Here in the United States, we just celebrated Thanksgiving Day. It is a celebration that has its roots in the first settlers of our country who worshipped God and understood that He is the Source of every good thing.

Giving thanks is a key to healing the hurting heart. When we hurt, we tend to focus on everything that is wrong in our lives, on everything that is not exactly as we would like it to be.  But when we give thanks, we shift our focus from what is wrong in our lives to what is right in our lives.

No matter how bad our situation, we can find something for which to give thanks.  Today, instead of pondering your problem, ponder the God Who is so far bigger than your problem. Thank Him that He is always there for you, loving you and caring for you.

If you do not know this magnificent God of Whom I write, you can know Him today.  The way to know Him is through His Son Jesus Christ.  Jesus said, "I am the Way, the Truth, and the Life. No one comes to the Father except through Me" (John 14:6).

If you want to know God the Father, you must first embrace His Son, Jesus Christ, Yeshua HaMaschiach.  By His death and resurrection, Yeshua reconnected us to the Father.  We were separated from Him by sin, but Jesus destroyed the power of sin and offered us the gift of salvation whereby we can be reconciled to the Father.

Accept this gift today by praying this prayer:

Lord Jesus, thank You for dying in my place to pay the price for my sin.  I accept You now as my Savior and my Lord.  Heal my broken heart. Make of me what You created me to be.  Do not allow me to leave this earth until I have fulfilled the destiny for which You created me. In You Name I pray. Amen.

If you prayed this prayer, please let me know and I will send you some follow-up material to help you grow in your walk with Christ.  You can reach me at maryann@maryanndiorio.com. If you live in a part of the world where it is dangerous for you to write to me or to post a comment, know that God sees and that I understand. My prayers are with you.
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Copyright 2014 by Dr. MaryAnn Diorio.  All rights reserved.
Photo Source: Google Images

The Furnace of Suffering

Are you suffering?  Do you find yourself in a situation that is causing you great pain, either physical or emotional, or both?  Are you afraid of what tomorrow may bring?

No one likes to suffer.  We were not created to suffer.  We were created to enjoy God in all of His fullness and to live in joy and peace.  But sin entered the world and thwarted our original destiny. Hence, our suffering.

But suffering is not the end of the story.  Jesus Christ came to deliver us from suffering. The Word of God says that Christ died and rose again from the dead "to destroy the works of the devil" (I John 3:8).  Jesus Christ came to give us abundant life (John 10:10).

So, why do we continue to suffer?

One reason is that we are still in this world, and the world is infested with sin.  But I believe that the main reason for our continued suffering is to bring us to the point of total dependence on God.

We humans create for ourselves bastions of false security in which we place our trust.  We trust our jobs to give us security. We trust our governments to give us security. We trust our own strength to give us security.  But there is nothing and there is no one who can give us security but God.

The Lord uses suffering to unfasten our tight grip on our false securities.  He wants us to depend totally on Him. But we are so attached to our false securities that God must sometimes use drastic means to wrench us from them.  Hence, we suffer.

Are you now in the furnace of suffering? Then rejoice! God is pruning you, cleansing you, purifying you.  He is transforming you into the image of His own dear Son. 

Be encouraged by these words from our wonderful heavenly Father: "Weeping may endure for a night, but joy comes in the morning" (Psalm 30:5).
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Copyright 2014 by Dr. MaryAnn Diorio. All rights reserved.
Photo by Jon Sullivan. http://www.public-domain-photos.com/

God Wants to Heal Your Broken Heart

The God of the Christian and the Jew is a personal God. This means that He knows everything about you and wants to have a personal relationship with you.

No other religion worships a personal God.  The gods of other religions are demanding, distant, and often destructive.  They exact sometimes impossible prices in exchange for their favors. They do not care about your hurting heart, nor do they have any power to heal you.  Most of all, they have no power to save you.

Why is this so? The reason is that the gods of all religions other than Christianity and Judaism are false gods--indeed, no gods at all.  They are demonic spirits who disguise themselves as gods.

But the God of Christianity and Judaism--the God of Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob--is real and personal and caring.  He is the only true God.  He is all powerful, almighty, and omnipresent.  He created the universe, and He created you.  He is Love Personified.

Because God created you, He can restore you.  He can heal you.  He can deliver you.  He can give you peace. 

But He not only can restore you, heal you, and deliver you; He WANTS to restore you, heal you, and deliver you.

