Category: Teaching

Servanthood Is A Place Of Great Maturity

On By josephbarlowIn Encouragement, TeachingLeave a comment

Psalm 19: 11 by them is your servant warned; in keeping them there is great reward. 

I was imagining someone telling me 

“I am a son not a servant.”

Then I thought about telling them 

“Keep going, you will mature.”

You are born into a family. Son-ship is given to you.

In the Kingdom ‘servanthood’ is something you choose.

He calls you. But you choose to obey or not.

Jesus took the very nature of a servant Philippians 2:7

Php 2:3  Do nothing out of selfish ambition or vain conceit. Rather, in humility value others above yourselves,

Php 2:4  not looking to your own interests but each of you to the interests of the others.

Php 2:5  In your relationships with one another, have the same mindset as Christ Jesus:

Php 2:6  Who, being in very nature God, did not consider equality with God something to be used to his own advantage;

Php 2:7  rather, he made himself nothing by taking the very nature of a servant, being made in human likeness.

Php 2:8  And being found in appearance as a man, he humbled himself by becoming obedient to death— even death on a cross!

Php 2:9  Therefore God exalted him to the highest place and gave him the name that is above every name,

Php 2:10  that at the name of Jesus every knee should bow, in heaven and on earth and under the earth,

Php 2:11  and every tongue acknowledge that Jesus Christ is Lord, to the glory of God the Father.

 I don’t think Jesus was immature.

I think he was mature in his son-ship.

So as a fully mature son, he took the nature of a servant.

When he was 12 he was found in the temple saying “I must be about my Father’s business.”

We receive sonship when we are born again. We need to know who we are as a son, we need to know our position in the Kingdom, we are sons.

We need to know that we are the target of God’s love.

But as that love transforms us we become convinced of our assignment and his strategy to reach the world and we become aware of the Father’s heart’s desire. Our own hearts become filled with desire to fulfill His heart’s desire.

So this is where we begin to operate in a servant role or attitude.

Paul considered himself a bond-slave of Christ. This was not an immature stance.

This was a mature posture.

You take the role of a servant.

Even though you are a son you are filled with the father’s heart’s desire and you want to serve that. 

But for now, just receive the role of son. As you receive that role, the love will transform you to the point where you choose to be a servant.

You Are A New Creation!

On By josephbarlowIn Encouragement, Journal, Ministry, TeachingLeave a comment

1 John 3:8 says, “Whoever makes a practice of sinning is of the devil, for the devil has been sinning from the beginning. The reason the Son of God appeared was to destroy the works of the devil.” That’s why we need miracles, because the Devil has been working from the spiritual realm into the natural realm to wreak havoc from the very beginning of time. He’s been using spiritual power and spiritual force to try to wreak havoc in the Earth and in our bodies and all around us for centuries. God wants you and I to be the ones who use spiritual force to work righteousness – the Truths of the Kingdom of God – into this Earth. We truly can be the agents to bring Heaven into the Earth; that’s what we’re called to do. We’re called to bring heaven into the Earth.

Remember, Jesus taught us to pray the way He did. He said to pray, “thy kingdom come, thy will be done, here on Earth as it is in heaven” (Matt. 6:9-13). An easy way to know whether something is God’s will or not is to ask, is this happening in heaven? If it’s the same in heaven, then it’s God’s will. God’s will already happens in heaven, so that’s a really easy gauge to use. If we see something going on in the Earth and you know it’s not right, then say something. You could say, “This is not heaven or covenant, and I signed up for heaven.” Right when you were born again, you signed up for heaven. You signed up for a relationship with Jesus Christ, where you were born into the Kingdom of God. As you were born into the Kingdom of God, all of a sudden your heart becomes brand new. You become a new creation in Christ Jesus. According to II Corinthians 5:17, “Therefore, if any man be in Christ, he is a new creature. Old things are passed away. Behold, all things are become new.” 

I had a scar on my hand before I was born again. It didn’t disappear after I gave my life to Jesus, yet all things are “made new” in the Kingdom. As you begin to understand the power and authority we have in Christ, God’s will is done in the Earth. When something happens on Earth that doesn’t line up with heaven’s agenda, that’s when you and I are to stand up and speak.

