Tag Archives: Corona virus

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Are You Thinking Straight?

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 TO YOU: To follow this blog, click here. 

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

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

 

 

 

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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, June 1, 2020. Today’s Podcast is Episode #22 in Series 2020 and is titled “Are You Thinking Straight?”

You might be wondering, What a strange question to ask? Am I thinking straight? Yet the truth is that my question is one of the most important questions you may ever be asked in your life. Your answer to that question will determine whether your life turns out well or turns out badly.

Okay, Dr. MaryAnn. Aren’t you getting a little melodramatic here? After all, how I think is how I think. What difference does it make how I think, if the thoughts are my own?

The fact that you made that statement and asked that question is proof that you are not thinking straight.

So, before we go any farther, let’s define what is meant by “thinking straight.” Thinking straight means thinking in line with Truth. But then we have to ask another question: What is Truth? You may remember that a Roman governor of Judea, named Pontius Pilate, asked that same question of Jesus just before Jesus was crucified (John 18: 38). 

The Bible tells us that Jesus Christ is Truth. He Himself said of Himself in John 14: 6, “I am the Truth.” Jesus is the Word of God, and so is the Bible. This makes Jesus and the Bible one and the same. So, logically speaking then, if Jesus is Truth, and if Jesus and the Bible are one and the same, then the Bible is Truth.

So, if the Bible is Truth, and if thinking straight means thinking in line with Truth, then thinking straight means thinking in line with the Bible.

Let me ask you another question. Are you thinking in line with the Bible? Do you even know what’s in the Bible? If you don’t, then how can you think in line with Truth? 

We must know Truth in order to think in line with Truth.

Truth is a Person. Truth is Jesus Christ. If we don’t know Jesus Christ, Who is Truth, then we cannot live in line with Truth.

So, the first order of business is to get to know Jesus Christ. How? By accepting Him as your Savior and Lord. When you do, you will be born again, and you will begin to comprehend Truth.

We live in a world in which most of the information we receive is controlled by people who do not know Truth. People who do not know the Bible. People who do not know Jesus Christ. Indeed, people who are blatantly opposed to Jesus Christ and, therefore, to Truth.

The information we receive from such people is contrary to Truth, yet most of the public believes their lies. When we believe a lie, we will suffer the consequences of believing a lie.

To believe a lie is to put ourselves in bondage. To believe the Truth is to experience freedom. Jesus Himself said, “You shall know the Truth, and the Truth shall make you free.”

We are fast losing many of our freedoms today. Have you asked yourself why? The reason is that, as a culture, we have chosen to embrace the lie instead of embracing the Truth.

We will be free to the degree that we embrace the Truth.

Do you want to be free? Then embrace the Truth. Embrace Jesus Christ. He is waiting to set you free.

Pray this simple prayer with me:

Lord Jesus, I come to You now, just as I am. I want to know Truth. I want to know You so that I can be free. I receive You now as my Savior and Lord. Make of me what You created me to be. In Your Name I pray. Amen.

If you prayed this simple prayer, please write to me at drmaryann@maryanndiorio.com. I would like to send you a little booklet that will help you get started in your walk with Christ. I also encourage you to get yourself a Bible and read it every single day. The Bible is God’s love letter to you, His manual for your life and for He will help you to come to Him and to grow in Him and to become all that He created you to be. In the Bible, God reveals Who He is, and He instructs you how to live.

Finally, ask the Lord to lead you to the church of His choice for you where you can learn about Him and have fellowship and encouragement with other Christ-Followers.

For those of you who may not know, I write fiction about many of the issues I deal with in this blog and podcast. My latest novel, In Black and White, recently won First Place in Historical Fiction in the 2020 Christian Indie Book Awards Contest. It is the page-turning, compelling love story between a white woman and a black man as they face the wrath of family and society in order to preserve their love. Get your copy at Apple Books, Barnes & Noble, Amazon, Kobo, or other vendors of your choice.

  BUY NOW!

 

For additional resources on living the abundant life in Jesus Christ, visit my website at maryanndiorio.com.

If you have been blessed by these messages, I also invite you to become a Winning with the Word patron on Patreon. As a patron you will enjoy special benefits only for my patrons. Just go to Patreon.com and search for Winning with the Word to join. I would like to thank all of my patrons who are making this podcast possible. It is now reaching 19 countries throughout the world with the message of the Gospel. I could not do this without you.

Thank you so much for listening. This is Dr. MaryAnn Diorio, novelist and life coach, reminding you 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.

To subscribe to “Winning with the Word”, click here.

To receive my monthly newsletter, click here.

Listen to the podcast here:

________________________________________________

Now it’s your turn:  “What steps have you taken to overcome perfectionism?”  Please leave your comment in the Comment Box below. Thank you!