This is the God of the Christian and the Jew.  He is the God Who is also your Father, if you choose to make Him your Father. 

All people are creations of God, but not all people are children of God.  One becomes a child of God only by accepting Jesus Christ--Yeshua HaMashiach--as Savior and Lord. 

Accept Christ today.  Do not delay, for you may not have another opportunity to do so.  Choose to serve the only true and living God.  Experience the joy of a personal relationship with the God Who made you and wants to be your Father.

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Copyright 2014 by Dr. MaryAnn Diorio. All Rights Reserved.

Jesus Wants to Save You, Not Condemn You

By the grace of God, this blog is reaching the four corners of the earth.  I am both humbled and stirred with a renewed and urgent sense of responsibility to proclaim the message of Christ's love for all people.

That message is this:  Jesus Christ came to this earth to save you, not to condemn you.  Because of Jesus Christ, the wrath of God the Father has been appeased.  You may now approach the Father in the Name of Jesus and ask the Father to receive you into His family, and He will. Gladly.

While God the Father is the Judge, Jesus the Son is the Attorney who pleads your case before the Judge.  When the Father sees that you have accepted Jesus, He acquits you of your sin and sets you free.

All you need to do to be saved is to accept Jesus Christ as your Savior.  You cannot save yourself.  Your good works cannot save you.  Only Jesus Christ can save you.

If we could be saved by our good works, we would not need a Savior. If we could be saved by our good works, how would we know if we had done enough good works to be saved?  What is "good enough"?

No, the truth is that we are all in need of a Savior.  And the good news is that Jesus has offered Himself as our Savior.  Scripture says there is no greater love than this: that a man should lay down his life for another.  Jesus laid down His life for you and for me.  Now He offers you the gift of eternal salvation that He earned for you by laying down His life to pay the price for your sin.

You now have a choice to make.  Will you accept Christ's gift of salvation or will you reject it? 

I urge you to accept Christ's gift of salvation.  Remember: He came to save you, not to condemn you.  When you come to Him, He will never turn you away.

Come now!  Do not delay, for today is the day of salvation for you! 
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Copyright 2014 by Dr. MaryAnn Diorio.  All Rights Reserved.

A Word to Persecuted Christians around the World

Many of you who are reading this live in countries where you are being severely persecuted for being a Christian.  I write as your sister in Christ to encourage you in the Lord.

Psalm 34:19 reminds us that "Many are the afflictions of the righteous, but the Lord delivers him out of them all."

The Lord would say to you today, dear brothers and sisters in Christ, "Do not be discouraged and do not be afraid. I have not forgotten you.  I am nearer to you than you think.  I will never leave you nor forsake you.  Stand fast, for I will sustain you.  Keep your eyes focused on Me, for I am your refuge and your fortress.  In Me you will have peace in the midst of the storm.  Pray for your enemies.  Bless those who persecute you, for their eyes are blinded to the truth.  This world is fast passing away, but your reward is forever.  Weeping endures for a night, but joy comes in the morning."

Dear ones, let us keep our eyes on Jesus. As we do, He will give us perfect peace (Isaiah 26:3).  As the Lord commands, "Don't be afraid of those who want to kill your body; they cannot touch your soul. Fear only God, who can destroy both soul and body in hell" (Matthew 10:28).

As the world grows darker and darker, the Light of Christ in you will grow brighter and brighter.  We are children of the Light, and Light always dispels darkness.  Let us stand strong in the Light, for that Light is ignited by Love.

And Love never fails.
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Copyright 2014 by Dr. MaryAnn Diorio. All Rights Reserved. 

Is the World Coming to an End?

There’s something in the air. Everyone seems to sense it in one way or another. It feels like a dark cloud covering the earth, overshadowing it with increasing darkness.

Fear is reaching epidemic proportions as people listen daily to the constant barrage of bad news. Climate patterns have become erratic, resulting in earthquakes and tornadoes in places that rarely, if ever, witness them. Diseases once thought extinct are resurging, as are new strains of viruses and plagues.

People are becoming more rude, more selfish, and more defiant. Traditional values are being superseded by blatant rebellion against the laws of decency and self-respect. In short, the world seems to be falling apart.

Granted, we live in an age of instant communication when the air waves transmit wars in all of their ugly immediacy.  But the truth is that things are coming to a head in the earth.  And that head will be none too pretty.

So, what is really happening? Is the world really coming to an end, and, if so, what should we do about it?

