I Don’t Want To Be The One Who’s Missing

On By josephbarlowIn Family, Journal, Word From GodLeave a comment

Lord, I see all of these Father’s Day posts, while I’m thankful for being honored. The thing that bothers me is the number of people who’s father has passed and they are sore lamenting the loss of their father and missing him everyday. I don’t want that. I don’t want to be the one who is missing. I don’t want my kids to lament me not being there. Give me wisdom God. I want to affect their lives in a positive way, I want them to be thankful, but I do not want them to miss me everyday.

Many words, meant to be said, were unspoken. Many hearts that needed to be known were left closed. Many that needed a touch from their father were left alone. Son, you have spoken into their lives. You have ministered my love. You have done well Son.

While you can’t control how you will be remembered, you can influence it.

Keep loving Son.

Keep listening.

Keep empowering them towards confidence and accomplishment.

Keep directing their hearts to love others.

That outward focus will leave them satisfied at your departure.

Son, I’m with you.

We have much loving to do.

Let us work while we have the light.

Move forward in me son, without shame and without apology.

Impact this world with my love and my wisdom.

That is your commission.

Why I Like Being A Father

On By josephbarlowIn FatherLeave a comment

When I was 14 I had a distinct impression/desire: I wanted to be a father.

It wasn’t just my hormones screaming, it was something different.

I wanted to speak into people’s lives.

I wanted to challenge them.

I wanted to take care of them, but not coddle them.

I wanted to be there as a blessing in their lives in a way that brought comfort, confidence, direction, wisdom, encouragement and more confidence.

Being a father was a big dream in me.

Philippians 2:13 says that God is at work in us to will and to act according to His good pleasure.

I really believe that the stirring of those desires as a teenager was literally God Himself on the inside of me, stirring up those desires. Well, if God is willing to stir up desires within me that are perfectly in line with His will then lets get busy, lets get stirred up. Bring on your desires Lord.

Now at the age of 58, after 34+ years of marriage, Nancy & I have 7 children. I love every one of them. We have two children-in-law with another being added soon. We have three amazing little grand-daughters. We are so blessed. I am so blessed.

But I feel like my heart is about 5% filled.

My desire to be a father is increasing.

We’re not looking for any new babies of our own.

But the desire to father is increasing in my heart.

God seems to still be at work in me to fill my heart with desires.

My desire to speak directly into people’s hearts, to bring them wisdom, encouragement, comfort, guidance, etc. those desires are increasing.

I see so many fatherless. Sometimes their dad was a failure at being a dad. Sometimes he just was not present. Sometimes he was a jerk. And I see the children’s hearts not being filled. This grieves me and motivates me. I believe I can stand in. I believe if I have the chance to speak I can love them the way their father should have.

Lord, help me to be effective in people’s lives. Help me to be a voice that fills the gap. I love you Lord. I want to represent you well.

I really believe that the human race has so much potential. If there was a father there to encourage them, guide them, help them…then we could see some amazing answers come forward to bless this world.

Maybe that’s what father’s do, they plant, fertilize, grow, weed, harvest answers for the world.

Feed My People

On By josephbarlowIn UncategorizedLeave a comment

Son, the things I will teach you will excite you, grow you, help you, be food to you. Son from there you will be able to feed many.
Stay full son. Stay full of what I teach you. Now begin to write and let me speak. Just hear the flow and write.
I’ve developed the system, it works well. I didn’t design prayer to have it not work. I created it. It works.
Pursue me Son. Press deeper into knowing me. Press deeper into enjoying me, learning more fully who I am and how close I desire to be to you.
Son, there are many aspects of my character and personality that are still unrevealed to you. Yet I invite you to come and get to know me. Come.

Matthew 21:22
“If you believe, you will receive whatever you ask for in prayer.”

Receiving God’s Best

On By josephbarlowIn UncategorizedLeave a comment

Son, receive my best. I am an abundant God and I have abundance for you. I can grant what you request.
Make way for me by making requests of what you’d like me to do. I delight in answering your prayers.
Faith words come from faith, no other source.
Listen to what faith is saying and say that. No manipulation. No appeals for mercy. No shows. Just speak what faith is saying.
Son, my plan is unfolding. Walk it out as I give it to you. There are great things coming. Know this. Know me. I am your very great reward.
Let me draw you deeper into Sonship. Position yourself as my son. Occupy that position. Expect provision, blessing, direction, and wisdom.

