Category Archives: End Times

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How Close Are We to the Rapture?

by Dr. MaryAnn Diorio

by

WINNING WITH THE WORD

“Winning with the Word” is a weekly blog that will help you to be a winner in life by applying God’s principles for living the abundant life as found in the Bible, God’s manual for life.

An invitation for you:

To subscribe to this blog, click here. 
To subscribe to this podcast, click here.

If this blog and podcast have blessed you, please encourage your family and friends to subscribe as well. Thank you!

Be sure to check out our Featured Book of the Week at the end of this post.

______________________________________

 

Do you prefer listening instead of reading? Then click below to listen to today’s blog post on podcast.

 _________________________________________

Hello and Happy Day! This is Dr. MaryAnn Diorio, novelist and life coach, welcoming you to another episode of Winning with the Word. Today is Monday, February 6, 2023, and this is Episode #6 of Series 2023. This episode is titled “How Close Are We to the Rapture?”

This past week, a new version of the movie Left Behind was released, under the directorship of Kevin Sorbo. This movie recounts the events that will soon transpire on earth as we move closer and closer to the Great Tribulation.

Unlike the two earlier versions of the Left Behind movie, Sorbo’s version is like watching the morning news. The movie takes place against a backdrop of events that are currently happening in the world around us. What he portrays on the screen is what we are currently reading in the morning headlines or watching on the evening news.

Usually, apocalyptic-type movies present a scenario of a future yet to be unfolded. But Left Behind presents a scenario that is currently happening before our very eyes and that predicts the future yet to be unfolded. 

So, what does this mean for us? It means several things:

1) The Bible is absolutely true. All of the events happening in our world today—from the Covid crisis to the rise of trans-humanism, digital currency, the mark of the beast, and the AntiChrist—are all predicted in the Bible. Everything in the world is happening just as God said it would. All of these events are either taking place now or are being set up for the near future.

2) Current events mean that the Rapture of the Church is just around the corner. Bible prophecy will be fulfilled, whether we believe it will or not. We have no say in the matter because God alone is God. We are not. You see, my friend, God will have the final say, whether you believe it or not. So, doesn’t it make sense to get ourselves on God’s side? 

One of the greatest signs of the coming Tribulation is that man will declare himself as god. This is what the World Economic Forum is doing, especially through its spokesman Yuval Noah Harari, right-hand man to Klaus Schwab. If you haven’t heard of Harari or his dangerous false teachings, check him out. 

3. You do not want to be left behind when the Rapture occurs. If you think the world is crazy now, it will be unrecognizable after the Rapture. When Christ-followers are taken home to Heaven, chaos will reign supreme. Imagine airplanes in flight suddenly without their pilots. Imagine cars suddenly without their drivers. Imagine mothers suddenly without their infants and children. All this is what will happen at the time of the Rapture when Christ-followers are removed from this earth.

So, how close are we to the Rapture? Very, very close. World events indicate that the Rapture could occur any day now. As my husband often says, the world is not falling apart. It is falling into place. World events are falling into place for the Rapture and the Tribulation to occur just as the Bible predicted they would. 

If you want to get a good picture of what the world will look like after all Christ-Followers are removed from the earth, watch one of the Left Behind movies. You will find them sobering and, if you do not know Jesus, you will find them terrifying.

But, you don’t have to be terrified. You can be saved instead and full of joy and peace and be among those who will be rescued before the Tribulation breaks loose. Simply place your trust in Jesus as the One Who alone can save you, and you will be saved. Do that now by praying this simple prayer with me: 

Lord Jesus, I don’t want to be left behind when the Rapture occurs. I want You to take me in the Rapture so that I can live with you forever. I acknowledge and admit that I have sinned against You. I ask You to forgive me as I turn away from my sin. I receive You now as my Savior and my Lord. Thank You for saving me and for loving me. In Your Name I pray. Amen.

If you have acknowledged that you are a sinner, if you have repented of sinning against the Most High God, and if you have received Jesus as your Savior and Lord, you are now a born-again child of God. Write to me at info@maryanndiorio.com and request my free e-booklet titled After You’re Born Again. It will help you get started in your exciting love journey with Jesus.

Before you leave, please check out my new featured books: The Captain and Mrs. Vye, my latest novel, A Christmas Homecoming, my popular Christmas novella, and Miracle at Madville, my latest children’s storybook.

The Captain and Mrs. Vye is the story of a middle-aged, childless widow who discovers that her late husband has left her destitute.

A Christmas Homecoming is the story of a mother whose teenage daughter goes missing. The mother faces losing her mind, her family, and her faith. This story is now also available in audiobook format. 

Miracle at Madville is the story of an angry young princess who discovers the greatest weapon of all.

All three books make great all-occasion gifts for the readers in your life and are available on Amazon and other retail venues. 

Purchase your copies here:
THE CAPTAIN AND MRS. VYE
A CHRISTMAS HOMECOMING
MIRACLE AT MADVILLE

Please help me spread the Gospel by sharing this blog post and podcast with people you know and by subscribing to both the blog and the podcast at the links below:

SUBSCRIBE TO WINNING WITH THE WORD BLOG AND PODCAST

SUBSCRIBE TO MY AUTHOR NEWSLETTER

SUBSCRIBE TO THE READER CONNECTION, my blog for Readers of Fiction.