What is really happening is a battle as old as time.  It is a spiritual battle, and the main players are Satan vs. God.  Scripture tells us that Satan, originally named Lucifer, was the Angel of Worship in Heaven.  He became proud and attempted to overthrow God Himself.  But, of course, no one can overthrow God.  So God cast Satan out of Heaven.

Enraged at his fall, Satan vented his anger on God's creation, Adam and Eve.  He tempted them by maligning God's character. Unfortunately, Adam and Eve fell for his temptation and, as a result, they forfeited their dominion over the earth and handed it over to Satan. Since then, Satan has been the god of this world.  All evil comes from him.

When Jesus Christ came to earth to die on the Cross, He broke Satan's hold on man. From that moment forward, any person who accepts Jesus Christ as Savior and Lord regains dominion over Satan.

And Satan doesn't like that one bit.

The Bible speaks of many events that will take place before the return of Jesus Christ.  Yes, Jesus is returning to earth.  His return will be in two stages:  1) He will appear in the skies and draw to Himself all those who have accepted Him as Savior and Lord;  2) After seven years of tribulation, He will return with the armies of Heaven to destroy the enemies of Israel and set up His millennial reign as King of the Earth.

These prophecies are recorded throughout the Bible, particularly in the Book of Daniel, the Book of Ezekiel, the Book of Matthew, and the Book of Revelation.  Just as Satan could not stand against God, so Israel's enemies will not be able to stand against God. It is a dangerous and futile fight to oppose Israel, because in opposing Israel, one is actually opposing Israel's God.

You will be affected by Christ’s return to earth. How you will be affected is entirely up to you.  If you choose to accept Jesus as your Savior and Lord, you will be taken up with all those who trust and obey Him.  If you refuse to accept Jesus as your Savior and Lord, you will be left behind to endure the horror of the Great Tribulation and, worst of all, the horror of eternal damnation and eternal separation from God.

God created you because He wanted a personal relationship with you. That relationship is possible only through Jesus Christ.  When you accept Jesus, you accept a personal relationship with God the Father.

Don’t delay any longer.  Although we do not know exactly when the end of the world as we know it will come, we also do not know when our own personal end on this earth will come.  Why take a chance with the salvation of your soul?  Why risk losing Heaven for a momentary pleasure?

If you are reading this, God is calling you to Him because He loves you.  He does not want you to die in your sins.  He has provided a way of escape for you, and that way is Jesus Christ.

Accept your Savior today.  Make Him the Lord of your life.  You will then understand the meaning of true peace, true joy, and true love.

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Copyright 2014 by Dr. MaryAnn Diorio.  All Rights Reserved.
Photo Source: The Four Horsemen of the Apocalypse, 1887. Painting by Russian artist Viktor Vasnetsov.

How Do You Envision God?

How do you envision God? The one and only true God? Do you see Him as distant, uncaring, or irrelevant to your life? Do you see Him as ready to punish you for the slightest offense? Do you even wonder if He exists?

Your view of God will determine your relationship to Him. It is imperative, therefore, to have a correct view of God so that you can have a fulfilling relationship with Him.

So, who is God, and what is He like?

God is Love.  This means that His very essence is love.  Since His essence is love, everything He says, thinks, and does is motivated by love. 

Because God is Love, He must give love, for the nature of love is to give itself.  Love must have someone to love.  God has chosen to love you.

Consider this:

• God loves you just as you are.
• You do not and cannot earn God's love. He freely gives it to you.
• God demonstrated His love for you by sending His Son, Jesus Christ/Yeshua HaMashiach, to pay the price for your sin by giving His life in exchange for yours.
• God forgives you of every and any sin when you repent and come to Him.
• God created you for a unique purpose that only you can fulfill. You are not an accident as the evolutionists would say.
• You were created to worship. If you do not worship the one true God, you will worship a false god, a creature, an ideology, or an activity.
• You will never know who you truly are until you return to your Creator through Jesus Christ.
• Jesus Christ is the only way to be reconnected to God the Father, your Creator. Despite what is currently being proclaimed throughout the world, all paths do not lead to God. Only one path leads to God, and that way is Jesus Christ.  He Himself said so (John 14:6).
• God has written a personal love letter to you. It is called the Bible.
• The Bible is your manual for living. Just as you receive a manual when you buy a car, so do you receive a manual when you are born into this world. That manual is the Bible.  In it you will find everything you need to know to live a happy, healthy, prosperous life in this world.
• You can choose to know God. He has given you a free will because He wants you to love Him freely. 
• God wants a personal relationship with you.  He wants to be your Father.  He wants to bless you, to heal you, to set you free. 
• You can choose to be reconnected to your heavenly Father.  To do so, accept the only path to re-connection:  Jesus Christ.  Jesus Christ is God the Son.  He will reconnect you to God the Father.  Jesus alone has provided the way for reconnection.  He did so by coming to earth as a man while still being God.  Jesus bridged the gap between God and man. He paid for your sin and my sin in our stead.  He took the punishment that we should have suffered for our sin against God.  In exchange, Jesus gave us eternal life.