When I was in my senior year of high school, there was this one teacher who was really giving us seniors a hard time. This teacher taught our religion class, and he was just unnecessarily mean. We had to write a two-page paper every week, a 13-page paper at the end of the year, and a bunch of other things throughout the year. Well, one of my classmates got a little angry with the teacher over all that we were expected to do for him. Right in the middle of class one day, my classmate got up and walked out the door, went into the boys’ locker room and turned on the shower. Then he walked back into the classroom and put the teacher in a headlock, picked him up, and was about to carry him out of the classroom. This student was used to throwing bales of hay on his family’s farm, so picking up our teacher was no problem. As I was witnessing this, I realized that it wasn’t right. I stood up and told the student to stop, and he actually listened. Why did he stop? Because I said to and because I had exhibited authority. It wasn’t the kind of authority that said, “I am in charge over you.” No, it was spiritual authority because I was a believer, and I knew my authority in Christ.

When things are happening that are unjust, you have spiritual authority through Christ, my friends. When things are happening that are wrong, you have authority and you have the ability to change those situations. You have the ability to change what’s going on in the Earth, and you have the responsibility to do it. We can’t just sit around waiting and wondering when somebody else is going to do something. Some people go to God and say, “Lord, why did you let this happen?” And He looks right back and says, “Why did you let it happen?”

Genesis 1:26-28 says, “Then God said, ‘Let us make mankind in our image, in our likeness, so that they may rule over the fish in the sea and the birds in the sky, over the livestock and all the wild animals, and over all the creatures that move along the ground.’ So God created mankind in his own image, in the image of God he created them; male and female he created them. God blessed them and said to them, ‘Be fruitful and increase in number; fill the earth and subdue it. Rule over the fish in the sea and the birds in the sky and over every living creature that moves on the ground.’” 

God gave us authority and He want us to use it. If we don’t, the devil will gladly pick up where we leave off. And we’re not supposed to leave off; we’re supposed to pick up our responsibility and move forward and do the things that God’s called us to do. So, when you see something that’s not right, you have the responsibility to say or do something.

I was babysitting my brother’s kids once when my nephew said, “My tummy hurts.” And I said, “Well, let me pray for you.” So, he laid down on the couch and I started to pray for him. While I was praying for him, I perceived this black ball or a mass in his belly. I perceived that it was something demonic, so I started to bind it, but I couldn’t cast it out. I don’t know why I couldn’t cast it out of my nephew, but I kept binding it smaller and smaller. I said to my nephew, “Tell me when it stops hurting.” It got to be bound pretty tight before he said his stomach had stopped hurting, but I could still see that it was in there.

I went on with the rest of the evening taking care of the kids, and later on my nephew said his stomach hurt again, so I prayed for him again. We started praying, and right while I was praying for my nephew, his sister threw up all over the floor. I picked her up and ran into the kitchen, and while I was getting her cleaned up, my nephew got sick too. But when I went back in to look and perceive in the Spirit after he had gotten sick, the black thing was gone out of his belly! The thing that I couldn’t cast out earlier had left. I had been given a spiritual perception in that moment to be able to perceive what was actually happening in him, although not completely accurate, but it was accurate enough to get the job done.

God gives us these gifts to use. These gifts are not just for “super-Christians”. You and I one of the called ones because we are followers of Jesus. If you’ve never had an experience where the Holy Spirit leads you into the working of miracles or any of the gifts of the Spirit, venture in. You need to learn how to do these things. It’s time to lay hands on the sick and pray for people to be healed. When Mark 16 talks about people being healed after having hands laid on them, it doesn’t always mean they’ll be healed instantly. Sometimes it happens right away, but most of the time I would say it happens over time. However, I have heard so many testimonies where people receive healing hours, days, even months later. God is always faithful to complete the work He started (Phil. 1:6).

It Came Up To Come Out!/Don’t Drink The Dross

On By josephbarlowIn Encouragement, Journal, TeachingLeave a comment

When gold heats up, the impurities rise to the surface.
They scrape the bad stuff off and throw it away.
That’s how gold get’s purified.

In times of great pressure in our lives, the negative within us can come up.
Don’t hold on to that negative stuff.
We’re getting purified.

