A spirit of strength and courage.

Anyone who’s planning a vacation or trip, knows their final destination. Sometimes when you’re planning a vacation, you’ll look ahead to see what attractions or restaurants are nearby, even what the weather is forecasted to be.

You’re looking ahead. You’re not looking back on what happened on your last trip, that would be useless. The future trip is what matters.

But, so many of us, even Christians, live daily, looking back on past hurts, bitterness from a relationship gone bad, or accusations from a former friend. They’re afraid of failure, so they recluse on what they’re familiar with.

They can’t get past yesterday’s blow, to see the good ahead. If this is you, how’s that working out for you?

They’re miserable, depressed, angry and it seems that life is just not fair in their world.

Fellow Christians, this is not the life God meant for you to live. The same power that raised Jesus from the dead, lives inside of us.

God gives each of us strength to overcome the hurts; courage to fight our battles, and love to overcome it all.

Don’t let satan steal this from you.

Live the life God planned for you from the beginning. He planned today, tomorrow and the rest of your life.

Rest in knowing that God is right now making plans for your future, and He has also forgot the sins of your past.

God gives each of us this power. Will you use it and let it empower your future?

Philippians 3:13-14 - “Brothers and sisters, I do not consider myself yet to have taken hold of it. But one thing I do: Forgetting what is behind and straining toward what is ahead, I press on toward the goal to win the prize for which God has called me heavenward in Christ Jesus.”

Dianne PetreyComment
Going against the grain.

Have you ever been working with wood and experience the pain from a splinter? It hurts, and if left untreated, could cause infection to the skin.

As a Christian, we follow and serve God, every second of every day. This doesn’t mean we sit in a church and are on bended knees praying all day. It means that there are laws commanded by God that we intentionally keep. If we go against the law, we are disobeying God; we are sinning. If we sin on purpose, we could be punished.

Do you remember, as a kid, being punished for something you did? It wasn’t fun, and it hurt your pride.

I heard this from a pastor yesterday, “If you go against the grain of God’s laws, you get splinters.”

Is your motive or purpose used to harm someone’s character, or to get even?

There are consequences to sin. I’ve read of it over and over again in the Bible. Read the story of Adam and Eve, Noah; the story of Joseph.

The good news is that Jesus died for every one of our sins. And, if we give our life to Him, our choices gradually change and we work towards Godliness. In other words, we sin less.

This doesn’t mean we’ll never sin again. It just means that we have an advocate, Jesus, who has already paid the price of our sin.

Live a purpose-driven life. Don’t go against God, go towards Him.

Romans 2:13 - “For it is not those who hear the law who are righteous in God’s sight, but it is those who obey the law who will be declared righteous.”

Dianne PetreyComment
Can you be trusted?

Jesus tells us in Luke 16:10 that whoever can be trusted with very little, can be trusted with much.

The moral of these passages are: you cannot serve two masters.

You cannot love and serve God, but hold onto your money. That money you have in your bank account, stock market, or under your mattress, is not your money. God entrusts us with money. He’s the one who gave you the job to make the money. If you keep this money all to yourself or family, you’re living in direct opposition to God’s will.

Tithing to your local church is not something the religious leaders came up with. It’s a command from God, in the Bible.

When God blesses you with money or resources, or gifts, He’s waiting to see if you can be trusted with what He allows you to have.

I know it’s scary to give away money, but I can honestly tell you that when I put my trust in God with the money He gives me, and I give the first 10% of my paycheck to my local church, He has NEVER let me go without. In fact, I have been blessed beyond measure since I started consistently doing this.

Try it. Show God you can be trusted and use His blessings and gifts to give to others.

Luke 16:10 - “Whoever can be trusted with very little can also be trusted with much, and whoever is dishonest with very little will also be dishonest with much.”

Dianne PetreyComment
It's in the ring that we learn to fight, not the stands.

We all go through trials, every day. Some are meant to be dealt with immediately, others linger for days on end.

When a boxer goes into the ring to fight his opponent, he doesn’t slip out of the ring and sit on the bleachers to watch. He gets in the ring and fights with all the experience and physical ability he has.

The same is with Christians. We live in a fallen world; a culture of debauchery, hate crimes, suicide, the list goes on. As a Christian, we are not to sit on the sidelines and do nothing but watch. We need to be exposed to the public, showing others we love them, forgiving our worst enemy, even when we don’t feel like it.

It’s in the dark days, the times of relentless criticism that God exposes the light in our life.

Allow God to use you in the battle. Be His first lieutenant in the conflict. After all, it’s God’s battle, you’re just the willing fighter.

It has always been in my darkest days, the days that anxiety is front and center, when I have grown in my Christian walk. It’s there in the battle that my faith is extended and my greatest weapon is being used.

Stay in the battle. The battle has already been won.

Don’t sit on the sidelines and get beaten.

2 Chronicles 20:5-6 - “Then Jehoshaphat stood up in the assembly of Judah and Jerusalem at the temple of the Lord in the front of the new courtyard and said: “Lord, the God of our ancestors, are you not the God who is in heaven? You rule over all the kingdoms of the nations. Power and might are in your hand, and no one can withstand you.”