Finally, if this podcast has helped you in any way, please consider supporting it by becoming one of my valued patrons. Just go to patreon.com/winningwiththeword to join my wonderful team. Patrons receive numerous benefits in appreciation for their support. 

Until next time, remember that God loves you just as you are and just where you are, and that He will help you to keep on Winning with the Word!

________________________________
Featured Books for the Start of the New Year:

A Story for All Seasons . . . 

Get your copy of A Christmas Homecoming! One reader called it “a cup of hot cocoa for the heart.”
SUMMARY: When Sonia Pettit’s teenage daughter goes missing, Sonia faces losing her mind, her family, and her faith.

CLICK HERE to get your copy now.

Also available in AudioBook Format. 

CLICK HERE for audiobook. 

 
 
 

NEW RELEASE: The Captain and Mrs. Vye by MaryAnn Diorio – A Novel

A middle-aged, childless widow discovers that her late husband has left her destitute.

CLICK HERE to get your copy now.

 

New Release: Miracle at Madville: A Storybook for Children

An angry young princess discovers the greatest weapon of all.

CLICK HERE to get your copy now.

 

 

 

 

To subscribe to Winning with the Word, click here.
To subscribe to my Author Newsletter, click here.
To subscribe to The Reader Connection, click here.

__________________________________________________________________

Copyright 2000-2023 by Dr. MaryAnn Diorio. All Rights Reserved. This article may not be published or printed in any form whatsoever without the written permission of Dr. MaryAnn Diorio. You may contact her at info@maryanndiorio.com to request permission.

Amazon.com Required Disclosure: MaryAnn Diorio is a participant in the Amazon Services LLC Associates Program, an affiliate advertising program designed to provide a means for sites to earn advertising fees by advertising and linking to Amazon.com.Disclaimer: This site uses cookies. Your continued use of this site constitutes your consent to our use of cookies. 


__________________________________________________________________

Copyright 2000-2023 by MaryAnn Diorio, PhD. All Rights Reserved.

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You Are Loved!

by Dr. MaryAnn Diorio

by

WINNING WITH THE WORD

“Winning with the Word” is a weekly blog that will help you to be a winner in life by applying God’s principles for living the abundant life as found in the Bible, God’s manual for life.

An invitation for you:

To subscribe to this blog, click here. 
To subscribe to this podcast, click here.

If this blog and podcast have blessed you, please encourage your family and friends to subscribe as well. Thank you!

Be sure to check out our Featured Book of the Week at the end of this post.

______________________________________

 

Do you prefer listening instead of reading? Then click below to listen to today’s blog post on podcast.

 _________________________________________

Hello and Happy Day! This is Dr. MaryAnn Diorio, novelist and life coach, welcoming you to another episode of Winning with the Word. Today is Monday, January 30, 2023, and this is Episode #5 of Series 2023. This episode is titled “You Are Loved!”

In my 77 years on this earth and my 50-plus years of ministering to people both as a Life Coach, a Licensed Minister, and a friend, I have discovered that an underlying root of all sin and suffering is the belief that one is not loved. Because all of us were created to love and to be loved, this false belief leads us to look for love in the wrong places, and when we do, we always end up in trouble.

The need for love is a universal need. We find it in every person of every age and nationality. We find the need for love throughout human history, as expressed in our literature and our historical documents. We find the need for love in every child as he trustingly reaches out to those who care for him.

The need for love is a need we cannot deny or escape. Yet so many of us try to do just that. The need for love is a need placed in our hearts by God Who created us so that we would look to Him to meet our need for love. 

The sad thing, however, is that while the need for love never goes away, the wrong ways we try to fill that need backfire on us and, instead of love, we experience suffering and sorrow. Broken relationships and broken hearts.

When babies do not receive the love they need, their souls become warped. They learn that they have to perform to be loved, or that they are not worthy of love, or that they are unloveable. These soul wounds continue to fester as the child grows up, making his adult relationships fraught with problems.

Moreover, when one does not receive the love he needs as a child, he begins looking for love in the wrong places. For instance, in drugs, alcohol, food, illicit sex, pornography, or crime.

Perhaps you yourself find yourself in such a situation. Perhaps you have looked to the wrong sources to get the love you need. If so, let me offer you hope.

No matter what you’ve done or where you are in life, there is One Who loves you and will always love you, no matter what. That One is God. He made you because He loves you, and He continues to love you despite the way you may have messed up your life. He wants to heal you and restore you. He wants to show you how much He loves you.

You see, my friend, all healing begins with the knowledge and belief that God loves you! Until you truly know and believe in the depths of your heart that God loves you, you will remain stuck in your bondage. Until you truly know and believe that God loves you, you will live a life of continual regret. 

So, you may be asking, what am I supposed to do? How can I know and believe that God loves me?

