
A Word From Joe Barnett
This site is about words.
First, about God’s authoritative, inspired Word.
Second, about my non-authoritative, non-inspired words—nevertheless, written in hope that they will encourage those who read them, and above all that they will point the reader to God’s Word.
Here are the regular features you will find here.
- Today’s Walk in the Word. A brief devotional that appears Monday through Friday. Each entry is based on a single verse of Scripture, followed by my comments related to it, and ending with a summary aphorism. To access the latest devotional click on "Today’s Walk in the Word" below. To access previous messages click on "Archives/A Walk in the Word" in the top menu.
- On My Mind. Messages on varied topics that appear on this site at least once a month. To access the latest entry click on "On My Mind" below. To access previous messages click on "Archives/On My Mind" in the top menu.
Each of these features can also be fed directly to your email box if you wish. Just click here to sign up.
And yes, you are permitted—in fact, encouraged—to pass along any of these messages to those you feel will benefit from them. Just click on the “Forward to a Friend” button. Your participation in this way makes this “our” ministry instead of “my” ministry.
If you find anything here that brings you, or those with whom you share these messages, into a closer relationship with the Lord, I praise God and thank him for permitting our paths to cross.
Thanks for dropping by. I hope you will do so often.
Today's Walk in the Word
Three Petitions
By Joe Barnett |
Our Father in heaven. —Matthew 6:9 The last half of the Lord’s Prayer in the New Living Translation reads: “Give us our food for today, and forgive us our sins . . . And don’t let us yield to temptation, but deliver us from the evil one” (Mt 6:11–13). Three brief petitions: Give […]
Someday
By Joe Barnett |
Give us today our daily bread. —Matthew 6:11 Leroy lived his entire adult life aiming at fulfillment “someday.” Someday his ship would come in. He fell for every scheme that came down the pike: This was the one! He was going to be rich—someday. He never lived a day […]
It Happens to Everyone
By Joe Barnett |
There is no one righteous, not even one. —Romans 3:10 Failure is inclusive. No one is immune. Sometimes, it’s glaringly obvious: a dropped pass in the endzone, an onstage pratfall, an out-in-the-open sin. And sometimes, it’s hidden: you’re the only one who knows. But […]
Press On
By Joe Barnett |
Forget the former things; do not dwell on the past. —Isaiah 43:18 Instant replay: Whether the game-changer was, “How in the world did he do that?” or, “What a bonehead blunder!” it will be replayed again and again. Unless I miss my guess, you’re unmercifully replaying some of your wrongdoings on […]
Failure Doesn’t Negate Faithfulness
By Joe Barnett |
Simon son of John, do you love me? —John 21:17 Many a sermon has hammered Peter for his failures. He sank like a rock when fear trumped faith in his water-walking fiasco. He denied friendship with Jesus three times during […]
Job’s Victory
By Joe Barnett |
In all of this, Job did not| sin by blaming God. —Job 1:22 You won’t find a better man than Job: “[He] was blameless and upright; he feared God and shunned evil” (Jb 1:1). Yet, he lost everything. His ranch was raided, his servants were killed, all ten of his […]