To be reconnected to God the Father through Jesus Christ His Son, pray this simple prayer:

Lord Jesus, I believe that You are the Son of God.  I accept You now as my Savior and Lord. Thank You for reconnecting me to God the Father.  I embrace You, Father.  I receive Your embrace. Make of me what You created me to be.  Amen.

If you prayed this prayer, please leave a comment or write to me at maryann@maryanndiorio.com. I look forward to hearing from you.
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Copyright 2014 by Dr. MaryAnn Diorio.  All Rights Reserved.

The Truth Will Make You Free

One's freedom is based on one's acceptance of truth.  The more one embraces truth, the freer one will be.

Jesus said, "You shall know the truth, and the truth shall make you free" (John 8:32). It is knowledge of the truth and applying it to one's life that makes one free.  The converse is also true: the lie shall make one a prisoner.

Suppose you had an uncle who died and left you a huge sum of money.  Suppose, however, that you did not know what your uncle had done for you.  You would not know to lay claim to your inheritance. You would remain a prisoner of your poverty.

Jesus Christ died and left us an amazing inheritance of eternal life in the hereafter and countless blessings to enjoy on this earth. But if we are unaware of this truth, we will remain in bondage to sickness, poverty, and moral and political ideologies that imprison us intellectually, morally, and, sometimes, physically.

The amazing thing about Jesus is not only that He offers us truth; He IS Truth. He Himself said, "I am the Way, the Truth, and the Life. No one comes to the Father except through Me" (John 14:6). 

One of the greatest lies of this age is that there are many roads to salvation. This is a lie that keeps people in bondage and will take them straight to hell.  There is only one way to be saved, and that way is through Jesus Christ.  He Himself said so.  Believing this truth will set you free.

If you don't believe me, or if you still have doubts, ask Jesus to reveal Himself to you.  He will. :)
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Copyright 2014 by Dr. MaryAnn Diorio.  All Rights Reserved.

Light Will Always Dispel Darkness

Have you ever walked into a dark room and lit a match? That match, although only a tiny flame, will dispel the darkness of the entire room every single time.  This is a law that cannot be altered: Light always overcomes darkness.

As our world is growing darker and darker day by day, we can be confident in knowing that the Light of Christ will always prevail over the darkness of Satan.  Even when things look hopeless, even when fear threatens to overwhelm us, even when God seems far away, His Light will always overcome the darkness.  We have only to believe and to cling to that hope.  Our Lord will never fail us, even though it seems as though His help comes at the last minute.

As I write this word of encouragement, I am keenly aware that I am writing to my brothers and sisters in Christ all over the world.  Some of you are currently in countries that are persecuting Christians.  Some of you have had to run for your lives.  To leave your homes and your homeland. To leave the darkness.

But be certain of this: our Lord will never leave us nor forsake us (Deuteronomy 31:6; Hebrews 13:5). We can count on Him to lead us and guide us into the Light.

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Copyright 2014 by Dr. MaryAnn Diorio.  All Rights Reserved.

The Empty Tomb

The Cross is both the pivotal point and the focal point of all human history.  The Cross marks the dividing line between time before Christ and time after Christ. The Cross is the juncture at which Jew and Gentile became one in Christ.

Yet the Cross is not the end of the story.  If it were, the Cross would represent abject failure. No. The Cross led to the Resurrection three days later. And the Resurrection is the event that gives profound meaning to the Cross.

Without the Resurrection, the Cross would be meaningless. But because of the Resurrection, the Cross has become the salvation of humankind.

No other belief system can boast of the resurrection of its founder.  Buddha did not rise from the dead. Mohammed did not rise from the dead.  Joseph Smith did not rise from the dead. None of the pagan gods worshipped by many rose from the dead.

Only Jesus Christ rose from the dead.

In whom will you put your faith?  In a person who died and remained dead? Or in the One Who died for you and rose from the dead, proving thereby that He is God?

