#10 - Successful Relationships by Joel Osteen

Summary: This DVD series is a compilation of 4 messages by Joel Osteen, pastor of Lakewood Church in Texas, USA, :-

• How to handle criticism;
• Realistic expectations in relationships; 
• Enlarge your circle of Love
• Divine Connections

What's it all about: these 4 messages filmed probably recently & in the last couple of years, I believe to be some of the greatest teaching from Joel on dealing with these topics, wanting to help people to have the right attitude in relationships. Each message has some great teaching, which you probably won't get the 1st time you see it. Every time I watch some of these, I am always encouraged, and get something new out of it.

Notable quotes:
"How to deal with criticism"  - "Celebrate other peoples' victories. If God can do it for them, He can certainly do it for you". "Listen, I've found no matter what you do or don't do, somebody is going to talk, somebody is going to be critical. You might as well do what God has put in your heart, and just trust Him to take care of the critics".
"Realistic expectations in relationships"-  "ïf we are going to have good relationships, we have to let people off the hook. We have to give them room to make mistakes, to have a bad day once a while"."Your joy is your own personal responsibility".
"Divine connections"- "Sometimes when a door is not opening, that's because God doesn't want it to open. It may be because it's going to do us more harm than good, or its going to limit our growth". "Understand, our destiny is connected to other people. But the good news is that God already has them lined up".
"Expanding your circle of love" - "Really, what causes us to judge, is pride".""Don't make judgments, give people the benefit of the doubt. When we see other people that struggle in an area, maybe they have a negative quality. Instead of being quick to judge and complain and being critical, what we should really do is say(pray), 'Father, thank you, for giving me grace in that area. Thank you for not struggling in that."

Plus many others from each message, but I don't have room to write them all!

Highlights:

• the 1st message on 'how to handle criticism' is one of the best I've heard on this topic, similar to some that Joyce Meyer has spoken about dealing with difficult people esp. the analogy about the 'slingers' (referring to attackers of a city in Old Testament times)
• Joel's great sense of humour
• stories of Joel's father (John Osteen) and Joel's relationship with him
• touching stories of real people that illustrate truths
• seeing Joel's mother shaking her head at him after one of his family jokes

Message length: each one is between 26-28 mins 

Rating: 9 & 1/2 out of 10

Final review:

Great practical teaching that Joel shares is impacting and encouraging. You may want to get your notepad out to take notes, because there's so many good points that are worth remembering. If you are struggling in your faith and/or dealing with difficult circumstances, any of these messages is great for encouragement and gives you hope to keep hanging on. Also great to watch at the end of the night if you have seen something you wish you hadn't on TV earlier!

#9 - To Save a Life

by Pastor Matt Prater (used with permission)

When a teenager shoots a gun in the air in his school corridor, then kills himself, people react differently. Parents mourn, relatives grieve, some kids are shocked, but quickly disassociate themselves, but one kid, decided he let his friend down, and is going to make his life count.

I have a heart for young people. Teenagers have had so many battles of recent times. Addictions, Depression, Suicide, abuse, and it all stems from a generation who haven’t been loved. A generation who have no hope for the future. 'ver 80% of teenagers leave church after school has finished. I will do everything I can to see this generation of youth hear the good news of Jesus, and walk into their destiny.

Recently I saw a movie that I believe every teenager and parent needs to see! “To Save a Life.” I relate personally to this movie because my school life has a similar story line to the main character.

Cutting a long story short, I committed my life to Christ at the age of 15, and wanted to reach my school for Christ. There was a horrible shooting at my school. Where a 14 yr old kid shot 2 teachers and a student in an act of drug induced madness. No-one died, but it shook our school to the core.

Those of us that were Christians began to pray, we began to meet in the library, we invited in bands and pastors to speak into the life of our school. Because we sowed into the spiritual life of our school we saw a great harvest of Souls.

In the same way, the movie depicts the dramas and the tribulations at a U.S. high school, and the change that happens when one life is impacted by Christ, and the ripple effect that flows through an entire community.
The first thing that impressed me about the movie is the production quality. Sometimes we cringe when we see B grade “faith based” films, but I had very little cringe factor in watching this movie, acting was great too, and music choice outstanding (music including Switchfoot, Superchic and Needtobreathe etc). I had so many tears during this movie, I was so drawn on to the story, and rarely does a movie grab me with such conviction.

It tackles issues our youth face head –on. Bullying, I had flashbacks for what I saw at my school, and the fears I have for my kids as they progress through school. Popularity, this curse has been alienating the underdog forever, and this movie paints a stark contrast between the “haves” and the “have nots.” It also tackles the issue of hypocrisy in the church. 'ne of the biggest criticisms from the unchurched is that we are talking the talk but not walking the walk. So great to see a movie that gets down and dirty with the real problems teens face. 'ne of the more sensitive issues it tackles is abortion, painting a genuine struggle, and the need for support for all involved, once again, my heart broke for those characters in this movie, who I felt like I was there with them in their struggle.

We live in a changed world, one that is driven by online worlds, which for some are more of a reality than life itself. The young guy who suicided, tried to reach out for help on the net, but no-one took him seriously. In one of the ironies of this film, our hero Jake sets up a website to reach out, and thousands upon thousands are impacted.

Well done to the producers and team who put this together, I will be screening this at my church for youth and parents, and will lobby to get this in every school in our country. It’s a message we all need to get the heart of. Our youth need to be loved, to be listened to, to have something walk with them though their stuff. The church needs to wake up and sow seeds into this next generation, and the harvest we reap will change the world.

Matt Prater is Pastor at New Hope Brisbane, a dynamic outreach focussed church in Brisbane. He also hosts the weekly interview style program “History makers,” heard on over 55 radio stations internationally.