Hearing God

On By josephbarlowIn JournalLeave a comment

Romans 10:17 KJV
So then faith cometh by hearing, and hearing by the word of God.

There’s something about that first time you hear the good news. When someone finally explains it to you and you actually get it. Understanding has come. Something is being revealed to you. It’s actually more than just the person who is speaking to you or the preacher you heard. There’s another voice coming through. Someone’s knockin’ at the door; the door of your heart. Someone wants in.

Matthew 16:15
15“But what about you?” he asked. “Who do you say I am?”
16Simon Peter answered, “You are the Messiah, the Son of the living God.”
17Jesus replied, “Blessed are you, Simon son of Jonah,
for this was not revealed to you by flesh and blood,
but by my Father in heaven.

Somehow through this process of Jesus spending time with His disciples and Peter pondering all these things, somehow in all of that God ministered to Peter. Somehow Peter heard God. Somehow he got a revelation from heaven. Jesus said that he didn’t get it from a man.

God is speaking to you too. He loves you and He wants you to hear His voice. He wants you to know Him. He wants you to be close to Him. He wants to be able to make your life into an amazing beautiful work of art. He wants to draw you close to Him. Then through you He wants others to be drawn close to Him.

Revelation 3:20 says:
“Behold, I stand at the door, and knock:
if any man hear my voice, and open the door,
I will come in to him, and will sup with him, and he with me.”

Sounds like He’s seeking you, the question is are you willing to be found by Him? Are you willing to seek Him too?

Jeremiah 29:13 says
“And ye shall seek me, and find me,
when ye shall search for me with all your heart.”  

If you seek Him it won’t be long before there’s a collision between the two of you. And what a glorious thing that will be. He loves you. Let Him find you.

The Main Thing

On By josephbarlowIn Encouragement, JournalLeave a comment

Gardeners are amazing! They keep watch over their plants and over everything in their garden to make sure that it is in order and working right. One thing that they are very careful to watch out for is if anything is dead. They’re checking to see if there’s any brown leaves on any of their plants. If there’s brown leaves, that means something has died. When they see that something has died, they trim it off.

In your life are there any brown leaves? Are there any places that aren’t bearing fruit the way that they should be?

Proverbs 29:18a “Where there is no vision, the people perish”

This passage of scripture states clearly why there might be death in some of the things you are doing.

Let me illustrate.

I love playing guitar. I’ve written several songs and recorded a few CDs. I love playing at parties and in front of people and at church. My wife especially loves my playing. She wants me to go back out and play in the restaurants like I used to, just because she knows how much it blesses people.

But I have so much on my plate. It’s very difficult to choose what I’m supposed to keep my eyes on. I am the pastor of a church, I run Joseph Barlow Ministries, we have 7 children, we have a home group on Wednesday nights, we have healing class on Saturday morning. We are trying to manage a very busy schedule and there is a lot going on. Rest is sometimes something that you have to steal; at least it seems like that.

So what about the guitar playing? My guitar has been sitting in its case.

I haven’t played it in a little while. It feels like a brown leaf sometimes. I want to write songs I want to go back into the studio. But I’m letting too much get in the way of that.

What is happening?

I am letting the vision dissipate. I’m letting it lose its appeal in my heart. Sometimes you have to stir yourself back up. You have to stir up the vision. When you stir up the vision, the desire gets stronger. You have to imagine what it would be like if your desires were coming to pass right now. Is that something worth working for? Maybe!

You, like me, need to make some decisions. We better decide what are the visions we want to keep in place in our life that will motivate our actions and drive our plans forward. So list the things you want to do. Then list the things you have to do. How well do those two lists intersect?  It’s time to start trimming. It’s time to reestablish vision. If we don’t do the trimming then disappointment and the clock will do it for us.

Let’s make the main thing the main thing.

But, for you, what is the main thing?

What is it you were sent here for?

Are you doing it?

A Time Machine for Decision Making!