The answer seems quite obvious to me.
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Copyright 2014 by Dr. MaryAnn Diorio. All Rights Reserved.

The Suicide Trap

Humans were not created to die.  They were created to live forever.  Death is not a normal part of the human psychological make-up.  So anyone who wants to die or to kill himself is acting contrary to his God-given human nature.

Death entered the world through sin.  When God created Adam and Eve, He gave them dominion over the earth. They were to control every creature and every plant on the earth.  They were not, however, to control their fellow human beings.

But Adam and Eve disobeyed God and, in so doing, gave up their control over the earth to Satan.  This is the reason the world is full of tragedy, suffering, and death.  Satan is now in control of this world.  He is evil in his essence, and whenever he controls anything or anyone, evil is the only result.

Scripture calls Satan a "thief" and says that he comes for one purpose only: "to steal, kill, and destroy" (John 10:10).  It is no wonder, then, that Satan will prey on vulnerable people to get them to commit suicide.  Satan knows that God has a great destiny for each person, and Satan will do whatever he can to thwart that destiny. 

Suicide has become an epidemic.  Young people by the thousands are killing themselves.  Increasing numbers of older people are killing themselves.  Why? Because they have lost all hope. And why have they lost all hope? Because they have believed Satan's lie.

Satan speaks to the human mind in the form of thoughts.  This is the reason that Jesus warns us to monitor our thoughts to see if they agree with His thoughts about us as found in His Word.  If our thoughts do not agree with God's thoughts about us, then we must renounce our thoughts and choose to align our thinking with God's thinking.

For example, God says this about you in Jeremiah 29:11:  "My plans for you are for good and not for evil, to give you a future and a hope."  Satan whispers this thought:  "You have no future. You are hopeless. Nothing will work out for you. You are a loser.  No one will ever love you. You may as well kill yourself."

Satan's words are the exact opposite of God's words. Whom will you believe?  Will you believe Satan whom the Bible calls "the father of lies" (John 8:44)?  Or will you believe God Whom the Bible describes as the only one "who cannot lie"(Titus 1:2)?

Logic demands that we believe the One Who cannot lie.

Is Satan lying to you today? Is he tempting you to kill yourself?  Please do not listen to his lies. Please believe that God loves you and that He created you for a very important purpose in this earth. You are not here by accident. You are here intentionally.  You have a song to sing that no one else can sing. You have a job to do that no one else can do.  You were created with a unique destiny that only you can fulfill.

Awaken to this truth and be set free.  Embrace God's love for you.  Run to His open arms and let Him heal you of the hurt that has driven you to the edge of suicide.  Turn around and behold your Savior and Lord, Jesus the Christ. 
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Copyright 2014 by MaryAnn Diorio, PhD, DMin, MFA.  All Rights Reserved.

What Must I Do To Be Saved?

Have you ever wondered what happens to a person when he dies?  Some people believe that death is the end of everything, that there is no life beyond this life.  Others believe that there is something after this life but that we cannot know what it is.  Still others don't care.

But what about you? Do you wonder what happens after a person dies? Do you wonder what will happen to you after you die?

The answer to this most important question is found in the Bible. The Bible teaches that a human being is made up of three parts: spirit, soul, and body (I Thessalonians 5:23).  Your spirit is who you really are at the core of your being. Your soul consists of your mind, your emotions, and your will. Your body is your earth suit, the earthly housing for your soul and your spirit.

When a person dies, his soul and spirit leave his body. As a result, the body becomes lifeless and is buried or disposed of in some way.  But the soul and spirit go to one of two places: Heaven or Hell.

According to the Bible, Heaven and Hell are real places.  Heaven is where God and His angels dwell. Hell is where Satan and his demons dwell.  Where your spirit and soul go after you die is up to you. But you must make that choice while you are still alive on this earth.

How do you make this choice? How do you decide where your spirit and soul will go after you die? The answer is very simple.  You do so by an act of your will.

To be saved simply means to be rescued from eternal damnation. But who rescues us? Only Jesus Christ can rescue us from eternal damnation. This is the reason He is called our Savior. We cannot save ourselves. We need someone to save us. That Someone is Jesus Christ.

Jesus Christ came to earth as a man in order to pay the price for our sin. Because He is both God and man, He was able both to stand before God as a man and to stand before God as God.  In other words, His human nature represented all of humanity while His divine nature fulfilled the perfect price of righteousness required to satisfy the wrath of God.  Jesus did this because of His love for us. He knew we could never pay the price for sin on our own. So He paid it for us by giving His very life for us.

