPOSED TO LOVE
LIKE I WOULD LOVE MYSELF?"
AND JESUS TOLD A PARABLE,
TOLD A PARABLE ABOUT A MAN
WHO WAS WALKING TO JERICHO.
A BAND OF ROBBERS CAME AND
ATTACKED HIM, BEAT HIM,
BRUISED HIM,
STOLED ALL HE HAD,
AND LEFT HIM ON THE SIDE
OF THE ROAD FOR DEAD.
A PRIEST CAME BY,
SAW THE MAN, WENT TO
THE OTHER SIDE OF THE ROAD,
AND WALKED PAST HIM.
YOU SEE, WE CAN'T BE
TOO BUSY TO NOTICE.
YOU SEE, IT DOESN'T
DISQUALIFY US BECAUSE WE
GO TO THE OTHER SIDE.
A LEVITE MAN, PROBABLY
ASSISTANT TO THE PRIEST,
THEY HAD SOMETHING TO DO
AND SOMEWHERE TO GO,
HE SAW THE MAN.
THE SCRIPTURE SAYS THAT "HE
WALKED TO THE OTHER SIDE OF
THE STREET AND KEPT ON HIS
WAY, TOTALLY IGNORING
THE WOUNDED MAN."
BUT THEN THERE WAS
A SAMARITAN.
HE WAS WALKING DOWN THE ROAD,
SAID, "WHAT IS THAT
ON THE STREET?"
LOOKED OVER THERE, AND IT WAS
A MAN, WOUNDED, LAYING THERE
BLEEDING, ABOUT TO DIE.
THE BIBLE SAYS THAT
HE BANDAGED HIM UP,
TOOK CARE OF HIM,
PUT HIM ON HIS ANIMAL,
TOOK HIM TO AN INN, GAVE THE
INNKEEPER MONEY AND SAID,
"HEY, CAN YOU HELP ME TAKE
CARE OF THIS GUY?
I'LL GIVE YOU MONEY.
I'M GOING TO HAVE TO LEAVE,
BUT I'LL COME BACK,
AND I'LL PAY ANY EXPENSES
THAT YOU'VE OCCURRED
FROM HELPING HIM."
YOU SEE, WE'RE ALL BUSY.
EVEN THAT MAN MUST
HAVE BEEN BUSY.
HE HAD TO LEAVE
TO TAKE CARE OF SOMETHING,
BUT HE SAID, "LOOK."
HE REACHED OUT AND SAID, "IF
YOU'LL HELP ME HELP THIS MAN,
I'LL GIVE YOU
WHAT YOU NEED."
JESUS SAID TO THE EXPERT OF
THE LAW, "WHICH ONE OF THESE
THREE MEN DO YOU THINK WAS
A NEIGHBOR TO THIS GUY?"
THE EXPERT OF THE LAW SAID,
"THE ONE WHO SHOWED MERCY,"
AND HE SAID, "THAT'S RIGHT."
HE SAID, "NOW YOU GO AND DO
THE SAME, DO THE SAME."
JESUS IS SAYING,
"YOU GO AND DO THE SAME.
HAVE MERCY, OPEN YOUR HEART
OF COMPASSION.
LET ME WORK THROUGH YOU.
LET ME USE YOU
IN A POWERFUL WAY.
DON'T WORRY ABOUT TRYING
TO DO IT YOURSELF.
UNDERSTAND THAT THE FLOW OF
COMPASSION, THE DIVINE LOVE
THAT I'M POURING OUT
HAS POWER IN ITSELF."
YOU SEE, ABOUT EIGHT YEARS
AGO, I LIVED NEXT DOOR
TO A BEAUTIFUL FAMILY.
IT WAS A WIFE AND A HUSBAND
AND TWO BEAUTIFUL YOUNG
GIRLS, AND THE WIFE WAS MY
AGE, AND SHE CAME DOWN WITH
CANCER, AND SHE EVENTUALLY
DIED OF CANCER.
