When I was about 11 yrs old my brother Vince came home from college. At the dinner table he proceeded to tell my dad that he needed to be “born-again”. That didn’t go over too well with my dad, a devout Catholic. He believed that when he was water-baptized as an infant that he got born-again. Vince contended that each person had to make the decision from their own heart. I continued listening to this conversation for the next three hours. Everybody else had scattered early on, but for me there was something Vince was saying that was drawing me. I knew I wanted what he had.

Vince then continued to teach me about the Lord. Two years later I saw Vince at the dining room table writing in a steno notebook. I asked him what he was doing. He said he was talking to God. The interesting thing was, he said that God was talking back to him. I looked at his journal and asked, “Can I do that?” He said, “Sure, just get a notebook and pen, get off by yourself, pray and ask the Lord to speak to you.” He said, “I usually start off by writing ‘My Son…’ then let the Lord fill in the rest.”

I was so excited and full of faith. I knew if Vince could do it then I could too. I ran down into the basement where my bedroom was and started praying and asking the Lord to speak to me. I started writing and was so blessed by what I was getting. It was like I just knew the words to write. If it was anything like a voice it was more like a whisper that you have to tune into. It was more like a knowing than a voice.

I came running back up the stairs and showed it to Vince. I said, “Is this it?” He read what I had written, he said, “That’s it, you heard from God.” What a great sense of satisfaction I had. I was so glad to know that God loved me and wanted to talk to me. Vince told me, “God is always speaking, we’re just not always listening.”

I made it a practice everyday to get up, pray, read my Bible, then spend time listening to the Lord and write down what He said. He was (and is) amazingly faithful to speak to me and give me words of encouragement, direction, correction, vision, warning etc.

I really love the Lord.
I hope through these simple writings you can come to know Him better.
Love ya
Joe

I want to share with you more about hearing the Lord’s voice and how to live your whole life under his immediate direction.
To start out you need to hear how I first heard the Lord’s voice, it’s an amazing story, but it really happened to me in 3rd grade. Here goes…

One morning in third grade as I was getting ready to go to school (St. Vincent’s in Akron, Ohio) I reached up into the front hall closet to get my hat. As I was doing that I heard this on the inside of me, “There’s going to be a new boy at school today. I want you to take care of him for me.”

I simply agreed and knew that I had a job to do. So half-way through the morning when the school principal walked in to our class with a new boy under her right arm I was not even surprised. She said , “Children, I want you to meet Tony, he’s going to be joining your class.”

As soon as I had an opportunity, at recess, I went right up to Tony, introduced myself then introduced to him to all my friends. When we were playing games on the playground I made sure that Tony was in all the games. Pretty soon everybody wanted Tony on their team. Tony became the hero of the day.

The interesting thing was Tony at first glance could easily have fallen into the category of one who is easily made fun of; but because I had heard God’s voice and obeyed by taking care of his child Tony wasn’t made fun of, he was the hero.

Thank God for God!

In the Bible, the prophet Samuel as a young boy heard the voice of the Lord for the first time.

If God has never introduced himself to you maybe you need to start the conversation. Ask Jesus to be your Lord, give your life to Him. This is important because there are a lot of voices out there. You want to make sure you get hooked up with the right one. Jesus Christ is the only light, all others are imitation.

I’ll share more about this tomorrow,
God bless your day!
Joe

This may be a day late, but here we are, the day after Mother’s Day.
Yesterday at church I played a song that my brother wrote for my parents back in 1977. He gave it to them as an anniversary present. I’ve played this at a ton of weddings and other occasions; it never fails to bless.

Parent’s Song by Vince Barlow c. 1977

You brought me to this world
You gave my life to me
You let me laugh you let me cry
And be what I would be
But I let the time pass
Never thanking you
For the things that you do

From a child to a man
You helped me through the years
Sharing in my heartaches
And wiping away my tears
With all the things we’ve done
And all that we’ve been through
I hardly ever said “I love you.”