Well, the first thing is to ask yourself if you truly want to receive God’s love. Some people don’t, you know, and that is tragic. For only God’s love can save you. But if you truly want to receive God’s love, it is there for the taking. God never stops loving you. While you are on this earth, He never stops offering you His love. But it’s up to you to receive it. 

God’s love is best expressed through a Person. That Person is Jesus Christ. When He came to earth to die for You, He demonstrated the enormity of God’s love for you. Love gives. Jesus gave His very life to show you He loves you.
There is no greater gift that a person can give to demonstrate His love than his very life.

So, my friend, I ask you. Are you looking for love in drugs, alcohol, food, illicit sex, pornography, or crime? If so, you are looking in the wrong place. There is only one place to find love, and that is in God. Why? Because God is Love. His very nature is Love. His very essence is Love. All love originates in God and ends in God. 

You can receive that love now by receiving Jesus Christ, Love Himself. Just prayer this simple prayer with me:

Lord Jesus, I acknowledge and admit that I have sinned against You by looking for love in the wrong places. I ask You to forgive me as I turn away from those wrong sources of love. I want You alone to be my Source of Love, for only You can give me true, lasting love. So, I receive You now as my Savior and my Lord. I receive You as the Lover of my soul. Thank You for saving me and for loving me. In Your Name I pray. Amen.

If you have acknowledged that you are a sinner, if you have repented of looking for love in the wrong places, and if you have received Jesus as your Savior and Lord, you are now a born-again child of God. Write to me at info@maryanndiorio.com and request my free e-booklet titled After You’re Born Again. It will help you get started in your exciting love journey with Jesus.

Before you leave, please check out my new featured books: The Captain and Mrs. Vye, my latest novel, A Christmas Homecoming, my popular Christmas novella, and Miracle at Madville, my latest children’s storybook.

The Captain and Mrs. Vye is the story of a middle-aged, childless widow who discovers that her late husband has left her destitute.

A Christmas Homecoming is the story of a mother whose teenage daughter goes missing. The mother faces losing her mind, her family, and her faith. This story is now also available in audiobook format. 

Miracle at Madville is the story of an angry young princess who discovers the greatest weapon of all.

All three books make great all-occasion gifts for the readers in your life and are available on Amazon. 

Purchase your copies here:
THE CAPTAIN AND MRS. VYE
A CHRISTMAS HOMECOMING
MIRACLE AT MADVILLE

Please help me spread the Gospel by sharing this blog post and podcast with people you know and by subscribing to both the blog and the podcast at the links below:

SUBSCRIBE TO WINNING WITH THE WORD BLOG AND PODCAST

SUBSCRIBE TO MY AUTHOR NEWSLETTER

SUBSCRIBE TO THE READER CONNECTION, my blog for Readers of Fiction.

Finally, if this podcast has helped you in any way, please consider supporting it by becoming one of my valued patrons. Just go to patreon.com/winningwiththeword to join my wonderful team. Patrons receive numerous benefits in appreciation for their support. 

Until next time, remember that God loves you just as you are and just where you are, and that He will help you to keep on Winning with the Word!

________________________________
Featured Books for the Start of the New Year:



Get your copy of A Christmas Homecoming! One reader called it “a cup of hot cocoa for the heart.”
SUMMARY: When Sonia Pettit’s teenage daughter goes missing, Sonia faces losing her mind, her family, and her faith.

CLICK HERE to get your copy now.

Also available in AudioBook Format. 

CLICK HERE for audiobook. 

 
 
 

NEW RELEASE: The Captain and Mrs. Vye by MaryAnn Diorio – A Novel

A middle-aged, childless widow discovers that her late husband has left her destitute.

CLICK HERE to get your copy now.

 

New Release: Miracle at Madville: A Storybook for Children

An angry young princess discovers the greatest weapon of all.

CLICK HERE to get your copy now.

 

 

 

 

To subscribe to Winning with the Word, click here.
To subscribe to my Author Newsletter, click here.
To subscribe to The Reader Connection, click here.

__________________________________________________________________

Copyright 2000-2023 by Dr. MaryAnn Diorio. All Rights Reserved. This article may not be published or printed in any form whatsoever without the written permission of Dr. MaryAnn Diorio. You may contact her at info@maryanndiorio.com to request permission.

Amazon.com Required Disclosure: MaryAnn Diorio is a participant in the Amazon Services LLC Associates Program, an affiliate advertising program designed to provide a means for sites to earn advertising fees by advertising and linking to Amazon.com.Disclaimer: This site uses cookies. Your continued use of this site constitutes your consent to our use of cookies. 


__________________________________________________________________

Copyright 2000-2023 by MaryAnn Diorio, PhD. All Rights Reserved.

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How to Fight Fear

by Dr. MaryAnn Diorio

by

WINNING WITH THE WORD

“Winning with the Word” is a weekly blog that will help you to be a winner in life by applying God’s principles for living the abundant life as found in the Bible, God’s manual for life.

An invitation for you:

To subscribe to this blog, click here. 
To subscribe to this podcast, click here.

If this blog and podcast have blessed you, please encourage your family and friends to subscribe as well. Thank you!

Be sure to check out our Featured Book of the Week at the end of this post.

