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Do you have many friends? If you immediately thought of how many people that you have interacting with you on your Facebook page, you might have to re-think your definition of a friend. The Word of God does not define a friend as someone who will take a minute or two in the convenience of their car, home or workplace to exchange a couple of lines of communication. A friend is someone that will come to your aid at 3:00 AM to help you fix a flat tire. The Bible describes this relationship quality as loyalty. In fact, look at the dynamics that are expressed in Proverbs 18:24 - “A man of many companions may come to ruin, but there is a friend who sticks closer than a brother.” Being part of a crowd of people is not a substitute for friendship. Real friends are those who stick close to us. They listen and truly care about our well being. They respond when real help is needed. They are loyal. They are there for us in the mountaintops and valleys of life. They are not superficial. They “STICK” closer to us than perhaps even some of our own family members. Biblical friendship is focused on quality not quantity. The kind of quality that Jonathan expressed about David when he said in I Samuel 18:1 Once again, we ask ourselves, do we have many friends AND are we a true friend? Blessings, Dr. Joe

Discovering God’s perfect will for our lives can seem a little perplexing at times. There are several significant factors that are found in Scripture that can help us remove the dense fog of uncertainty. John 7:17 says, If anyone chooses to do God’s will, he will find out whether my teaching comes from God or whether I speak on my own. A fundamental element involved in finding God’s will is the dynamic of choosing to do God’s will. We must ‘want’ to do God’s will, not ours. This requires total transparency in the prayers that we offer to God. We must ask ourselves important life questions. Do we really want God’s will or permission to do our will? Are we trusting in God’s omniscience or resisting his will because we have a better plan? Wanting God’s will means discovering the life that will ultimately bring us the most joy and fulfillment. Discovering God’s will also requires patience. David writes in Psalm 40:1 “I waited patiently for the Lord; he turned to me and heard my cry.” “I waited patiently for the LORD” means that we don’t run ahead of God or give up and lose heart because he hasn’t met our timing standard. Oftentimes, in the process of waiting on God, he teaches us valuable life lessons. And that brings us to Psalm 143:10 which says, “Teach me to do your will, for you are my God, may your good Spirit lead me on level ground.” God is willing to teach us and he is eager to speak truth into our lives. Walking in God’s will is a special place. It is reserved for those who are willing to do HIS will, patient with HIS timing, and teachable in HIS ways. The question remains, Are we willing, patient and teachable? Blessings, Dr. Joe

One of life's simple pleasures for me is driving my car with the convertible top down. I enjoy the feeling of being connected to the outside environment. Sometimes, while shopping or going out to eat, I will park my car and leave the top down. This often elicits a similar response from people that see me walking away from my car. "Nice car! Aren't you worried about somebody stealing it?" I usually respond with a "Thank you," followed by, "No, I'm not worried about that. I pay the insurance company to worry about that." The fact is, worry is a robber. It robs joy and replaces it with fear. Worry is a peace robber. It robs peace and replaces it with anxiousness. Worry is an energy robber. It zaps energy and replaces it with fatigue. What do I do when I find myself allowing worry to have free rent in my brain? I remember my divine insurance policy. I Peter 5:7 tells me to, "Cast all your anxiety on him because he cares for you." If I'm in 'good hands' with an earthly insurance company, how much more so am I in the hands of Almighty God? Worry is for pagans, not for those who are by faith called the children of God. Worry wants to replace my trust in God with doubt and negative thoughts. And, unlike earthly insurance policies which cost me lots of dollars, God paid the way for me to have full assurance and insurance in His unfailing character and care. Blessings, Dr. Joe

Over the years, I have spoken with individuals that were disappointed with God. They felt that He was not answering their prayers. In essence, their prayer requests revolved around wanting God to remove certain problems and difficulties in their lives. I have observed the way that God works through the pages of His Word, the Bible. I noticed that God doesn't usually remove problems and stress issues that are inherent on this fallen earth. What I have seen God do is change people, not problems. Stress and difficulties are unavoidable. However, Isaiah 26:3 tells me that I can experience perfect peace when I put my trust in Him, not circumstances. "You will keep in perfect peace him whose mind is steadfast, because he trusts you." Peace is not a physical place. Peace is an attitude. Peace is a mindset. Peace is a belief. Peace based on my surroundings will come up short every time. Peace connected to the unchanging nature and power of Almighty God is guaranteed to those who truly trust in Him. Peace with God is a gift. The peace of God is conditional. God's perfect peace is reserved for those who see past life circumstances and "Whose mind is steadfast, because he trusts in you." Blessings, Dr. Joe

Every now and then I enjoy watching an old movie. Recently, I was enjoying an old adventure film that involved a prop driven aircraft experiencing mechanical problems. The pilot was desperately trying to find a clear landing area. Of course, there was none in sight. Perhaps they could make it to a safe landing strip that is miles away, but how? The pilot commanded the crew to throw all excess weight out of the aircraft. Some of the passengers did not want to let go of their baggage. Words and fists were exchanged. Baggage is eventually tossed out of the aircraft and they land rather hard but safely on a clear landing strip. I love happy endings. Hebrews 12:1 carries a similar motif for living a successful Christian life, "Let us throw off everything that hinders." All of us can be stubborn when it comes to getting rid of excess baggage. Intentionally or by default, we crash and burn because we choose to hold on to the baggage "that hinders." A transparent assessment of our lives before God can be quite revealing. Are we losing spiritual momentum? Are we holding on to stuff that is slowing us down? Are there 'little' sins in our lives that are causing us to lose altitude? Our Heavenly Father wants us to soar like eagles, run and not grow weary and walk and not be faint. Our Heavenly Father wants what is best for His children. He loves happy endings. The time is now to let go. Blessings, Dr. Joe