This is a time of great shaking for everyone.
The impurities are rising up.
We see it everywhere.
If it comes up in you then seize the day
Take the opportunity to get it out of your life.

Humility is the shortest path to wholeness.
Pride will delay your journey to freedom.
So let it go.
Change the way you think.
Get forgiveness.
Give forgiveness.

1Peter 4:17 “For it is time for judgment to begin with God’s household;”

If the negative stuff rises up in you, don’t be prideful and try to defend yourself.
Just admit the guilt, ask forgiveness, make things right and move on.
If you fight to maintain your innocence when its clear otherwise,
it’s like you’re drinking the impurities back down within yourself.
Don’t let that happen.

Seize the opportunity.
It came up to come out.
Be free from that negative stuff.
It’s not coming back to haunt you.
It came up to come out.
It didn’t come up to embarrass you.
It came up to come out.
Humility is the shortest path to wholeness.
Pride will delay your journey to freedom.
Ask for forgiveness and be done with it.

Lord, help us all,
and thank you for your mercy.

Father,
I thank you for your complete forgiveness of all of my impurities.
You promised, Lord, to cleanse us from all unrighteousness.
Thank you Jesus!

Are You In The Flesh Or In The Spirit?

On By josephbarlowIn Encouragement, Journal, Ministry, TeachingLeave a comment

JUNE 9, 2020

Hey Friends,
Do you want to know whether you are in the flesh or in the Spirit?
Do you want to know if you are pleasing God or at war with Him?
You CAN know!

Years ago I came home from work and Nancy said, “You need to go into (one of our daughter)’s bedroom. She’s throwing a fit.” Before I walked in, I said, “Lord I don’t have anything. But I’m trusting you.” So, I walked in and said, “How ya doin’?”
She said “Terrible.”
Everything was wrong. To her this was a major crisis. It was some great injustice and her temper was totally justifiable in her eyes.
So I asked her a question:
“On a scale from one to ten, how are you doing in walking in love right now?”
She said zero.
I said, “Okay, how about Joy? One to ten, how are you doing?”
“Zero.”
“How about Peace?”
“Zero.”

I want through all nine fruit of the Spirit listed in Galatians 5:22,23 and she rated herself a zero on every one of them.
I said, “Did you realize that, if you have a zero for each of those, then you’re walking in the flesh and not in the Spirit?”

I don’t remember what she said next, but I do remember the complete change in her attitude. The storm was passed by. She was no longer in emotional turmoil.

Through her finding out she was in the flesh, she was able to locate where she was emotionally and spiritually, where she wanted to be, and that it was her will that would get her there. She chose to walk in the Spirit and instantly received the reward of choosing to walk that way. She had peace, joy, love and all the rest.

So, friends, how are YOU doing?
Are you walking in the Spirit or the flesh?
On a scale of 1 to 10 rate yourself
How are you doing when it comes to walking in:

Love?
Joy?
Peace?
Patience?
Kindness?
Goodness?
Faithfulness?
Gentleness?
Self-control?

Romans 8:5-9 “For they that are according to the flesh, do mind the things of the flesh: but they that are according to the Spirit, the things of the Spirit. For to be carnally minded is death; but to be spiritually minded is life and peace: Because the carnal mind is enmity against God: for it is not subject to the law of God, neither indeed can be. So then they that are in the flesh cannot please God. But ye are not in the flesh, but in the Spirit, if the Spirit of God dwelleth in you. Now if any man hath not the Spirit of Christ, he is not his.”

You get to choose.
Love ya

THE WORD OF GOD BRINGS HEALING

On By josephbarlowIn Encouragement, Journal, Ministry, TeachingLeave a comment

Friends,

Last year I put together an album of my instrumental music with healing scriptures spoken over the music. My desire was that people would either hear and be healed or at least that it would build their faith to be healed by God’s available healing power.

I really want everyone to be healed. I believe God does too.

We’re actually working on a book and a class on this topic.

I hope you enjoy this track.

Just sit back and close your eyes while listening.

If you want to hear the rest of the album, you can purchase the CD here on this site, download it from iTunes, Amazon, stream it on Spotify and many other outlets.

God bless,

Joe

LET LOVE WIN THE DAY

On By josephbarlowIn Encouragement, Ministry, Missions, TeachingLeave a comment

June 2020 JBM Newsletter

What a tumult!