______________________________________

 

Do you prefer listening instead of reading? Then click below to listen to today’s blog post on podcast.

 _________________________________________

Hello and Happy Day! This is Dr. MaryAnn Diorio, novelist and life coach, welcoming you to another episode of Winning with the Word. Today is Monday, January 23, 2023, and this is Episode #4 of Series 2023. This episode is titled “How to Fight Fear”.

Wherever I turn, I meet people who are fighting fear. Fear is the buzzword of the day as people face job losses, pay cuts, inflationary food prices, health challenges, and relationship issues.

If this describes you in any way, let me share the antidote to fear so that you can rid your life of it once and for all.

Fear expresses itself as a powerful emotion, perhaps the most powerful of all emotions. We all know that sick feeling in the pit of our stomach when fear strikes. That overwhelming pressure on our chests. That painful lump in our throats. That relentless, irrational attack on our minds that causes us to picture the worst. These physiological changes when fear strikes are real and, I might add, harmful.

I grew up in an atmosphere of fear, with the result that fear became a stronghold in my life. For years, I thought I had no control over fear, so whenever it struck, I would allow it to take me wherever it wanted to take me. But after I came to Christ and was born again, I learned something about fear that blew me away. Something that gave me an insight into fear that totally changed my perspective on it and the means by which I fought it. Now, I want to share what I learned with you.

I had always thought that fear was an emotion. But the Bible says something completely different. Here it is in 2 Timothy 1: 7: “For God has not given us a spirit of fear, but of power and of love and of a sound mind.”

Did you get that? I’ll read it again. “For God has not given us a spirit of fear.” Fear is a spirit! It is not a feeling. Yes, we experience negative feelings when we fear, but behind those negative feelings is a demonic spirit.

This revelation was a game-changer for me. It meant that I finally understood what I was dealing with when I felt fear. And because I understood what I was dealing with, I knew how to handle it.

You see, when we are born again, we receive the authority and power of Christ over the enemy. In Luke 10: 19, we read this: “Behold, I give you the authority to trample on serpents and scorpions, and over all the power of the enemy, and nothing shall by any means hurt you.”   Did you get that? “I give you authority over all the power of the enemy, and nothing shall by any means hurt you.” Jesus has given the born-again believer authority over ALL the power of Satan. And that includes authority over the spirit of fear.

When we feel fear, we are hearing the devil talking. He is whispering—or shouting—lies to us to divert our focus from God to himself. At the first signal of fear, then, we must recognize that we are dealing with an evil spirit, and we must use the authority that Jesus gave us to resist that evil spirit of fear so that it will flee from us.

The battle can be vicious. I remember one incident in particular when my daughters were teenagers. They had gone to a school event that took place in the evening. While they were gone, I was suddenly attacked with a ferocious spirit of fear. This evil spirit bombarded my mind with horrific thoughts about my daughters’ safety. With the thoughts came the frightening feelings that fear brings. 

By this time, however, I had learned how the spirit of fear operates and how I needed to operate in the face of it. So I immediately began to use the authority that Jesus Christ had given me through His Word. I began to bombard the spirit of fear with Scripture verses about fear. I spoke the Word of God against the enemy. I said that God had not given me a spirit of fear, but of power, love, and a sound mind.

This went on for nearly three hours. Yes, three solid hours. As I mentioned, the battle was ferocious. But I stood fast on God’s Word, confident that it would accomplish its purpose of driving out the spirit of fear.

And it did!

After three hours of battle, the peace of God flooded my soul. His Word had done its job.

The same can happen to you. Now, you very likely won’t have a three-hour battle against fear as I had. But you will have a battle. When you do, do what I did. Take the Word of God—which the Bible describes as the Sword of the Spirit—and use your sword against the spirit of fear. The Bible says in James 4: 7: “Therefore submit to God. Resist the devil and he will flee from you.”

As we submit to God and resist the devil with the Word of God, the devil must flee from us. He has no other choice because he has already been defeated by Jesus Christ.

One caveat: Only those who are born again have the authority and the power to overcome the spirit of fear. If you have not been born again, you do not have that authority and power. But you can have it now if you choose to accept Jesus Christ as your Savior and Lord. Just pray this simple prayer with me: 

Lord Jesus, I acknowledge and admit that I am a sinner. I have sinned against You and I now choose to repent. I ask You to forgive me of my sin. I want to share in Your authority and power to overcome the spirit of fear and every other evil spirit. So, I receive You now as my Savior and my Lord. Thank You for saving me. In Your Name I pray. Amen.

If you have acknowledged that you are a sinner, if you have repented of your sin, and if you have received Jesus as your Savior and Lord, you are now a born-again child of God. Write to me at info@maryanndiorio.com and request my free e-booklet titled After You’re Born Again. It will help you get started in your exciting life journey with Jesus.

Before you leave, please check out my new featured books: The Captain and Mrs. Vye, my latest novel, A Christmas Homecoming, my popular Christmas novella, and Miracle at Madville, my latest children’s storybook.

The Captain and Mrs. Vye is the story of a middle-aged, childless widow who discovers that her late husband has left her destitute.