On By josephbarlowIn EncouragementLeave a comment

Most of you have seen some sort of show about a time machine. So, you probably know that if you go into the past and change something it could change your current world dramatically or even affect your very existence.

But what if you or I could use a time machine to look ahead? See beyond a decision that we are about to make? What if we could go into the future and see the outcome of choosing an option A vs. option B? What would the world look like? What would it feel like? Is it desirable? Do I want the world to look like that?

If I could use a time machine for that, I would use it a lot! I could choose the best possible future.

Yesterday, a friend of mine told me to, “Swing like you can’t miss!” He’s referring to me playing baseball and being at bat, standing there ready for the pitch. With each pitch I have to make a decision. I could let that ball pass by or I could give a fair attempt at swinging; maybe an attempt that others would say “He tried.” Or I could swing at that ball at just the right time, with all the force I can muster and if I connect with the ball- it is definitely out of here.

So, which of those three possible futures do I want? Do I want the future that happens after I don’t swing? How about the future that happens after I make a feeble attempt? Or do we want the future that happens after I knock the ball clean out of the park?

So, where’s my time machine? I want to know the answer! There could be good in each of those scenarios because I don’t know all the variables. Let me take three trips in my time machine, one trip to each of those possible futures. I’ll look around a bit in each scenario, then I’ll come back and make my decision about how hard I want to swing this bat.

Well, my friend, I am happy to inform you that you already have a time machine that can do this.

Uh, Joe, either I’m crazy or you are! I don’t have a time machine!

My friend, yes you do! It is your imagination! You have the ability to look ahead. Imagine the outcome of each decision. Paint the picture in your imagination with as much detail as you can. Follow through each of those possible decisions. Spend time imagining what the world would look like if you choose option A. Take time and look around a bit in that imagination. Describe it the best you can. Do you like it? Do you love it?

Now dial your time machine back just before the decision. Imagine option B. Now follow it through. Imagine the outcome of that. Does option B create the world you want to live in?

I believe imagination works quite well as a time machine! So go for it. Look into the future. See the world you want to live in. Then make a decision and swing like you can’t miss!

Welcome to your future. The one you chose, because you were already here in your time machine.

Making decisions is going to be fun now. Use that powerful time machine you’ve been given:

Your awesome imagination.

copyright 2016 Joseph Barlow

Faith Comes By Hearing

On By josephbarlowIn UncategorizedLeave a comment

Today is 10/17/2015, October 17th, but the number reminds me of one of my favorite verses in the Bible.

Romans 10:17
it says, “faith comes by hearing and hearing by the Word of God.”
Faith comes into your heart as someone shares the gospel with you.
Faith comes into your heart as you hear something God promises, you have the opportunity to mix faith with it.

Now we know that each of us has been given the measure of faith, as a gift from God.
Romans 12:3 shares that with us. The faith we have to believe in Jesus comes to us as a gift from God in the first place. As believers we have all received the measure of faith.

Eph 2:8,9 says “Its by grace through faith that you have been saved and not from yourselves it is a gift of God and not by works so no one can boast.” So, the grace and the faith are gifts from God. Let’s make sure we receive those gifts. If you have received the gifts, open the package and enjoy every bit of them to the full.

Back to Romans 10:17
Faith comes when we hear the Word of God spoken to us. It is clear in the context of Romans chapter 10 that people need to hear the Gospel to be saved, but what about people who just read about it and get saved? If no one audibly spoke the Gospel to them are they saved? Or did hearing happen another way? Obviously people who read about the Gospel and get saved are truly saved, there’s no need to argue about that. If there were any reason to argue that, then people who are deaf could never be saved.

I believe ‘hearing’ happens another way. When I heard the Gospel, when I heard that I would never have to pay the eternal penalty for my sins because Jesus Christ took my penalty for me and that if I receive him now then he and I will never be apart. The implication of that is since he’s already done time in hell that I deserved and since there is no need nor reason for him to ever return to hell and I’m one with him now and he and I will be together for eternity then I’m not going to hell – now that’s good news. When I heard that good news I didn’t just hear it mentally. I heard it deep inside me. Something deep down woke up with that news. My spirit became brand new on the inside of me right then. I received the good news. I believed the gospel. Hearing was way deeper then just mentally saying “that’s a good idea, sign me up”. It was way deeper than that.