I WENT TO THE FUNERAL,
AND I BEGAN TO TALK
TO THE YOUNG GIRLS,
AND THEY WERE SO PRECIOUS.
MY HEART WENT OUT TO THEM,
AND SO I BECAME FRIENDS
WITH THE OLDER GIRL.
SHE WAS PROBABLY ONLY
12 YEARS OLD, BUT I TOLD HER
HOW MUCH I LOVED HER
AND THAT I'LL DO ANYTHING
FOR 'EM.
I'M RIGHT NEXT DOOR.
AND INVITED HER TO CHURCH,
AND SHE CAME TO CHURCH
ON SEVERAL OCCASIONS
AND LOVED IT SO MUCH.
BUT SHORTLY AFTER THAT
HER FAMILY MOVED AWAY,
AND I LOST TOUCH.
LIFE GETS BUSY.
I DIDN'T KNOW WHERE
THEY MOVED TO.
YOU KNOW, JUST ABOUT
THREE DAYS AGO,
I WAS PUTTING ON MY MAKEUP,
GETTING READY FOR THE DAY,
GETTING READY TO GO OUT,
AND SOMETHING IN MY HEART
JUST THOUGHT ABOUT THIS GIRL.
NOW, I THOUGHT ABOUT,
"WHERE IS THAT YOUNG GIRL?"
I BEGAN TO THINK ABOUT HER
JUST RIGHT OUT OF THE BLUE.
I WASN'T THINKING ABOUT HER.
IT JUST CAME INTO MY HEART.
I DON'T KNOW WHY GOD PUT THAT
IN MY HEART AFTER EIGHT LONG
YEARS, BUT I REALLY FEEL LIKE
THAT IT WAS HIS DIVINE FLOW
OF LOVE FOR THIS GIRL,
AND I BEGAN TO PRAY FOR HER.
I BEGAN TO SAY, "LORD,
I DON'T KNOW WHERE SHE IS,
BUT YOU KNOW WHERE
SHE IS, GOD.
I'M ASKING YOU, WHATEVER SHE
NEEDS, FATHER, MEET EVERY
NEED THAT SHE HAS.
GIVE HER WISDOM, GOD.
IF THERE'S ANYTHING COMING
AGAINST HER, FATHER, JUST
STOP THAT SCHEME RIGHT NOW,
IN JESUS'S NAME,"
AND I BEGAN TO PRAY FOR HER
AND PRAY FOR HER,
AND THAT COMPASSION JUST
CAME UP OUT OF ME,
AND I CONTINUED TO PRAY.
I TOLD JOEL LATER, I SAID,
"YOU'RE NOT GOING TO BELIEVE.
GOD PUT THIS IN MY HEART.
I DON'T KNOW WHAT ALL HE
WANTS ME TO DO WITH IT,
BUT I'M GOING TO TRY
TO REACH OUT TO HER."
SO I TRIED TO LOOK
HER UP ON FACEBOOK
AND I COULDN'T FIND HER.
SO I'VE ASKED A COUPLE
FRIENDS, "HEY, DO YOU
REMEMBER THIS FAMILY?
IF YOU KNOW WHERE THEY ARE,
COULD YOU TELL ME OR GET IN
TOUCH WITH THEM AND LET THEM
KNOW THAT I AM THINKING ABOUT
THEM, AND ONE IN PARTICULAR,
THE GIRLS.
COULD THEY MAYBE REACH
BACK AND TOUCH ME,
OR GIVE ME THEIR NUMBER
AND I'LL TOUCH THEM?"
YOU SEE, MY HEART OF
COMPASSION WAS THERE.
IT'S NOT JUST ENOUGH TO FEEL
SORRY FOR THOSE GIRLS BECAUSE
THEY LOST THEIR PARENTS.
I WANT TO MOVE
IN THIS COMPASSION.