So thank you for the happy times
Thank you for the tears
Thank you for the love you gave
And calming all my fears
And thank you for the strength you gave
Beside me everyday
I love you, what else can I say?

But then the time comes
And the laughter dies away
The sound of running footsteps
Is many miles away
But your teachings lead us
Along that rocky road
Your love it lightens up the load

So thank you for the happy times
Thank you for the tears
Thank you for the love you gave
And calming all my fears
And thank you for the strength you gave
Beside me everyday
I love you, what else can I say?

Well, maybe you need to make a phone call or write a letter about now.
Have a great day. Tell somebody you love them.
See you later
Joe

You know there are a lot of people out there who are hurting. For one reason or another, so many have lost their way and they just turn inward and stop looking out. These people need help. Are you willing to help? Just look around you. Think of the people that you know. Do you know their needs? Stop and think of the neediest person you know. Can you think of three things that they need? Now, can you give them one of those needs? Try it. When you become a giver you enter the realm of the wealthiest people on the earth – no matter how much you have. You had enough to give.

The Bible says that it’s more blessed to give than to receive. Reach out and help someone. Find a need and fill it.
Have a great day – every day that you give something is a great day.
See ya
Joe

Son, there is much you can do but specific things I’ve called you to.
Don’t let the good ideas crowd out or distract from the directions I’ve given you. Move forward on My agenda, Son; that’s where you’ll see your desires fulfilled.

Today is my birthday.

What a great day. My son, Mark, took me to play raquetball. The ladies at the Y sang to me. My wife made me a great breakfast including a super-thick chocolate-chip cookie. I finally got a project started at work that’s been hanging over me for awhile. I got to play my son, Johnny, in Chess. My daughter took me out to lunch at a very expensive resaurant on Michigan Avenue in Chicago. I got a new electric razor – (my first one was given to me at 16, after it broke the 2nd lasted until now.) I got a hot jacuzzi bath and a back rub, ice cream and cake, a bunch of phone calls to wish me a happy day. I got a nap and we had some time worshiping the Lord on the guitar. I got a puzzle book and I beat my son, Andrew, in chess and I still have an Oberweiss milkshake coming – well maybe not today. Tonight we’re going to play CashFlow (Rich Dad, Poor Dad game) which I highly recommend.

It’s wonderful to be loved.

When I was little my Dad gave me lots of hugs – he often would tell me that God loves hugs.
I’ve gotten alot of them today.

No matter how much love you’re getting today or in this life – don’t miss heaven; ’cause if its any better than what I’ve had today(and I’m sure it is) you don’t want to miss it.

Jesus loves you.

He’s your only ticket to heaven to get a hug from your heavenly Father.
Love Him!
He loves you!
Give your life to Him.
You’ll never be truly satisfied to your very core any other way.

See ya
Joe

Son, hear my voice today. My voice is the only one that satisfies the inside of you. All other voices attempt, but only mine reaches your core. I have taken up residence in your heart because you have invited me in. Now Son we must live together and do it in harmony. I am with you and have much in store for you. Get to know me more. Listen even closer to my voice. Press your ear even closer to my chest. You can hear my heartbeat. I’m thinking of you. Let my love draw you in. Let my love transform you. Be who I am Son. Be who I am.

When we live with the point-of-view of our hearts being completely alive to God and unhindered by guilt, when we live in totally smooth open communication with Him, where He speaks and we easily hear Him whisper in our hearts; that is a safe, wonderful and desirable place to be, to stay, to remain.

But when we’re not thinking that way – when the flesh catches our attention, when we start living in the “natural” realm, totally aware of our natural surroundings rather than our spiritual surroundings. When we fall(or dive) into sin by pursuing our base desires rather than letting ourselves be completely satisfied by Him – then we need to learn one thing: and its not easy, we need to learn to…

(boy, I can feel the pressure to not even write this word…)

REPENT!

Whew! There I said it.

