Letter to my Brother

Hey Brother,
I know there must be a million things running through your mind right now. I really don't know what all things you have been involved in personally but at the same time, I do. The only real truth, knowledge, and wisdom I can offer you, that would be of any benefit to you, can only come from God and His Word. You know that I also found myself in the same position that you are in on September 11, 2007. While I was in there, I had plenty of time to think about what was important to me...like family, how stupid I really was, and most importantly, how I was sinning against God. Although I was in jail for a serious crime, incarcerated with others who were in much worse shape than I was in, God was still able
to provide His Word and other people who were seeking after Him to me. I am praying for you along with the rest of the family and even people you don't even know are praying for you. I will be praying that God will draw you to Him through His Word and also through your circumstance. At the time, I was blind to the fact that God was using my circumstances to draw me to Him. I had so many questions and so few answers. But praise God He knows the conditions of our hearts and that He is more than able to break us and then shape us into what He would have us to be. God's number one goal is to draw you into a close relationship with His Son. While He has the ability to deal with the smaller matters in your life, He never loses sight of His larger plan, which is to draw you into an intimate relationship with Him. We must gain a true understanding of our worth in God's eyes. Satan's primary goal is to shift our focus
away from God and onto our circumstances. Satan loves for your eyes to become fixed on yourself, your feelings, your rights, and your needs. No one would ever raise their hands and volunteer to
experience disappointment or sorrow. However, God does His greatest work in the hard times. This is when we need to remember that whatever drives us to God is always good for us. Nothing does this more effectively than trouble, heartache, and adversity, which are mighty tools in God's hands. If we are confronted with a deep disappointment or a resounding sorrow, our response should be to cry out to God. When we do, a wonderful thing happens as He turns in our direction and opens His arms and draws us close. Even if you have accepted Jesus Christ as your Savior, you must turn every area over to Him and allow Him to live His life through you. It is only through prayer that we grow to know Him and love Him better each day. I am, without a doubt, praying for you, as well as you should be too. However, if the focus of our hearts is set on our dreams, goals, achievements, and desires, then we will not be interested in following His will or plan for our lives. If you choose to follow your own path in your own strength, you will miss the blessings that God has for you to enjoy. The truth is, if you do not tap into God's will for your life, all the things this world has to offer will not even come close to what God has in store for you. God's blessings offer a sense of fulfillment and peace that you will never be able to achieve on your own. May God bless you and open the eyes of your heart. I love you brother. Hang in there and seek the Lord and trust in the power of His might.

Please be in prayer for my brother that God may open the eyes of his heart and remove the scales from his eyes. Pray that God will draw him into an intimate relationship with the Savior Jesus Christ.

Love,
Your Brother Ricky