What crazy times we are living in right here, right now.

Yet right now I’m sitting in my comfy chair, looking out the window at a pond with a fountain, the temperature is perfect, the breeze is blowing, the sunshine is beautiful, and I’m able to sit quietly and speak to my Creator. I’m able to read His Word, hear from Him, let Him know that I love Him and let Him speak to my heart. I write down what He says. Quietly I hear Him say:

My grace is increasing.

My grace is abounding.

Let love win the day.

You might think ‘Joe, you are so out of touch with what’s going on!’ And I would agree with you. I’ve spent a lot of time watching the news. I’ve spent a lot of time on Facebook, etc. trying to see what is going on and what wisdom is available. Are all of my friends OK? Is there any breakthrough? What kind of progress can I expect? How is this going to affect my family and our church and the future of our ministry? There are so many questions. So much concern. So many expressions of pain. So many accusations of guilt.

Friends, if you want to be effective you’ve got to get disconnected.

I heard a prophetic word where Jesus was coaxing someone to get alone with Him. He said, “Come apart before you come apart!”

The effective ones are the ones who have spoken with their Commanding Officer. Who have gotten their battle plans from the King. The ones who meet privately with the Creator God, be at peace and listen to His heart. These are the ones who are going to show up with a fresh word, an attitude that heals and refreshes. They are the ones who are going to bring joy back into its rightful place in our lives and in our world.

Friends, this is our day. He made it for us. Receive His love. Receive His comfort. Receive His healing. Be transformed by His love. Then just shine. You’ll know what to do.

Love ya,

Pastor Joe

A Paraphrase of Isaiah 61

On By josephbarlowIn Encouragement, Family, Father, Journal, Ministry, Paraphrase, TeachingLeave a comment

Years ago I worked at Tyndale House Publishers and was able to spend time with Dr. Ken Taylor, the founder of the company who wrote the Living Bible. One thought I had about him was of all the people who ever read the Living Bible, who got the most out of it?

Dr. Taylor did.

He wrote it.

So, I decided to try this method of Bible study. Paraphrase the verse and see if you can get all of the original meaning into your paraphrase.

Here is my attempt at Isaiah 61. See how you think I did.