Yes, we need to learn to repent. To come running back to Him. To admit that we were wrong. To admit that we really do need Him. To humble ourselves. To realize that Jesus paid for our sins. To realize that when we return to Him, He immediately satisfies us with His grace. Then we have a sense of satisfaction; a sense that He’s not mad at us and that everything is going to be alright.

The outcome of repentance is wonderful, its satisfying, it is a great relief; but getting there is a real squeeze on who you are.

One time after sinning the Holy Spirit convicted me about it. I prayed and said, “Lord, I repent.” and He said to me, “Oh really? Wouldn’t you do the same thing again if you had the chance?” I sheepishly had to admit that I would. So then, I prayed, “Lord, grant me repentance!” Boy, did He answer that prayer. For about the next 36 hours I felt this sorrow on me. It was so thick I felt it to the core of my being. The Bible says, “Godly sorrow brings repentance.” I felt this sorrow so deeply, I was sorry that I had disappointed God; that I had hurt Him. He really granted repentance. It really changed my mind about that sin.

You see, God wants our hearts pure and unhindered so that He can have open and happy fellowhship with us and so that we can truly represent Him. He wants us to be who He is to those who would never know.

Repentance is like taking a bath. You get totally cleaned off and it feels wonderful. Try it – it’s not easy, but you’ll love the result.
See ya
Joe

I have a couple of messages I preached on these topics, check them out:
Repentance
Temptation

I woke up this morning thinking about encouragement. You know encouragement is a God-given gift in the body of Christ. He gives it to activate people, to get them to move “off the dime”, to put courage into someone who would otherwise not have all the ingredients for their motivation recipe. They may have a dream, desire or an assignment and not be moving on it, but when someone comes along and encourages them they feel empowered, they feel gifted, they feel ready and their motivation returns and they begin moving.

Years ago, when I was leading worship at the church I’m now pastoring, as I was headed to church one morning the Lord spoke to me and said, “I want you to be strategic in your use of encouragement this morning.” So as I led worship I was scanning the congregation looking for the person or family who I was supposed to encourage. When my eyes landed on this one person I knew my assignment. After the service I went up to them asking them how they were doing and before long the gift of encouragement just began to flow out of me to them. They were so built up, they were so strengthened, they thanked me profusely. It was God’s gift with my permission and participation.

Anyway, if you need encouragement today remember this: God is for you not against you. He has placed gifts, desires and purpose into your heart and He does want you to move forward on them. So be encouraged! You can accomplish God’s purposes for your life.

Something my pastor said a few weeks ago was “The reason so many people in this world are dying is because so many others have not reached their full potential.” What you do matters. What you are supposed to do matters even more. Refocus now on your purpose and how your gift is supposed to work today and do something with your gift – you may save someone’s life.
Love ya
Pastor Joe

Monday’s my day off. It’s a beautiful day in Chicagoland. I’ll probably take the family to Millenium Park downtown today.

Yesterday morning when I woke up the Lord started speaking to me. Here’s what He said:
Preach my word of faith with faith!

I am showing you the way. I am making the way clear. I am going before you – establishing – There are blessings in store you don’t know about, but walk in faith and you’ll see them.

After He spoke that, the day went exceptionally well.

I love hearing from the Lord. As often as I’m faithful to sit down with pen & paper and listen to Him, He’s faithful to speak. He encourages me continually, corrects me often, but always loves me.

I believe in living my life by the voice of God. “Man does not live on bread alone but by every word that flows from the mouth of God.”

Since its Monday, even though its my day off I try to begin listening to the Lord about what He wants me to preach the next Sunday. I’m trusting and waiting expectantly for Him to speak. When He gives me the message comes at various times and places. I could be in the middle of any activity and as soon as the message comes to my attention I almost feel a little “click” on the inside of me, it comes with confidence and peace, so then I begin to move forward and develop the message from there. Usually the rest of the week I try to stay alert and watch how He ties several different thoughts together around that theme.

Listen for His voice today. See ya later.