Joel Osteen

I think Bible principles are principles for life.

I try to look on all the great things God's done, and not focus on the negative. It's a perspective.

I've always been very happy. I've always been easy going and I've always been very encouraging; it's just my personality.

I don't want to just preach to the church. I feel like I have a broader message.

Sometimes God will deliver you from the fire, and other times God will make you fireproof.

I believe that God's dream is that we be successful in our careers, and that we be able to send our kids to college. I don't mean that everyone is going to be rich, and I preach a lot on blooming where you're planted. But I don't have the mindset that money is a bad thing.

I think sometimes the critics want me to beat people down, and that's not in me. I want to lift people up.

On Sundays when I speak, I hopefully give somebody something that they can use the next day at work or at home.

When people are around us, they should leave better off than they were previously. Rather than feeling discouraged or defeated, people should feel challenged and inspired after spending any time with you and me.

Friend, there's no greater investment in life than in being a people builder. Relationships are more important than our accomplishments.

Every setback means you're one step closer to seeing the dream come to pass.

When I grew up, the Devil was a reason why I had a headache or the Devil was the reason I got mad today. We always blamed the Devil. I think today when I say the Enemy, I like to make it broader. Sometimes the Enemy can be our own thoughts.

I think that God gives you your own will and choices. I don't believe that we're supposed to drag ourselves through life defeated and not see God's blessings. But you have to make the right choices and follow that still, small voice within you. Because I think that's how God leads us.

Sometimes we look back and 10 years from now we think, 'Boy, those were great old days.' Well, you know, we're living in the good old days.

There's a belief that you're supposed to be poor, and suffering, and show your humility. I just don't see the Bible that way. I see that God came and Jesus died so that we might live an abundant life and be a blessing to others.

Don't ever criticize yourself. Don't go around all day long thinking, 'I'm unattractive, I'm slow, I'm not as smart as my brother.' God wasn't having a bad day when he made you... If you don't love yourself in the right way, you can't love your neighbour. You can't be as good as you are supposed to be.

Salvation and Christ's love is a gift. You don't earn it. You've got to receive that gift.

You may make some mistakes - but that doesn't make you a sinner. You've got the very nature of God on the inside of you.

If we're going to bring out the best in people, we, too, need to sow seeds of encouragement.

See, people are watching you. Especially your children. They're taking in every single thing you do. They are like video cameras with legs. And they are always in the record mode. They learn more from what you do than from what you say.