Faith comes by hearing: I heard God. I could feel Him pulling me. Deep down on the inside I was being 100% completely convinced of this ‘good news’. The hearing I believe they’re talking about in Romans 10:17 is a very deep hearing, way beyond the capacity or function of the human ear. Faith came when my heart heard God.

I believe the process is the same for anything we need to believe. I believe the rest of the scriptures must be heard and believed at that same level. Your heart must be awakened to truth and you can hear God’s heart on the inside of you convincing you, very deeply, of the truths that you are reading in the Word of God.

Let me pray for you:
Heavenly Father, I ask you to minister to my friend who is reading these words right now. Help them to get beyond just ‘head knowledge’ and get to where they know you and your promises very deeply and very intimately. Lord, I ask that they be completely internally changed by this forever. In Jesus’ Name!

God bless you my friend.

Today Was THAT Day

On By josephbarlowIn Uncategorized2 Comments

Well you never expect it to come. You know it will but you don’t know when. Will it feel different? When the day dawns on THAT day – will you know it? How do you prepare yourself? How do you make yourself ready for THAT day?

It’s 10:08PM right now. My Mom died this morning at 11AM. So it hasn’t been a full 12 hours yet. But today was THAT day.

I just turned 53 a few weeks ago. We came to have dinner with my Mom the day after Mother’s Day. Just two weeks ago. What a great time. Well, if you knew her, you’d know what I mean. With her you were always welcome, accepted and respected. She could talk to anybody and ask you the best questions. She was easy to talk to. Loving and accepting. She didn’t need to do all the talking, she loved to listen, that’s what made her a great conversationalist. So out to dinner at her favorite place. She had the stuffed pepper. I hate stuffed peppers. But she enjoyed hers. Nancy & I sat on either side of her at the booth.

We loved Teresa.

Later when we took her home she told us straight: “I’m ready to go!” We knew what she meant and we had heard some similar conversations before but she looked in good health. She was up walking around seemed to be doing fine. But when we said our goodbyes I had that feeling; that feeling you want to reject as insignificant or not valid; I had that feeling that this was it, this was my last time to see her. God was warning me. I didn’t want to acknowledge it. I wanted that impression to be wrong.

But we got the text last week: she broke her hip. Surgery planned, should be no problem. Surgery successful but got to keep her asleep an extra day, had a blood clot. Got to thin the blood a bit, easier to do when she’s sleeping. Today, text: turn for the worse, infection they can’t control, kidneys shut down, only ventilator keeping her going. 11am email: She’s gone.

My first response: you may think crazy, but I was elated! She’s walking the streets of Gold. She gets a hug from Jesus! God answered her prayer. We found out later she had prayed right before surgery, “Lord, take me now.” God had answered her prayer.

She was faithful. She showed up, got to work and kept on going.

I remember one time my older brother, Michael had run away from home. He got to the end of the street, she confronted him: “You’re not getting out of this! We’re going through this together.”

She showed up, got to work and kept on going.

That’s why at 87 she has over 80 descendants, some impacting the world very powerfully.

She didn’t quit.

She finished her race.

I’m having quite a proud moment for her right now. I love my Mom. I’m very proud of her.

Well done Teresa! Well done.

Your loving Son, Joseph 10th of 14.

Have Ears to Hear

On By josephbarlowIn Word From GodLeave a comment

This word the Lord spoke to me last week is part of what I was teaching Sunday at church about having ears to hear. We all put up too many filters in our hearts and minds to block out what we don’t want to hear. Sadly too often God’s voice is blocked out by those same filters.

We need to remove them. Listen to the sermon and ponder this word.

My child, you do hear my voice and the essence of that is the Father/Son relationship. You know your Father. You know when I’m speaking. You have willfully tuned in to hear. You want to know. Your heart is inclined to me. You want to hear me speak.

These are all tunings to hear:

  • your will,
  • your attention,
  • your time,
  • your peace,
  • your silence,
  • your honor.

All of these are dials to be tuned to gain audience, to gain access, to hear my voice.

Please click here to listen to the message where I shared this word.