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. 

The Lord Knows Your Name

I write this post tonight with the distinct impression that I am writing particularly to someone on the other side of the world. Whoever you are, be encouraged that our Lord knows your name.

Our Lord knows the names of each of us who read this blog. Not only does He know your name, but He also knows everything about you.  Does not the Bible tell us in Luke 12:7 that God even knows how many hairs are on our heads? 

Ponder this truth for a moment. What kind of God would know how many hairs are on your head? Only the God Who created you and loves you and cares about every detail of your life.

Wherever you are at this moment--whether physically, mentally, or spiritually--know that Jesus Christ is with you and that He cares.  Turn to Him with the burden you have been carrying and give it to Him.  He will transform your life with His love. Stop struggling to survive. Just rest in Him.

Living in the Supernatural

There is a place where you can live in peace.  That place is above your emotional pain and in the realm of the spirit where the Kingdom of God is.  But the only way to get there is through Jesus Christ.

There are two realms that control life: the natural realm and the supernatural realm. The natural realm is subject to the laws of the natural world; the supernatural realm is subject to the laws of the supernatural world. 

The supernatural world has both a good aspect and an evil aspect. The good aspect is the supernatural realm inhabited by God and His angels. The Bible calls this supernatural realm of God "the third heaven". The evil aspect is the supernatural realm inhabited by Satan and his demons. The Bible calls this supernatural realm of Satan "the second heaven".  The supernatural realm of God is far more powerful than the supernatural realm of Satan.

Man was created and designed to live in the supernatural world of God, but sin relegated man to the confinement of the natural world.  Jesus Christ came to set man free from the confinement of the natural world and to restore him to the supernatural world of the Kingdom of God.

When man enters the supernatural world without Christ, man will encounter the supernatural curses of Satan and his demons. This is the realm of the occult with all of its attendant dangers.

When man enters the supernatural world through Christ, man will encounter the supernatural blessings of God.

So how does this apply to your life and to your emotional pain?

If you have not yet accepted Jesus Christ as your Savior and Lord, you are still a prisoner of the natural world. In practical terms, this means that you are still in bondage to sin and its torment, including emotional torment. You may have tried to free yourself from emotional pain by entering the supernatural world of Satan and his demons. If so, you may have found a false and temporary relief, but you soon learned (or will learn) that Satan offers only trickery and bondage, never truth and freedom.

But if you have accepted Jesus Christ as your Savior and Lord, you are no longer a prisoner of the natural world nor the supernatural world of Satan.  Instead, you are a resident of the supernatural kingdom of God and a child of God whose inheritance is healing in every aspect of your being.

You cannot free yourself from the natural world nor from Satan's supernatural world. You need a Savior to free you. Jesus Christ is that Savior.  Accept Him today into your life. Ask Him to be your Savior and Lord. Ask Him to free you from the pain of emotional and psychological torment.  Then expect Him to do so.