Salvation is a gift that Jesus offers to every human being. In order to experience salvation, we must accept Christ's gift.  When we accept His gift of salvation, we receive the assurance that we will go to Heaven when we die.  But more than that, we begin a relationship of ever increasing intimacy with the God Who created us.

Please accept God's gift of salvation through Jesus Christ.  He is the answer to your every need. In the 44 years since I accepted Christ as my Savior and Lord, He has never failed me.  He has only loved me.

To receive Christ's gift of salvation, pray this prayer:

Lord Jesus, I come to You just as I am.  I thank You for accepting me just as I am.  You do not condemn me. You only love me. I choose to receive You now as my Savior and Lord. Accomplish Your purpose in me and through me.  In Your mighty Name I pray and receive. Amen.

If you prayed this prayer, please let me know. You can reach me at maryann@maryanndiorio.com
I will be happy to offer you further help in growing in your relationship with the God Who loves you.

For more information on salvation, click here.

The Power of a Grateful Heart

To the earthly mind, the Kingdom of Heaven is full of paradoxes. Here are a few:

• We must first give before we can receive.
• We must return good for evil.
• We must love those who hate us.
• We must humble ourselves before God will exalt us.
• We must forgive those who curse us.

Such commands of our Lord shake our human reasoning and make no sense at all. But when we obey these commands, we find that we become filled with joy and peace.

Another such command is found in 1 Thessalonians 5:18: "Give thanks in every circumstance." At first glance, this sounds ridiculous. How can we give thanks in the midst of evil? How can we give thanks in the midst of suffering and pain? How can we give thanks when someone hurts us?

The truth is that when we give thanks in the midst of every trial, we are expressing our trust in God Who is far bigger than any trial. And when we trust God, He delivers us from the trial or helps us to endure it and get through it.

Jesus is not saying that we must be thankful FOR the trial, but IN THE MIDST OF the trial. Evil things come from Satan, but God allows them in our lives to draw us to Himself, to help us understand that we are totally dependent on Him.  The longer we walk with Christ, however, the more we see that the trial has worked on our behalf, transforming us more and more into the image of Christ. This is God's ultimate goal for us: to transform us into the image of His dear Son Jesus Christ.

Whatever trial you are facing today, give thanks to God in the midst of that trial. Run to Him and cast your burden on Him (Psalm 55:22; I Peter 5:7). He cares for you and will see you through. 

Take to heart this promise of God for you in Zephaniah 3:17:  "The LORD your God in the midst of you is mighty; He will save; He will rejoice over you with joy: He will quiet you with His love. He will rejoice over you with singing."
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Copyright 2014 by Dr. MaryAnn Diorio. All Rights Reserved.

Christ's Mission: To Heal Your Broken Heart

Jesus Christ had an amazing mission statement. It was first recorded in the Book of Isaiah, chapter 61, and announced by Jesus Himself in Luke 4:18:19 when He read from the Word of God in the synagogue:

“The Spirit of the Lord God is upon Me,
Because the Lord has anointed Me
To preach good tidings to the poor;
He has sent Me to heal the brokenhearted,
To proclaim liberty to the captives,
And the opening of the prison to those who are bound...."

Note, in particular, the second point of Christ's mission statement: "...to heal the brokenhearted."  Are you broken-hearted today? If so, this word is for you.

Jesus came to earth to heal your broken heart!

That is good news! No matter how your heart was broken, Jesus can heal it. All you have to do is give Him your broken heart.

You may be thinking that your broken heart is beyond repair. I assure you it is not. My own heart was broken, and Jesus healed it. He will do the same for you because He loves you.

Your heart may have been broken by rejection, physical or mental abuse, sex trafficking, abandonment, separation, divorce, death of a loved one, illness, loss of a job, death of a dream, drugs or other addictions, imprisonment, or any one of a number of things that can break the human heart. But what matters is not how your heart was broken. What matters is that Jesus Christ can heal your broken heart. All you have to do is give it to Him.

Here is a simple prayer to help you:

Lord Jesus, my heart is broken. I give it to You now. Heal it as only You can--in Your perfect timing and in Your wonderful, loving way. Thank You. Amen.

Pray this prayer now and begin to experience the amazing, supernatural healing power of Christ's infinite love for you.

To help you in your healing journey, I highly recommend The Mended Heart (affiliate link) by Suzanne Eller.   