Verse		KJVBarlow Paraphrase
Isaiah 61:1The Spirit of the Lord GOD is upon me; because the LORD hath anointed me to preach good tidings unto the meek; he hath sent me to bind up the brokenhearted, to proclaim liberty to the captives, and the opening of the prison to them that are bound;The presence of God is with me. His Spirit is on me empowering me to proclaim the gospel to those who are so weak and poor. I have a commission from Him to wrap up and bandage the hearts that have been shattered and to tell the captives that they are now free.
Isaiah 61:2To proclaim the acceptable year of the LORD, and the day of vengeance of our God; to comfort all that mourn;Jubilee has come! God is ready to set the record straight, to balance the scales, to right the wrongs and bring deep comfort to those whose hearts are mourning.
Isaiah 61:3To appoint unto them that mourn in Zion, to give unto them beauty for ashes, the oil of joy for mourning, the garment of praise for the spirit of heaviness; that they might be called trees of righteousness, the planting of the LORD, that he might be glorified.Here’s how He’s going to fix it: for those whose lives seem nothing but ashes He’s going to make them beautiful, green and full of life. For those who are weighed down with heavy sadness, just like a brand new garment He’s going to adorn you with praise! These children of God who God does this for are going to be planted firm in Him, like beautiful, fruitful trees. Giving God constant glory.
Isaiah 61:4And they shall build the old wastes, they shall raise up the former desolations, and they shall repair the waste cities, the desolations of many generations.After God affects these people in this way, the effect they will have on others will be amazing. Places that have been totally destroyed, just like their lives were will be restored as well as they are. The generational curses on families will be broken. The blessing has come.
Isaiah 61:5And strangers shall stand and feed your flocks, and the sons of the alien shall be your plowmen and your vinedressers.You’ll be amazed at who God will send to help you. People from foreign countries and those you don’t even know will feed your flocks, plow your fields and tend your vines,
Isaiah 61:6But ye shall be named the Priests of the LORD: men shall call you the Ministers of our God: ye shall eat the riches of the Gentiles, and in their glory shall ye boast yourselves.because you will be too busy for that. People will call you Priests of the Lord and Ministers of the Most High God. The wealth of those who don’t even know God will come looking for you. God has appointed it to you. Their glorious riches will be yours.
Isaiah 61:7For your shame ye shall have double; and for confusion they shall rejoice in their portion: therefore in their land they shall possess the double: everlasting joy shall be unto them.For all the shame, pain and confusion you’ve endured God will give you double blessing. In your land you will have twice as much blessing as the pain you endured. Oh the joy that will be on them! It won’t end.
Isaiah 61:8For I the LORD love judgment, I hate robbery for burnt offering; and I will direct their work in truth, and I will make an everlasting covenant with them.I, your God, love fixing things this way! I hate when people try to work their own salvation. I want to do it for them. I want to do the cutting so they don’t have to. It’s my covenant with them and it will pass down to their kids,
Isaiah 61:9And their seed shall be known among the Gentiles, and their offspring among the people: all that see them shall acknowledge them, that they are the seed which the LORD hath blessed.Their children will be known all over the world. Everyone that sees them will be confronted with how much I’ve blessed them. They will acknowledge the ones I have blessed as chosen by me.
Isaiah 61:10I will greatly rejoice in the LORD, my soul shall be joyful in my God; for he hath clothed me with the garments of salvation, he hath covered me with the robe of righteousness, as a bridegroom decketh himself with ornaments, and as a bride adorneth herself with her jewels.Lord, I am overwhelmed with joy and thankfulness for everything you’ve done. I’m completely clothed and protected with your salvation and you make look great in your eyes with your gift of righteousness. I feel as well taken care of as a the groom at a wedding; I’m totally decked out. Or like a bride covered with her dress and beautiful attire; your salvation on us is so beautiful.
Isaiah 61:11For as the earth bringeth forth her bud, and as the garden causeth the things that are sown in it to spring forth; so the Lord GOD will cause righteousness and praise to spring forth before all the nations.It’s amazing how soil grows what’s sown it; the seeds bud and flourish. Just so, Lord, you are causing your praise and glory to spring up throughout the nations because of how extravagant your salvation is.

Gestating A Miracle

On By josephbarlowIn Teaching1 Comment

In John chapter 11 we read the story of Jesus raising Lazarus from the dead.

I think I’ve read this chapter 100s of times. I often ask the Lord, ‘What chapter should I read?’ More often than not He says ‘John 11’.

That could get frustrating, to just keep reading the same chapter, often getting something, but today was different.

I saw the gestation of a miracle.

I saw from the time Jesus heard that Lazarus was sick until he spoke the words, ‘Lazarus, come forth!’ There was a time of gestation. Like being pregnant with a child, you are called upon to bring forth something into the earth. Jesus was bringing a miracle into the earth.

Jesus loved Lazarus, but He was confident in his revival. 

What did Jesus do as soon as He heard that Lazarus was sick?

NOTHING!!!!!!!

Can you imagine?

How could you do nothing if you heard your friend was sick?

Hearing this news was not his trigger for action.

Getting direction from God was His trigger for action.

If we live in our intellect then we will respond to what we hear with a thought pattern then make a decision about our actions based on what we come up with in our thinking.

Jesus was not living in his intellect. He was not controlled by his intellect. His guidance system was not his intellect. He was intent on only obeying God, only following the leading of the Holy Spirit.

If you feel an internal obligation to respond to every stimuli that comes your way, then you will easily be led by the circumstances not by God.

How do you make a decision about what to do?

Do you just reason it out?

God gave us an intellect, He wants us to use it! Right?

Thank God for our intellect; our ability to reason and to think things through with the knowledge we have in store and the wisdom we have been granted. But if we realize that our intellect is finite and our storehouse of knowledge might not have all the information required to make decisions. Then we realize we must ascend above our intellect. A higher level decision making process is required.

It is a humbling thing to think that we might not know it all. Intellect wants to reign. It wants to be in charge. It often thinks itself almighty. But if we humble ourselves and yield to the One above… If we acknowledge that we might not have all the answers and that the decision before us could be more than we are equipped to make…then we can have access to the Greater Mind, the Higher Intellect, yes, the wisdom of God!