I WANT TO MOVE OUT IN THIS
COMPASSION, BECAUSE I THINK
TO MYSELF, "WHAT IF
IT WAS MY CHILDREN?
WHAT IF IT WAS MY SON
AND MY DAUGHTER,
AND I LEFT THIS EARTH,
AND SOMEONE THOUGHT
ABOUT THEM,
BUT THAT'S ALL THEY DID
WAS THINK ABOUT THEM?"
I WOULD SO WANT SOMEONE TO
REACH OUT AND TOUCH THEM, TO
PRAY FOR THEM, AND YOU SEE,
GOD MAY PUT SOME PEOPLE
ON YOUR HEART.
MAYBE YOU'VE THOUGHT
ABOUT SOME PEOPLE.
MAYBE YOUR SPOUSE WAS SAYING
SOME THINGS YOU DIDN'T
RECOGNIZE YESTERDAY,
BUT TODAY YOU THINK,
"WOW, THEY WERE HURTING."
LISTEN, GOD WANTS YOU TO ACT
ON THAT COMPASSION.
YOU SEE A CO-WORKER AT WORK
SITTING ACROSS THE ROOM AND
YOU JUST, YOU FEEL LIKE, "OH,
MAN, GOLLY, I KIND OF FEEL
SORRY FOR THEM."
RECOGNIZE THAT'S GOD.
HE'S SAYING, "MOVE, MOVE,
REACH OUT."
YOU'LL NEVER KNOW THE IMPACT
OF WHAT A PHONE CALL CAN DO,
OR THE SIGNIFICANCE OF
SOMEONE, OF YOUR WORDS SAYING
TO SOMEONE, "HEY,
I'M THINKING ABOUT YOU.
I CARE ABOUT YOU.
I LOVE YOU.
HEY, YOU'RE GOING TO MAKE IT.
I'M PRAYING FOR YOU."
YOU SEE, THOSE SIMPLE WORDS
OF HOPE CAN TURN SOMEONE'S
LIFE AROUND, CAN OPEN BLIND
EYES AND GIVE THEM
A NEW PERSPECTIVE,
CAN HEAL A HEART AND CHANGE
THE COURSE OF THEIR DESTINY.
YOU SEE, GOD HAS CALLED US
TO MOVE OUT IN COMPASSION,
TO BE THE HANDS
AND THE FEET OF JESUS.
SO, TODAY LET'S PRAY, "GOD,
OPEN THAT HEART
OF COMPASSION.
LET ME SEE HURTING PEOPLE
AROUND ME.
YEAH, I MAY HAVE TO STOP
WHAT I'M DOING.
I MAY HAVE TO TAKE SOME TIME,
MAYBE EVEN SOME MONEY, BUT,
GOD, I KNOW THAT WHEN I'M
SOMEONE'S MIRACLE, YOU WILL
MAKE SURE I GET ALL
THE MIRACLES THAT I NEED,"
AMEN?
WHEN YOU'RE FOLLOWING LOVE
AND COMPASSION, YOU'RE
FOLLOWING GOD, AMEN?
AMEN, HE'S AN AWESOME GOD.
YOUR PARTNERSHIP MAKES
THIS MINISTRY POSSIBLE.
YOUR FAITHFUL AND
CONSISTENT MONTHLY SUPPORT
MAKES YOU A CHAMPION OF
HOPE.
THE VISION OF JOEL OSTEEN
MINISTRIES IS TO USE EVERY
AVENUE AVAILABLE TO PRESENT
THE HOPE OF JESUS CHRIST TO
PEOPLE EVERYWHERE.
WE KNOW IT IS THIS HOPE
AND THE TRANSFORMING
POWER OF THE GOSPEL THAT
MAKES AN ETERNAL DIFFERENCE
IN PEOPLE'S LIVES.
TO PARTNER WITH JOEL OSTEEN
MINISTRIES, VISIT
JOELOSTEEN.COM/PARTNER
TODAY.