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Copyright 2014 by MaryAnn Diorio, PhD, DMin, MFA.

Hurting People Hurt People

It is a psychological truism that hurting people hurt people.  Knowing this helps us to understand others when they hurt us. To understand, however, is not to condone.  Wrong behavior must never be accepted.

In order to forgive those who hurt us, it helps to understand why they hurt us. Usually, the hurt inflicted upon us has nothing to do with us but everything to do with the person who hurt us. The one who hurts others usually acts out of his own pain and takes out his pain on someone else.

Of course, this is sick behavior.  But understanding motives is essential in the forgiveness process.

As Jesus hung on the Cross, He prayed, "Father, forgive them for they don't know what they are doing."  The same is true of us. We can forgive those who hurt us by realizing that they really did not know what they were doing.  If they did, they would never have hurt us.

If one who hurts another truly understood that he was hurting himself far more, he would never hurt anyone.  In his warped thinking, he believes he is gaining a benefit from hurting another person. But this is a lie that will one day backfire on the one who hurts someone else. As Scripture promises, we will reap what we sow (Galatians 6:7).

If you have been deeply hurt by someone--and all of us have--choose today to forgive that person. Forgiving the one who hurt you will set you free.  Remember this: you are a prisoner to the extent that you do not forgive others.  As long as you do not forgive, you remain chained to the one who hurt you. But when you forgive the one who hurt you, you are set free.
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Copyright 2014 by MaryAnn Diorio, PhD, DMin, MFA.  All rights reserved.

Faith Does Not Make Sense

For the last two hundred years or so, the western world has made an idol of human reason.  Reason has become the yardstick for measuring truth.  If something cannot be supported by reason, then it is dismissed as foolish, ridiculous, or even stupid. 

This exaltation of reason has prevented thousands upon thousands from experiencing the power of faith.  Faith does not contradict reason; faith supersedes reason. 

Perhaps I can best explain it like this.  Here on earth we are subject to the Law of Gravity. But there is another law that supersedes the Law of Gravity. It is called the Law of Lift.  The Law of Lift is what enables an airplane to supersede the Law of Gravity in order to fly.

Reason is like the Law of Gravity. It keeps us grounded in the natural.  Faith, however, is like the Law of Lift.  It allows us to rise above reason and to enter the realm of the supernatural.

Faith is the currency of the Kingdom of God.  A person enters the Kingdom by faith and lives in the Kingdom by faith.  To the human mind, faith does not make sense because faith has nothing to do with the senses.  Faith has everything to do with the spirit.  But unless the spirit is regenerated through union with Jesus Christ, the spirit will never understand faith. 

Scripture tells us that "faith is the confidence that what we hope for will actually happen; it gives us assurance about things we cannot see" (Hebrews 11:1).  Do you need assurance about things you cannot see?  Do you want to have the confidence that what you are hoping for will actually happen?
Then place your faith in the only One Who can honor your faith: Jesus the Christ, the Son of God and the Savior of the world. 

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Copyright 2014 by MaryAnn Diorio, PhD, MFA.  All Rights Reserved.

Are We in the End Times?

There is something in the air, and most of us can sense it.  Earthquakes seem to be increasing. Weather patterns seem to be altering in dramatic ways. The threat of yet another war seems to be looming on the horizon, and with the nuclear weapons we have available today, if a war should erupt, it will be far different from previous wars.

People seem to be more anxious and fearful than ever. When I was a child of eight years of age, I would take the bus by myself to go downtown. There was no danger.  We slept with our doors unlocked. During the summer, we even slept on the porch with no concern whatsoever.

Today, we live behind alarm systems and barred windows. We look over our shoulders as we walk city streets.  We drive through traffic lights and know that we are being monitored.

People seem more rude than ever. Hostilities abound between nations and between spouses. Sin is no longer hidden for fear of punishment; instead, sin is openly and shamelessly exalted.

What does all this mean?

Scripture has much to say about all of the above. What I have described are the signs that will occur before the return of Jesus Christ. Yes, Jesus Christ is coming back. Acts 1:11 tells us that "Jesus, whom you saw taken up from you into heaven, will come back in the same way you saw him go.”  Are you ready for His return?

The eyes of the world are focused on the Middle East, particularly Israel.  Have you ever wondered why?  Why does a nation about the size of the state of New Jersey hold the rapt attention of the entire world? Why does a tiny nation with a small population compared to the rest of the world play such a critical role in current events?