Decisions are important. They set the course for the future, not just for us but all those around us as well.

So, why did Jesus not immediately respond when he heard the news about his friend?

He was waiting for instructions in his spirit not his intellect.

He was waiting for peace on the inside

Miracles aren’t always immediate.

Even this miracle wasn’t a microwave miracle.

We see Jesus going through a process to bring this about.

He was waiting for signals every step of the way.

Jesus was deeply moved in his spirit. Twice it mentions this. You can tell that he was more in tune with his spirit/the Spirit than he was with his intellect. His brain wasn’t running the show. It was yielded. It was looking. It was watching. Waiting for the signals, the guidance, the leading that comes from the Spirit of God dwelling within.

When you need a miracle, don’t get in a hurry. Being in a hurry is definitely where your intellect will want to take over and run the show.

If you’ll pull from the Spirit you’ll get heaven’s results not the intellect’s.

Temptation

On By josephbarlowIn Family, TeachingLeave a comment

Matthew 26 (KJV):

40 And he cometh unto the disciples, and findeth them asleep, and saith unto Peter, What, could ye not watch with me one hour? 41 Watch and pray, that ye enter not into temptation: the spirit indeed is willing, but the flesh is weak.

A friend of mine writes books about family matters, one of his quotes is ‘peer pressure is only as strong as family identity is weak.’ (Gary Ezzo)

Peer pressure is an external emotional pressure that works to get you to conform to a certain line of thinking or behavior. It’s pack mentality; go with the crowd. The bigger the crowd, the stronger the influence. Gravely, negative behavior has come about in kids from great families because peer pressure won.

A family must create or discern its own identity and develops its own ‘family pressure’. If there is buy-in by most or all of the members then a sufficient offset to peer pressure exists. It’s really a battle between two different mindsets- the family vs. the peer crowd. It’s two different crowds. It’s two different directions. It’s two different sets of values.

If a child spends more time with their friends than with their family the influence of their friends will be strengthened. If they spend more time with their family, then they will find family values and ideas to be more acceptable.

You have to believe in the set of values you follow. It helps if you are around others who also believe in those same values so you can successfully live out those values in your life.

Jesus said to watch and pray so that you won’t fall into temptation. Can you see how you will be stronger against temptation if you spend time with God in prayer? You will be influenced with His values, His desires, His ways. As you get to know Him better the influence and ways of the world become more and more distasteful. Temptation loses its strength. The more time you spend with God in prayer the stronger you will be against temptation. As a matter of fact, temptation becomes a non-issue.

Resisting temptation is easy if you are strongly identified with Jesus. If you identify with being part of God’s family then you know who you are.

Do you know how much I’m tempted to do drugs right now? Zero! Not at all. I’m not around drugs. I don’t hang out with people who are doing drugs, I have no desire for the high that drugs produce. I’m quite happy without them. So there is the freedom from temptation because of the proximity to the temptation.

But when I was in high school, I used to take my guitar and go out behind the school on the other side of a hill and play my guitar for all the kids who were getting high. I never saw them doing the drugs I could just always see that glassy look in their eyes and I noticed their altered state of mind. I was around them a lot. Apparently my guitar playing was quite impressive when they were high. But I can tell you quite honestly that in all that time I was never once tempted to partake in their drugs. I knew who I was, I was regularly reading my Bible, I was constantly praying. I was aware of God’s presence. I also knew who my family was and what they stood for. Actually in my family we used to make fun of people who had to use alcohol or drugs to have a good time. To be quite honest in my young mind, an image had formed through family conversations to the effect that joy was for higher life forms and lower life forms had to use drugs and alcohol to partake of joy. Because of this mindset, right or wrong, I never envied the people who were getting high. I just enjoyed playing guitar for them, because they seemed to enjoy it as well.

So, I want to encourage you that temptation may be quite helpful to you in that it exposes where you may have a weak philosophy about something. Maybe you don’t believe something as deeply as you should. The Devil looks for open doors not solid walls. So go revisit what you believe in the area you are being tempted in. Go find out why you believe what you believe. You might need to fortify something. You might need to strengthen your beliefs so that you’ll be stronger.