A Christmas Homecoming is the story of a mother whose teenage daughter goes missing. The mother faces losing her mind, her family, and her faith. This story is now also available in audiobook format. 

Miracle at Madville is the story of an angry young princess who discovers the greatest weapon of all.

All three books make great all-occasion gifts for the readers in your life and are available on Amazon. 

Purchase your copies here:
THE CAPTAIN AND MRS. VYE
A CHRISTMAS HOMECOMING
MIRACLE AT MADVILLE

Please help me spread the Gospel by sharing this blog post and podcast with people you know and by subscribing to both the blog and the podcast at the links below:

SUBSCRIBE TO WINNING WITH THE WORD BLOG AND PODCAST

SUBSCRIBE TO MY AUTHOR NEWSLETTER

SUBSCRIBE TO THE READER CONNECTION, my blog for Readers of Fiction.

Finally, if this podcast has helped you in any way, please consider supporting it by becoming one of my valued patrons. Just go to patreon.com/winningwiththeword to join my wonderful team. Patrons receive numerous benefits in appreciation for their support. 

Until next time, remember that God loves you just as you are and just where you are, and that He will help you to keep on Winning with the Word!

________________________________
Featured Books for the Start of the New Year:



Get your copy of A Christmas Homecoming! One reader called it “a cup of hot cocoa for the heart.”
SUMMARY: When Sonia Pettit’s teenage daughter goes missing, Sonia faces losing her mind, her family, and her faith.

CLICK HERE to get your copy now.

Also available in AudioBook Format. 

CLICK HERE for audiobook. 

 
 
 

NEW RELEASE: The Captain and Mrs. Vye by MaryAnn Diorio – A Novel

A middle-aged, childless widow discovers that her late husband has left her destitute.

CLICK HERE to get your copy now.

 

New Release: Miracle at Madville: A Storybook for Children

An angry young princess discovers the greatest weapon of all.

CLICK HERE to get your copy now.

 

 

 

 

To subscribe to Winning with the Word, click here.
To subscribe to my Author Newsletter, click here.
To subscribe to The Reader Connection, click here.

__________________________________________________________________

Copyright 2000-2023 by Dr. MaryAnn Diorio. All Rights Reserved. This article may not be published or printed in any form whatsoever without the written permission of Dr. MaryAnn Diorio. You may contact her at info@maryanndiorio.com to request permission.

Amazon.com Required Disclosure: MaryAnn Diorio is a participant in the Amazon Services LLC Associates Program, an affiliate advertising program designed to provide a means for sites to earn advertising fees by advertising and linking to Amazon.com.Disclaimer: This site uses cookies. Your continued use of this site constitutes your consent to our use of cookies. 


__________________________________________________________________

Copyright 2000-2023 by MaryAnn Diorio, PhD. All Rights Reserved.

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The Dangers of the Two-State Solution

by Dr. MaryAnn Diorio

by

WINNING WITH THE WORD

“Winning with the Word” is a weekly blog that will help you to be a winner in life by applying God’s principles for living the abundant life as found in the Bible, God’s manual for life.

An invitation for you:

To subscribe to this blog, click here. 
To subscribe to this podcast, click here.

If this blog and podcast have blessed you, please encourage your family and friends to subscribe as well. Thank you!

Be sure to check out our Featured Book of the Week at the end of this post.

______________________________________

 

Do you prefer listening instead of reading? Then click below to listen to today’s blog post on podcast.

 _________________________________________

Hello and Happy Day! This is Dr. MaryAnn Diorio, novelist and life coach, welcoming you to another episode of Winning with the Word. Today is Monday, January 16, 2023, and this is Episode #3 of Series 2023. This episode is titled “The Dangers of the Two-State Solution.”

Something big is afoot in our world. Everyone senses it, although most people are making a weak attempt to brush off the anxious sensation. It’s as if a dark, monstrous hand is enveloping the earth and is starting to squeeze it with all its might.

Not only is this a symbolic description, it is also very much a real one. Just this past week here in the United States, tornadoes ripped through the Southeast, killing some and injuring others. Along the California coast, the country is being buffeted by floods, earthquakes, and severe storms. Unprecedented drought has struck the southwestern part of America, and food shortages are threatening more and more areas of our nation.  

So, what is happening?

I believe that God’s hand of judgment has fallen upon us.

Now, before you start reminding me that there have always been earthquakes, tornadoes, droughts, famines, and floods, consider this for a moment. For the first time in human history, these disasters are occurring all at the same time. The word is convergence. The disasters are converging. That is, they are happening simultaneously in all places. This month alone, bitter snowstorms raged in the northern part of the country, while severe thunderstorms and high winds wracked the southern part. 

So, why is the convergence happening?

The biggest reason, I think, is that the United States has taken a position in support of a two-state solution for Israel. Such a position is strictly forbidden by God Who gave Israel control of Jerusalem and of a huge land mass extending to the Euphrates River. In Genesis 15: 18, God said this to Abraham: “To your descendants I give this land, from the river of Egypt to the great river, the Euphrates.”  Imagine that! From the river of Egypt (which is the Nile) to the Euphrates River! This parcel of land–ALL of it–belongs to Israel, and Israel will one day inhabit it. And any nation trying to steal the land or any portion of it will have to contend with God Himself. Hebrews 10: 31 tells us that “It is a fearful thing to fall into the hands of the living God.”

