Please Pray...

...For my brother. Last night, he and his friend were caught with pot and they spent the night in jail. This morning, he had to appear before a judge and as of right now that's all the details I know.

I've been worried about him for a long time. He's 18 years old, doesn't know the Lord, and doesn't want anyone to tell him about the Lord (though I've done it anyway and he hates it). It's going to take an act of God to change his heart, but I know that our God can do it because He changed my hardened heart, and the hardened hearts of many who I know and love!!

I'm not surprised that he got caught doing weed. I've suspected that he's been doing it for a while now, and possibly (but hopefully not) other illegal drugs that are much more dangerous. Even if marijuana is the only thing he's doing, he's still breaking the law and it can can lead to doing much worse stuff later on down the road.

Honestly, I am glad that he got caught and is going to have to be accountable for his actions now. Though I wish he would have stopped doing that and turned away from it long before getting caught. I am praying that this incident will serve in his heart as a wake up call to him about his choices that he makes, and that the Lord will use this to bring my brother into repentance and a saving and personal relationship with the Lord Jesus Christ. I believe that this is why God allowed it to happen. He's young, and seemingly has the whole world ahead of him! He could do amazing things for the kingdom of God!! However, no one knows when they will departing from Earth. If he doesn't turn to Christ now, tomorrow may be too late.

I know my parents are furious and they are most likely going to lay into him really hard (since he still lives at home); especially my dad. I remember the last time he got in really big trouble he tells me that my parents held it over his head for months and I know my brother was really angry about it. As a result, he isolated himself even further from everyone in our family, including me. Pray for my parents as they're having to deal with this. Also, I am praying (and could use prayer) that God will give me the right words to say the next time I speak to my brother. I want to speak Truth to him in a way that shows that it is out of a love and concern for him, and not a desire to make him feel worse about what he has already done. I imagine that because he knows that I am a Christian and that I don't agree with some of the choices he makes, he is dreading having to talk to me. I want him to know that I love him, but at the same time, uncompromisingly convey to him what he most needs to hear.

Thank you! And God bless you!!!