Hey Friends,

Sitting back thinking about what to write and this phrase comes to me:
A Prayer For You.

So maybe you need prayer right now?

Let’s do it.

Father, I pray for my friend who’s reading this right now. Lord, I ask you to reach down into their heart and get ahold of them in a way that’s really meaningful to them. Just like when they were a kid and they used to think about you and wonder about you and talk to you.

Lord, I ask you to speak to them, introduce your voice to them like you have to me. Make yourself real to them and get ahold of their heart so they won’t wander anymore. Lord, if they’re hurting I ask you to lift the pain, so much so that they wonder where it went.

Let them know you love them. Speak to them when they see things that you did, just say to them, “That’s Me.” So they know that it was you who did those things and You who speak to them.

Lord, I want my friend to love you, like I love you. Help them Lord. Bring them some godly friends. Help them to read your word and discover you there. Fill them with your Holy Spirit and help them to live their lives for you.

Lord, I love you and I love my friends, I want them to be with us when we spend eternity together.

I love you Lord.
In Jesus’ Name
Amen.

Hey Friends,

I hope all is well with you. God’s been doing some awesome, wonderful and kind things in our lives.

I was thinking about writing you all and this title popped into my mind:
Don’t Wait To Get Help!

I’ve seen this happen over and over again. People need help or are in trouble and they have a thought about who they ought to call or write to ask for help. But then they disqualify that idea. They come up with some(lame)reason as to why they shouldn’t make the call.

I love to help people. I honestly believe most people like to help others. It actually makes me happy when someone calls me asking for help. (So hopefully that eliminates one excuse for you.)

When someone avoids reaching out for help it doesn’t change the need they have. If the load was light enough for you to carry you wouldn’t have been thinking about getting help.

Nancy & I have seven kids, all living at home. We run our church out of the home which could make it busy enough, but our three oldest children each have their own businesses being run out of the home here. Nancy also works on Wednesday mornings as a nurse, is the international prayer ministry coordinator for a large ministry and teaches a class at Living Word’s Bible Training Center on Monday nights.
And we were trying to do all this without help around the house.
So just before it about wiped us out…

We called for help.

A young lady from the church will be coming tomorrow to help with the cooking, cleaning and laundry.

Whew!

Who are you supposed to call now?

Love ya
Joe

Well that question should get you stirred a little???

Of course God is able, He’s God!

Well, let’s back up a little.

Able to do what?

Can God lie?

No!

Can God bridge the gap between where you are at right now and where you believe you are supposed to be???

Yes!

Will He?

Well, that’s up to you.

God’s will doesn’t always automatically come to pass in your life. He needs your cooperation.

At one point in Jesus’ ministry He went into His own hometown and could do no mighty miracles there. Why couldn’t He do at home what He did elsewhere? Because the people were so familiar with Him as being the carpenter’s son they did not believe He was capable of doing any great miracles. Their faith was required to accomplish His will. Some might say it wasn’t God’s will to do mighty miracles in His hometown. But that’s not what the scripture says. It says “He could not…”

Can God do mighty wonders in your life? Can God accomplish through you what He wants to? Yes, if you’re not like His hometown. Yes, if you believe Him wholeheartedly. Yes, if you are willing to stand firm in your faith. Yes, if you’re willing to take God’s word and plant it in your heart, believe it, request it, and stand in faith to see it come to pass.

Your faith turns you into a lightning rod for the power of God to move in your life.

Are you able to believe God for His will to come to pass in your life?

God is able to deliver but you must be willing to believe.

My friend I pray that you would be filled with the knowledge of God’s will for you.(Colossians 1:9) I also pray that you will receive faith in your heart by hearing God’s word. (Romans 10:17)
I pray that God would bless you and your relationship with Him would produce wonderful things that would cause others to marvel and desire to know Jesus as Savior as well.

Love ya
Joe

Hey Friends,

How are you?

I’m doing well.

I’ve been thinking about my own usefulness to the Lord.

Is He pleased with what I’ve done? What I’ve accomplished? I’m just at a point where I’m seeing that it’s not so much what I do or accomplish, but what I let Him do through me.
I really have great big dreams but I’m seeing that a lot of that doesn’t matter if I’m not being right now who He wants me to be.

Psalm 127 says, “Like arrows in the hands of a warrior are sons born in one’s youth.”
Well I’m a son of God. I want to be an arrow in His hand. I want to hit His target.
I want to be used by God to accomplish His purposes not just my dreams.

Jer. 29:11
For I know the plans I have for you declares the Lord
Plans to prosper you and not to harm you
Plans to give you hope and a future.

I do believe God will do something with my life. But I believe if I died now I would die a success.

As a matter of fact:
I remember when I was 19 I was working in the college cafeteria loading dishes into this big steamy dishwasher. As I stood there I realized that if I were to die right then I would die a success. I thought back over all the things that I had done and the lives I had touched with God’s love. I was a success, even at the age of 19.

I realize that as long as I stayed submitted to Him and let Him use me then I live in constant success.

Yet I have something bigger on the inside of me. Yes I’m happy at this point with all that’s been done. But I still feel this pressure from the inside out. I believe there is more that God wants to do in and through me. I want to serve Him with a long full, fruitful life.

Hey Friends,

I got a new MP3 player. It’s a Sansa Clip.

I want to encourage you: if you’re not up on this technology, you’re missing out on a blessing.