The reason is that Israel is God's nation. He established it and He will preserve it. Despite all attempts to annihilate Israel, it will never happen. Jesus Christ Himself will return to earth to rescue His people. And all those who oppose Him will be destroyed.

It is a dangerous thing to stand against Israel. He who stands against Israel stands against Almighty God. The prophecies of Scripture have never failed to be fulfilled just as they were prophesied.  While all of the prophecies have not yet been fulfilled, those that have come to pass have been fulfilled exactly as prophesied.

What does all of this mean for you? It means that you must make yourself ready for the return of the Lord.  How? By accepting Jesus Christ as your Savior and Lord.  He alone can save you from sin. He alone can redeem you from destruction. He alone can satisfy your heart with good things.

To accept Christ is to accept eternal life.  To reject Christ is to accept eternal damnation. Yes, there is a hell, despite what many say.  But you do not have to go there when you die. The choice is yours. Accept Jesus Christ now. Then write to me to tell me you have.

Here is a simple prayer you can pray:

Lord Jesus, I am a sinner and I need a Savior. I ask You to forgive me of my sin. I turn to You to save me. I receive You as my Savior and Lord. Make of me what You created me to be. Amen.

If you prayed this prayer from your heart, you are now a child of God. Scripture says "But to all who believed him and accepted him, he gave the right to become children of God" (John 1:12).

Please let me know if you have prayed this prayer. I will send you information on how to begin your new life in Jesus Christ.

May our Lord bless you and keep you. May He make His face to shine upon you and be gracious to you. May He grant you His favor and give you His peace. Amen and Amen!

The Four Hearts: Which One Are You?

The Parable of the Sower is the foundational parable. If we do not understand this parable, we will not understand the rest of Christ's parables.

In the Parable of the Sower, Jesus speaks of the seed, which is the Word of God, and of four types of soil onto which the seed falls:  1) hard soil; 2) rocky soil; 3) thorny soil; and 4) good soil. Each type of soil represents one of the four types of the human heart.  As you read further, think about what type of heart you have.

The hard soil represents the heart hardened by sin. This type of soil hears the Word of God but does not understand it because this heart has been seared by sin. Therefore, this kind of heart cannot receive the Word of God because Satan quickly snatches it away.

The stony soil represents the heart of him who hears the Word of God and is initially delighted with it. But when troubles come, the stony heart loses faith because he did not allow his heart to be transformed by the Word.

The thorny soil represents the heart of him who seems to receive the Word of God but who, in reality, allows the cares and pleasures of this world to choke out the Word.

The good soil represents the heart of him who gladly receives the Word of God and allows it to transform him. This heart bears much fruit for the Kingdom. This heart is the only one of the four that is truly saved.

What type of heart are you? Be honest with yourself. If your heart is not the good soil, you can choose to change now. Ask Jesus to create in you a clean heart, a good heart.  He will. ______________________________________________________
Copyright 2014 by MaryAnn Diorio, PhD, MFA.  All rights reserved.

Deception Destroys

Deception is an intriguing subject.  The very nature of deception prevents the deceived person from recognizing that he is a victim of deception. 

Deception is a liar. It causes one to believe that what is false is true.  Deception is Satan's chief weapon against humanity.  Deception is the counterfeit of Truth.

You will be free to the degree that you eliminate deception from your life.

How can you know if you are being deceived?  You can know that you are being deceived if what you believe is contrary to Holy Scripture.  God's Word, also known as the Bible, is absolute Truth.  It is the standard by which all philosophies, all ideologies, all belief systems, all scientific hypotheses, and all methodologies must be measured to determine if they are true or not.

It is a little know fact that Christopher Columbus learned that the earth is round by reading the Book of Isaiah, chapter 40, verse 22 where Scripture says that "God sits above the circle of the earth." God tells us in this verse that the earth is round.

You say you do not believe the Holy Scriptures?  Why not?  Has your way of living worked? Has it brought you permanent fulfillment, peace, and joy?  Be honest with yourself. 

I was once like you.  Lost and searching for meaning in life.  I found it in Jesus Christ. And so can you!

I encourage you to explore God's Word for yourself.  It is His manual for humanity. Just as you received a manual when you purchased your car or your washing machine, God has given us a manual to help us understand how we are made and how to live successfully in this world.

As always, if you have any questions, please write to me at maryann@maryanndiorio.com. Meanwhile, my prayer is that you will come to know how deeply Jesus Christ loves you!