America is falling into the hands of the living God because she is actively opposing God’s will for Israel. She is seeking to divide what God has forbidden to be divided. America is shaking her fist at God. This is an extremely dangerous act of open rebellion against God and will not go unpunished. God said this in Joel 3: 2: “I will gather all the nations and bring them down to the Valley of Jehoshaphat. And I will enter into judgment with them there, on behalf of my people and my heritage Israel, because they have scattered them among the nations and have divided up my land. . . . “

Israel belongs to Israel. Plain and simple. God later repeated the original promise He made to Abraham to Abraham’s son Isaac and to Isaac’s son Jacob, whose name was later changed to Israel. In Joshua 1: 4, God confirmed His promise about the land when the Israelites, under Joshua’s command, were about to enter the Promised Land. God said, “Your territory will extend from the desert to Lebanon, and from the great river, the Euphrates—all the Hittite country—to the Mediterranean Sea in the west.”

From north to south, God gave Israel all the land territory from the Nile River to Lebanon and, from west to east, God gave Israel all the land from the Mediterranean Sea to the Euphrates River. In today’s language, that means that God gave the Jews all the land that is currently modern Israel, all the land in the West Bank and Gaza (now inhabited by the Palestinians), all the land of Jordan, and parts of Egypt, Syria, Iraq, and Saudi Arabia. That is quite a parcel of land!

Those who try to change the boundaries that God set in place for Israel will be sorely punished. We learn in the Book of Galatians 6: 7, that God will not be mocked. He will not be insulted. Whatever a person (or a nation) sows, that shall the person (or the nation) reap. America is about to reap a fearsome harvest of evil because she has pushed to divide God’s land.

Unless America changes her position toward Israel, we can expect to witness worse things happening: worse storms, worse calamities, and even the division of our country geographically by a huge earthquake right down the middle, at the New Madrid fault-line. Other nations who support a two-state solution can expect the same in their own countries.

You see, my friends, we cannot disobey God and get away with it. If we think we can, we are being very foolish. God will always win in the long run. 

But the truth is, He wants you and me to win with Him. The plan He has set in motion for us—and for the whole world—is a plan motivated by love. God is Love. All that He says and does proceeds from His heart of love for us. He always has our best interests at heart. Even when He disciplines us, He does so for our good, just as a parent disciplines a child for the child’s good.

So, to rebel against God is to hurt oneself. 

If you really care about your well-being, obey God. To do otherwise is to spite yourself and to bring calamity upon yourself, your family, and your country. God has His reasons for doing things the way He does. We cannot possibly understand His reasons, but we can always trust them because God is perfectly trustworthy.

If you don’t know God in this way, then you need to meet this wonderful Maker of your spirit, soul, and body. No one will ever love you more than God loves you. No one will ever want to be in relationship with you more than God wants to be in relationship with you. No one will ever want to bless you more than God wants to bless you. 

So, how can you meet this awesome God Who wants to be a Father to you? There is only one way, and that is through His Son Jesus Christ. Jesus Christ is the mediator between us and God the Father. Jesus is the bridge that reconnects us with the Father. You see, when God created our first parents, Adam and Eve, they were connected to God. But when they disobeyed Him, they willfully severed that connection and were left isolated and alone in their suffering and disgrace.

But God loved them so much—and all those who descended from Adam and Eve, including us—that He wanted to give us a second chance at being connected to Him. But the only possible way to do that was to send Jesus to be our Substitute. Jesus was both God and Man. As God, Jesus was the only Person Who could pay the infinite cost of sin. As Man, Jesus was the only Person who could represent us and stand in our place before a righteous God.

So, in order to be reconnected to God the Father, you need to go through Jesus. Let’s do that now, shall we?  Please pray this simple prayer with me: 

Lord Jesus, I acknowledge and admit that I am a sinner. I have sinned against You and I now choose to repent. I ask You to forgive me of my sin. I want to be reconnected with God the Father. So, cleanse me, Lord Jesus, of all unrighteousness. I receive You now as my Savior and my Lord. Help me to experience the true success that comes only from knowing You. In Your Name I pray. Amen.

If you have acknowledged that you are a sinner, if you have repented of your sin, and if you have received Jesus as your Savior and Lord, you are now a born-again child of God. Write to me at info@maryanndiorio.com and request my free e-booklet titled After You’re Born Again. It will help you get started in your exciting life journey with Jesus.

Before you leave, please check out my new featured books: The Captain and Mrs. Vye, my latest novel, A Christmas Homecoming, my popular Christmas novella, and Miracle at Madville, my latest children’s storybook.

The Captain and Mrs. Vye is the story of a middle-aged, childless widow who discovers that her late husband has left her destitute.

A Christmas Homecoming is the story of a mother whose teenage daughter goes missing. The mother faces losing her mind, her family, and her faith.

Miracle at Madville is the story of an angry young princess who discovers the greatest weapon of all.