You can see the size of this one, its very convenient and has a clip on the back to clip it to yourself while you’re exercising or in my case preaching. It has a built in mic so I can record conversations or messages that I teach. It’s very helpful.

Another thing that I really like is I got the Bible on MP3 from www.firefighters.org, it’s free. I love listening to the Word. It’s such a blessing to just turn this on and let the Word minister to you.

You could also use it download some of my teachings at www.familylife.cc
or some of my music from the links at the top left of this page.

God bless you
Joe

Check out a cool blog post about my daughter Sarah:

(Natalie & Sarah)

Click here to see the interview.

She was interviewed by an author, I think you’ll like it.

Be blessed

Joe

Do you want to know what you’re supposed to do?

#1 Get to know your Creator
He created you
He created this world
He is the most benevolent, loving, kind, resourceful being you’ll ever know
He loves you
He made a way for you to be His friend

#2 Become His child
Being born again is believing in Jesus Christ and receiving Him as your Lord

#3 Be filled with the Holy Spirit
After being born again you are ready to be filled with His Spirit. Ask Him to fill you. He will.
This is where things get exciting. This is where God starts to use you. This is where your fellowship and friendship with God are developed to a degree that is so satisfying.

#4 Live the rest of your life for Him
Your purpose; what you’re supposed to do and who you are made to become is all tied up in knowing, loving and serving God.

My friends I have been doing this since I was a youth and I can attest to you, along with many others, that this way of living is true life. This is where the fun is. This is where the fulfillment is. This is where happiness is.

May you come to know the Lord in all His wonderful love. He loves you.

Hey Friends,

I hope you’re all doing well.

Our bodies are amazing and wonderful things:

The other day I was going through my day, I hadn’t eaten much but I was doing alright. A little later I noticed this lack of strength and a generally slightly unpleasant feeling. My lightning fast mind realized:

“I’m hungry, I better get something to eat.”

So off I go to the kitchen, put together something simple, sit down relax, enjoy.
Pretty soon I was feeling all comfy again.

Our Souls are even more wonderful and complex:

A few weeks ago I was spending alot of time just listening to teachings, spending time reading my Bible, praying; generally trying to be “spiritually minded” which the Bible says leads to “life and peace”.
A few days later, things got real busy around the house (with 7 kids that happens sometimes).
Without really noticing it my attention started shifting from spiritual stuff to just plain old natural stuff. I also noticed my attitude started becoming less loving and more “short and to the point.”
What my lightning fast mind was not so quick to discern was that I was becoming spiritually hungry. The warning signals are less subtle than those your physical body gives you.

Solution

Examine yourself. Are you acting like Jesus or the devil?
If you’re not acting like Jesus the answer is simple:
Go spend more time with him.
Become spiritually minded.
That brings life and peace.

Love ya

Joe

Hey Friends,

This post is specifically for fathers
more specifically
fathers with daughters. Feel free to guide fathers here to read this.

I sent this email out yesterday to the fathers on our church mailing list.

I believe I need to share it here as well. I hope it helps you.
Joe

Gentlemen,

As far as I know all of you who are receiving this email are fathers. If not, my apologies.

You also at some point have had some connection with or currently attend Family Life Christian Center so I included you in the list.

I believe most of you have daughters.

Recently a young lady from our church was over to our house. Her and my daughter were looking at pictures. This young lady is very camera-shy. Yet, she was telling how photogenic my daughter was. Her own opinion of herself and her looks was pretty low. I tried to encourage her but seemingly to no avail.

A couple weeks later I was thinking about the situation:

• This girl thought she was homely.
• Her confidence was low.
• Yet this girl is pretty.

She’s in a vulnerable position. I don’t think her father has told her that she’s pretty.

I was convicted right away: When was the last time I had told my oldest daughter Sarah that I thought she was pretty?
She was out of town so I emailed her right away:

Sarah,
I just realized that I haven’t told you in a while that
I think you are beautiful!
Love ya
Dad

She wrote back:
Hey dad!!!
Thank you so much….yeah I really did need that….:) It’s so funny how girls need to hear that to feel special! It’s weird! ha! And yet I still love to hear it…hehe!

I responded:

The Lord showed me that about saying that to you. He told me its part of your protection.
Love ya
Dad

Gentlemen,
If your daughter doesn’t think she’s pretty then she’s vulnerable to any guy who says she is.

Tell these girls, no matter their age.
Tell them they are beautiful.

We, as fathers, have the power to shield our girls from quite a bit just by speaking these words to them.

Be encouraged my friend.
If you think you can’t do this, I think you can. You’re a man. Be a man and tell your daughter she’s beautiful.

Thanks for listening.
Pastor Joe

Pastor Joe Barlow
Family Life Christian Center
www.familylife.cc

23785

Jesus has made the way for you to come boldly into the presence of God; even while you still live on this earth! He wants you to fellowship with Him. He’d actually like to talk with you, conversation style. God loves you. He wants to be a real father to you.

So what are you waiting for? He’s made a way. He’s invited you. He loves you. He’s not mad at you.

So what’s holding you back? Are you too distracted? Too busy? Not interested?

When you get into the presence of the Lord there are great blessings waiting for you there.
Him. His love. And your future.

The Bible says we enter His gates with thanksgiving and His courts with praise.
So get by yourself and take some time to thank Him for all kinds of things that He’s done for you. Then take some time to praise Him for who He is. Do that for a while. Then just be still and know that He is God. Write down the things He speaks to your heart.

Enjoy Him. He’s yours and you are His.

Love ya
Be blessed
Joe