Tuesday night at home group we were worshipping and then we spent some time just listening to God. God brought Josh to mind - the guy that interviewed me for a position at Insight. I didn't know why so I just started praying for him and his walk with God. God told me that He wanted me to make a commitment to pray for him. I told Him, "Well, if I get the job that will be easy because I'll see him. But if I don't get the job than you'll really have to remind me because I'll forget." God said again, "I want you to commit to pray for him." "Ok, but please help me remember." Next, God brought to mind the church directory. I was trying to find his name in it. As I was meditating on that, I realized God wants to use me to help draw Josh back to God. I don't know what kind of walk he has, but I know God wants to increase it. God wants to use me in some way in Josh's life - whether it's through prayer or through my life - i don't know. Right now, I just have peace and know God knows. This is all that matters.

Lord, bless Josh tonight and this weekend. May You draw him closer to You and show him Your presence. May he feel Your presence Lord, and may You give him a hunger and thirst for more and more of You. Thank You Lord for the work You are doing within him. Praise You Lord for how You work in all of us in such different ways. I love You Lord Jesus.

I was talking to one of the girls in the youth group, and she was telling me about how she tries so hard to be nice to a girl but the girl just doesn't like in her return. It made me start thinking.

John 13:34 says, "A new commandment I give to you, that you love one another; as I have loved you, that you also love one another."

We are called to love. Not just our friends, but also our enemies. In other words, we're not supposed to love people just so we can get loved back. We are called to love to be obedient to Christ. That is all we can do. For those people that just might not like our personalities or that we may have hurt in the past - just love them. Continue to show them the love of Christ. That is enough. There's nothing else we can do. This is something that we can rest in. It may or may not effect the relationship with that person. Yet, we can rest in the fact that we are being obedient to our Lord - Adonai.

Today I went and washed my car. But, only the outside of it got clean. I told myself that I would clean out the inside of it later. But hey - it looks clean, right?

I immediately thought about how people might try to appear clean on the outside, to the people around them. However, in order to be truly clean spiritually is to be clean on the inside. Continually repenting and confessing to the Lord, letting the Word wash us clean by the power of the Spirit and of the blood.

We can't just appear clean, we need to be cleaned by God.

Last night I had a dream that I was at ASU East. I saw an old friend from junior high and we were talking in the parking lot with someone from church. Then, all of a sudden, everyone in the parking lot began singing and signing I Can Only Imagine by Mercy Me. It was an awesome picture on a secular campus.

Romans 15:9-11 "and for the Gentiles to glorify God for His mercy; as it is written,
'Therefore I will give praise to You among the Gentiles,
And I will sing to Your name.'
And again he says,
'Rejoice, O Gentiles, with His people.'
And again,
'Praise the Lord all you Gentiles,
And let all the peoples praise Him.'"

Influence. It is a powerful thing.
Paul was able to say "Imitate me as I imitate Christ".
I see people with a huge amount of influence on the people around them.
I see the people that look to them and are taking on the other person's behavior.
It can be a very bad thing if they are imitating the wrong parts of someone's character.
When we are in a position where people look to us as how Christians are supposed to act and look, we need to make sure that we are representing Christ as dear children.
It doesn't mean that we need to pretend we're perfect. It simply means that when we make mistakes, we choose how to respond correctly and with integrity.
May all of us youth leaders be the appropriate influence on the youth, that they may desire to draw closer to God and yearn to spend more time with Him.