All three books make great all-occasion gifts for the readers in your life and are available on Amazon. 

Purchase your copies here:
THE CAPTAIN AND MRS. VYE
A CHRISTMAS HOMECOMING
MIRACLE AT MADVILLE

Please help me spread the Gospel by sharing this blog post and podcast with people you know and by subscribing to both the blog and the podcast at the links below:

SUBSCRIBE TO WINNING WITH THE WORD BLOG AND PODCAST

SUBSCRIBE TO MY AUTHOR NEWSLETTER

SUBSCRIBE TO THE READER CONNECTION, my blog for Readers of Fiction.

Finally, if this podcast has helped you in any way, please consider supporting it by becoming one of my valued patrons. Just go to patreon.com/winningwiththeword to join my wonderful team. Patrons receive numerous benefits in appreciation for their support. 

Until next time, remember that God loves you just as you are and just where you are, and that He will help you to keep on Winning with the Word!

Source cited: “Original Land Promised to Abraham (Genesis 15:18) and Current Boundaries”
https://www.nationalwarcouncil.org/2019/12/29/original-land-promised-to-abraham-genesis-1518-and-current-boundaries/
________________________________
Featured Books for the Start of the New Year:



Get your copy of A Christmas Homecoming! One reader called it “a cup of hot cocoa for the heart.”
SUMMARY: When Sonia Pettit’s teenage daughter goes missing, Sonia faces losing her mind, her family, and her faith.

CLICK HERE to get your copy now.

 
 
 

NEW RELEASE: The Captain and Mrs. Vye by MaryAnn Diorio – A Novel

A middle-aged, childless widow discovers that her late husband has left her destitute.

CLICK HERE to get your copy now.

 

New Release: Miracle at Madville: A Storybook for Children

An angry young princess discovers the greatest weapon of all.

CLICK HERE to get your copy now.

 

 

 

 

To subscribe to Winning with the Word, click here.
To subscribe to my Author Newsletter, click here.
To subscribe to The Reader Connection, click here.

__________________________________________________________________

Copyright 2000-2023 by Dr. MaryAnn Diorio. All Rights Reserved. This article may not be published or printed in any form whatsoever without the written permission of Dr. MaryAnn Diorio. You may contact her at info@maryanndiorio.com to request permission.

Amazon.com Required Disclosure: MaryAnn Diorio is a participant in the Amazon Services LLC Associates Program, an affiliate advertising program designed to provide a means for sites to earn advertising fees by advertising and linking to Amazon.com.Disclaimer: This site uses cookies. Your continued use of this site constitutes your consent to our use of cookies. 


__________________________________________________________________

Copyright 2000-2023 by MaryAnn Diorio, PhD. All Rights Reserved.

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Finding Hope for the Future

by Dr. MaryAnn Diorio

by

WINNING WITH THE WORD

“Winning with the Word” is a weekly blog that will help you to be a winner in life by applying God’s principles for living the abundant life as found in the Bible, God’s manual for life.

An invitation for you:

To subscribe to this blog, click here. 
To subscribe to this podcast, click here.

If this blog and podcast have blessed you, please encourage your family and friends to subscribe as well. Thank you!

Be sure to check out our Featured Book of the Week at the end of this post.

______________________________________

 

Do you prefer listening instead of reading? Then click below to listen to today’s blog post on podcast.

 _________________________________________

Hello and Happy Day! This is Dr. MaryAnn Diorio, novelist and life coach, welcoming you to another episode of Winning with the Word. Today is Monday, January 2, 2023, and this is Episode #1 of Series 2023. This episode is titled “Finding Hope for the Future”. 

The start of a new year always brings with it a renewed hope for a fresh start. Some of us need a fresh start on a longstanding goal. Some of us need a fresh start on taking care of our health. Some of us need a fresh start in our marriage or our parent-child relationships. Whatever the case for you, this new year of 2023 offers a fresh start.

But, perhaps you are feeling hopeless about the possibility of a fresh start. Perhaps, with everything that has been happening in the last three years, you feel that a fresh start is impossible. If this describes you, let me encourage you with a few Scripture verses:

1. Lamentations 3: 23 – “Great is His faithfulness; His mercies begin afresh each morning.” Because of God’s mercy, we can begin each day with a clean slate as we repent of our sin. Each morning, we can have renewed hope that our Lord is for us and not against us.

2. Romans 8: 31 – “If God is for us, who can ever be against us?”  Those who are in Christ can always count on God’s hundred-percent support. He has our backs and will protect us from evil as we trust in Him. This gives us hope to go on in the face of even the worst difficulties.

3. Jeremiah 29: 11 – “For I know the plans I have for you,’ says the LORD. ‘They are plans for good and not for disaster, to give you a future and a hope.” No matter what things look like, God has a good plan for your life. But it is our job to connect to His plan. How? There is only one way. That way is to be born again. 

You see, when we are born into this world, we are born with a spirit disconnected from God because of sin. But when we are born again, our spirits are reconnected to God by the power of Christ. When that happens, the life of Christ–including His good plan for our lives–begins to flow into us. Jesus Himself said, “Unless a man is born again, he cannot see the Kingdom of God.” 