Dianne PetreyComment
Don't underestimate the part you play.

Have you ever wondered why God puts certain people in your life?

The person crossing your path may seem genuine at first, only to find out they are making your life miserable. Their legitimate first impression is soured.

Don’t brush this off as another one of satan’s attacks. This may very well be the person that turns your life around. God may be using him/her to test your faith in Him.

We all play a part in life. You may think that your part is not that important, or that no one would notice if you just disappeared one day.

Friends, God’s love is so powerful that He can turn a bad situation to good in a matter of minutes.

God sees you. He knows when you’re hurt, or angry. It may go against your nature, but try asking God for guidance in the situation.

Don’t dismiss your role in this new relationship that may seem to be stressful, or interfering with your time.

God has a plan for each of us. We all have a part to play in the game of life.

As Christians, we know that people come and go through our lives, but we must accept the part and show God’s love, no matter what type of character they are.

Be a role model for Jesus. Play your part.

Romans 8:28 - “And we know that in all things God works for the good of those who love him, who have been called according to his purpose.”

Dianne PetreyComment
The message is the same - the methods never are.

True statement: Jesus Christ died on a cross, suffered a horrible death, all because He loves you and me.

Many atheists have tried to disprove the above statement, only to find themselves at the feet of Jesus, asking for forgiveness, and giving their life to Christ.

The culture we live in today is dramatically different than it was 2000 years ago, or is it? God is the same yesterday, today and tomorrow. His love for us never changes.

As a Christian who loves God, it is our duty, commanded by God, to go out into the world and tell others about God’s son, Jesus.

The message hasn’t changed since the beginning of time, but how we tell it has.

I admit that the hardest thing for me to do is to witness to others. But, I can also confess that it is getting easier. Having served on 3 mission trips has helped me greatly. The advantage, for me, is that most people in the Peruvian villages I visited, have never heard about Jesus.

The joy of giving my testimony, telling others how Jesus saved me and blesses me, and then, them giving their life to Christ, is the most honorable blessing I could ever receive this side of heaven.

The hard part of witnessing is to those closest to me.

So, I let God guide me. I live by example. I serve and give, not expecting anything in return. After all, the message of Jesus is a free gift.

Tell someone about Jesus today. It will be the greatest story they ever hear.

1 Peter 3:15 - “But in your hearts revere Christ as Lord. Always be prepared to give an answerto everyone who asks you to give the reason for the hope that you have. But do this with gentleness and respect,”

Dianne PetreyComment
Don't let doubt rob your faith.

Have you ever anticipated an event, clearing your agenda, awaiting anxiously, when, out of nowhere, the unexpected happens?

As Christians, we know that life is not easy sometimes. This world and our culture often dictate our day.

This is where faith comes in. I can hope for a weekend away with my husband, but, if during the week I get sick or a family member or friend needs help, the event appears unlikely to happen; doubt creeps in. I find myself getting upset that my plans were interfered and interrupted.

I know now to not let this doubt come to surface. I access the situation. My selfishness says, “I deserve a get-away; how can this be happening?” But my heart says, “it’s ok if we don’t get to go this weekend; it can be rescheduled. It’s not the end of the world.”

Overcome the doubt that seeps into your life. This is one of satan’s distraction tools. He did it in the garden of Eden. He made Eve question God’s command to not from a particular tree.

We are all accountable for our own doubts. Don’t doubt God’s power and His presence, daily.

The remedy for all doubt as a Christian is faith.

Hebrews 11:1 - “Now faith is confidence in what we hope for and assurance about what we do not see.”

Dianne PetreyComment
The simple life.

I love reminiscing my younger years. I was fortunate to grow up in a loving family, in the 60’s.

Life was simple, safe and fun. I lived in a small town in West Virginia, where you could walk uptown, most anytime of day and not be scared. Everyone knew you, so if you did do anything mischievous, your parents probably knew it before you returned home.

As a kid, me and my nieces would pass the time by making mud pies from the clay on the hillside, or eating berries from the mulberry tree.

But, life changes and all of a sudden you’re an adult, and life gets harder.

I believe if we all keep some sense of childlike behavior, our world would be just a little more friendlier.

But, as we all know, life is not all fun and games. With adulthood comes responsibilities.

As a newly saved Christian, we are as newborn babies. We know very little about this new way of life. But, if we’re fortunate, we surround ourselves with mature Christians, who can disciple and help guide us on our journey.

A Christian life is full of joy and excitement, and when you couple that with God’s blessings and grace, you’ll feel like a kid again.

As a Christian, I’ve grown and matured over the years. Some days are so amazing, and then some are not so much.

But, the best thing about my life is, God never leaves my side. On the mountain tops, and in the valleys, a Christian’s life is worth every second.

Keep it simple, as a child of God.

2 Corinthians 5:17 - “Therefore, if anyone is in Christ, the new creation has come: The old has gone, the new is here!”

Dianne PetreyComment