Month: March 2025

An Unexpected Challenge

On By josephbarlowIn MinistryLeave a comment

This is an excerpt from my book, For the Healing of the Nations

This is available on Amazon

A while back, Schlyce, a friend of mine, said, “Pastor Barlow, you need to spend more time in heaven.” Her comment surprised me. I had not considered that I should be walking around the streets of gold until after I had died! 

But as I thought about it, I realized that I am a spiritual being. The Lord has shown me things in the spirit and even taken me places in the spirit many times. I realized that maybe her comment wasn’t that far out of line. Then I thought, “Wait a second, I am a citizen of heaven. I have a right to walk around those streets of gold!”

During my prayer time a few days later, I began to see myself walking around in heaven. I saw the river running through the middle of the city, and the tree of life on both sides of the river, whose leaves are for the healing of the nations (Revelation 22:2). As I pondered this and looked at the tree, I decided to reach out, pluck a leaf, and stick it in my pocket. I was half-thinking, “Let’s see if I can get away with this!” However, after I left that prayer time, I distinctly remembered that I still had the sensation of that leaf in my pocket.

Fully Persuaded

On By josephbarlowIn MinistryLeave a comment

Here’s a simple Bible Study I did just in my journal:

Romans 4:KJV 17 (As it is written, I have made thee a father of many nations,) before him whom he believed, even God, who quickeneth the dead, and calleth those things which be not as though they were.
Romans 4:NIV 17 As it is written: “I have made you a father of many nations.” He is our father in the sight of God, in whom he believed—the God who gives life to the dead and calls into being things that were not.

  • Abraham received a promise from God: “I have made thee a father of many nations”
  • Abraham put his trust in God “in whom he believed”
  • Getting to know God’s character and ability a little better: He gives life to the dead and calls things that be not as though they were


Romans 4:KJV 18 Who against hope believed in hope, that he might become the father of many nations; according to that which was spoken, So shall thy seed be.
Romans 4:NIV 18 Against all hope, Abraham in hope believed and so became the father of many nations, just as it had been said to him, “So shall your offspring be.”

  • When there was no reason in the natural for Abraham to believe he went ahead and believed God anyway
  • God told Abraham, “look at the stars, so shall your offspring be”
  • Because he believed and continued to believe he now has become what was promised: the father of many nations

Romans 4:KJV 19 And being not weak in faith, he considered not his own body now dead, when he was about an hundred years old, neither yet the deadness of Sara’s womb:
Romans 4:NIV 19 Without weakening in his faith, he faced the fact that his body was as good as dead—since he was about a hundred years old—and that Sarah’s womb was also dead.

  • If he had considered his own body he would have become weak in his faith
  • If he had considered the fact that he and his wife had been trying for years to have a child but Sarah was fruitless – it seemed her womb was dead.

Romans 4:KJV 20 He staggered not at the promise of God through unbelief; but was strong in faith, giving glory to God;
Romans 4:NIV 20 Yet he did not waver through unbelief regarding the promise of God, but was strengthened in his faith and gave glory to God,

  • Abraham did not give up. He still counted what God had said as bigger, stronger, more important than what he saw with his eyes.
  • He gave the prize of his faith, the prize of his attention, the prize of his judgment to the promise God spoke to Him rather than giving all that to the circumstances

Romans 4:KJV 21 And being fully persuaded that, what he had promised, he was able also to perform.
Romans 4:NIV 21 being fully persuaded that God had power to do what he had promised.

  • Fully Persuaded

Romans 14:23 whatsoever is not of faith is sin.

Hebrews 11: 6 But without faith it is impossible to please him: for he that cometh to God must believe that he is, and that he is a rewarder of them that diligently seek him.

Heb 11:1 Now faith is the substance of things hoped for, the evidence of things not seen.

What Has God Promised You?

Be Fully Persuaded!

From my book: 21 Days To Hearing The Voice of God

On By josephbarlowIn MinistryLeave a comment

To be released soon… 

Introduction  

If a child could never hear the voice of their parents that would make for a very sad story. The communication that happens from a parent to a child builds a bridge; it builds a relationship. All future communication between them happens on that bridge. 

Our Heavenly Father has not written a story for you that is without connection. He wants to build a bridge between you and Himself; a relationship that will last through all your years. The heart-cry of God is throughout the scriptures… 

Jeremiah 31:33 NIV

…I will be their God and they will be my people. 

He has always been longing for us.

Most of man’s religions have relegated God to simply sit on a throne somewhere far away and quite aloof. They hope that He is pleased enough with them that He will allow them entrance to His hallowed home upon their demise.

But His desire stands, I will be their God and they will be my people. God’s desire for you is now. He’s not asking you to come to heaven right now, He’s asking you for an invitation into a conversation; a relationship. The actual answer to the very first thing He disapproved of in creation. He never wanted you to be alone and has always wanted to be with you. 

With your permission, the relationship begins anew today. He wants to speak to you in such a way that you can actually hear Him. He wants to communicate with you in a personal, helpful, encouraging, and loving way.

It’s always been His desire. Is it yours?

Dive into these pages. They’re not perfect, but they’re helpful.

God invited me on a journey many years ago, it has made my life one that I would gladly live again. Mainly because He was with me all along the way and I knew it. His voice has been there for me. 

My prayer for you is to know Him as closely or closer than I do.

Be hungry! 

Seek Him! 

He’ll reward you!