4. Romans 15:13 – “May the God of hope fill you with all joy and peace in believing, so that by the power of the Holy Spirit you may abound in hope. This verse tells us where hope comes from. It comes from God. God is the Source of our hope. Without a relationship with God, we have no hope.

This verse also tells us that we can be filled with hope by the power of the Holy Spirit. It is He Who makes it possible for us to experience hope. If you are in need of hope, turn to God. He has an endless supply of hope for you.

5. 2 Corinthians 4: 16-18 – “So we do not lose heart. Though our outer self is wasting away, our inner self is being renewed day by day. For this light momentary affliction is preparing for us an eternal weight of glory beyond all comparison, as we look not to the things that are seen but to the things that are unseen. For the things that are seen are transient, but the things that are unseen are eternal.”  As our bodies grow older, our spirits can grow stronger when we focus on the right things. If we focus on this world, we will be discouraged and lose hope. But if we focus on “the things that are unseen”—in other words, the things of God—we will never lose hope. Why? Because, as the Bible points out, “the things of this life–the things that we can see–are temporary, whereas the things of God–the things we cannot see—are eternal.

So fix your eyes on eternal things, for these are the only things that matter in the long run. When you do, you will have hope. 

But the only way you can fix your eyes on eternal things is to have a personal relationship with Jesus Christ Who is our Hope. If you do not yet have a relationship with Him, I urge you to establish one now by receiving Him into your life. Pray this simple prayer with me: 

Lord Jesus, I acknowledge and admit that I am a sinner. I have sinned against You and I now choose to repent. I ask You to forgive me of my sin. Cleanse me of all unrighteousness. I receive You now as my Savior and my Lord. Make of me what You created me to be. Amen.

If you have acknowledged that you are a sinner, repented of your sin, and received Jesus as your Savior and Lord, you are now a born-again child of God. Write to me at info@maryanndiorio.com and request my free e-booklet titled After You’re Born Again. It will help you get started in your exciting life journey with Jesus.

Before you leave, please check out my new featured books for this season: The Captain and Mrs. Vye, my latest novel, A Christmas Homecoming, my popular Christmas novella, and Miracle at Madville, my latest children’s storybook.

The Captain and Mrs. Vye is the story of a middle-aged, childless widow who discovers that her late husband has left her destitute.

A Christmas Homecoming is the story of a mother whose teenage daughter goes missing. The mother faces losing her mind, her family, and her faith.

Miracle at Madville is the story of an angry young princess who discovers the greatest weapon of all.

All three books make great all-occasions gifts for the readers in your life and are available on Amazon. Links are included at the end of this blogpost and podcast and in the show notes.

THE CAPTAIN AND MRS. VYE
A CHRISTMAS HOMECOMING
MIRACLE AT MADVILLE

Please help me spread the Gospel by sharing this blog post and podcast with people you know and by subscribing to both the blog and the podcast at the links below:

SUBSCRIBE TO WINNING WITH THE WORD BLOG AND PODCAST

SUBSCRIBE TO MY AUTHOR NEWSLETTER

SUBSCRIBE TO THE READER CONNECTION, my blog for Readers of Fiction.

Finally, if this podcast has helped you in any way, please consider supporting it by becoming one of my valued patrons. Just go to patreon.com/winningwiththeword to join my wonderful team. Patrons receive numerous benefits in appreciation for their support. 

Until next time, I wish you a Happy New Year filled with God’s blessings. Remember that God loves you just as you are and just where you are, and that He will help you to keep on Winning with the Word!

________________________________
Featured Books for the Start of the New Year:



Get your copy of A Christmas Homecoming! One reader called it “a cup of hot cocoa for the heart.”
SUMMARY: When Sonia Pettit’s teenage daughter goes missing, Sonia faces losing her mind, her family, and her faith.

CLICK HERE to get your copy now.

 
 
 

NEW RELEASE: The Captain and Mrs. Vye by MaryAnn Diorio – A Novel

A middle-aged, childless widow discovers that her late husband has left her destitute.

CLICK HERE to get your copy now.

 

New Release: Miracle at Madville: A Storybook for Children

An angry young princess discovers the greatest weapon of all.

CLICK HERE to get your copy now.

 

 

 

 

To subscribe to Winning with the Word, click here.
To subscribe to my Author Newsletter, click here.
To subscribe to The Reader Connection, click here.

__________________________________________________________________

Copyright 2000-2023 by Dr. MaryAnn Diorio. All Rights Reserved. This article may not be published or printed in any form whatsoever without the written permission of Dr. MaryAnn Diorio. You may contact her at info@maryanndiorio.com to request permission.

Amazon.com Required Disclosure: MaryAnn Diorio is a participant in the Amazon Services LLC Associates Program, an affiliate advertising program designed to provide a means for sites to earn advertising fees by advertising and linking to Amazon.com.Disclaimer: This site uses cookies. Your continued use of this site constitutes your consent to our use of cookies. 


__________________________________________________________________

Copyright 2000-2023 by MaryAnn Diorio, PhD. All Rights Reserved.

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