PLEASE TWEET: “Are You Thinking Straight?” by Dr. MaryAnn Diorio (CLICK TO TWEET)

Please tell your family and friends about “Winning with the Word,” and please pass this post on to them. Thank you!

Check out these three popular Winning with the Word podcasts below. You may also search for a particular topic in the search box at the top of the sidebar on this page. 

__What to Do When Your Child Goes Astray

__How to Grieve Healthfully

__Are You a Perfectionist?

__Is the World Coming to an End?

__The Coming Global Cataclysm

 Are you new to this blog? If so, what is the “Winning with the Word” blog and why will it bless you to read it?

“Winning with the Word” is a weekly blog that helps you to deal with the daily problems of life by using the Bible as your guide to solving them. The Word of God will make you a success in life!

AN INVITATION TO YOU: To subscribe to Winning with the Word, click here.

_____________________________________________________________

Copyright 2000-2020 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

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WHY the Corona Virus?

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 TO YOU: To follow this blog, click here. 

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

______________________________________

 

 

 

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

 

 

 

______________________________________________

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, April 6, 2020. Today’s Podcast is Episode #14 in Series 2020 and is titled “WHY the Corona Virus?”

Have you asked yourself why the entire world is experiencing the pandemic of the Corona virus? Surely, there have been pandemics before, and perhaps they occurred for the same reason I’m going to present to you today.  Among the many scientific and social reasons for the virus, this one is one to consider as well.  It is the SPIRITUAL reason for the Corona virus.

Yes, there is a spiritual reason for the current presence of the virus in our world. That spiritual reason is that God is calling us to repent of our sin and to turn to Him.

Of course, the spiritual reason is not a very popular one because people don’t like to talk of sin nor to confront their own sin. But this is what we must do if we want God to heal our land.

There is a very pointed Scripture verse in the Second Book of Chronicles that says this: “If My people, who are called by My name, will humble themselves and pray and seek My face and turn from their wicked ways, then I will hear from heaven, and I will forgive their sin and will heal their land.”

Who are God’s people? Those of us who have been born again by accepting Jesus Christ as our Savior and Lord. God is talking to us, the Church. He is saying that in order for Him to heal our land, we must do four things:

1. We must HUMBLE ourselves. This means we must acknowledge that we are helpless without God.

2. We must PRAY. We must communicate with God and do more listening than talking.

3. We must SEEK His Face. This means we must put God first, above everything else in our lives.

4. We must TURN from our wicked ways. This means we must repent of our sin and do an about-face in the way we live. To repent means to do a 180-degree turn and go in the opposite direction.

When we have done all of these four things, then–and only then–will God heal our land.

Notice in this verse that God is speaking to His people, not to the world. The buck always stops with the Church. As goes the Church, so goes the culture. What a sad commentary on the Church! 

To a great extent, we have failed in our mission to be the salt of the earth and the light of the world. We have failed to fulfill the Great Commission given to us by Jesus in Mark 16. We have failed to uphold righteousness. Indeed, we have even succumbed to unrighteousness and participated in evil by siding with the culture of the world.

 
So, I implore you. Let all of us who call ourselves Christ-Followers repent of our complacency and our compromise. Let us humble ourselves, pray, seek God’s face, and turn from our wicked ways. Then let us go out into all the world and preach the Gospel so that others, too, can be saved.  
 
If you have not yet accepted Jesus Christ as your Savior, I urge you to do so now by praying this simple prayer with me:

Lord Jesus, I come to You just as I am. I need You to save me. I cannot save myself. I repent of my sins and ask You to forgive me. I invite You into my life to be my Savior and my Lord. Lead me to the place of perfect rest in You and help me to know You. I pray, believe, and receive in Your Name. Amen.

If you prayed this simple prayer, please write to me at drmaryann@maryanndiorio.com. I would like to send you a little booklet that will help you get started in your relationship with Jesus Christ. I also encourage you to get yourself a Bible and read it every day, starting in the Gospel of John, which is in the second half of the Bible. The Bible is God’s love letter to you, His manual for your life. In it He reveals Who He is. In it He reveals His infinite love for you. In it He reveals His peace.

Finally, ask the Lord to lead you to the church of His choice for you where you can learn about Him and find fellowship and encouragement with other Christ-Followers.

For those of you who may not know, I write fiction about some of the issues I deal with in this blog and podcast. As a token of my deep appreciation for all of you who follow this blog and podcast, I want to give you a FREE ebook copy of my popular novel, The Madonna of Pisano, the first book in my trilogy titled The Italian Chronicles. To receive your FREE ebook copy, please go to the link listed at the end of this post. For those of you who are listening, the link is: https://www.smashwords.com/books/view/705659

Note that this offer is valid only until April 30th, so get your free ebook copy now before you forget!


I also invite you to visit my website at https://maryanndiorio.com/book-table. There you will find a complete list of the novels, novellas, and short stories I have written about characters with problems like yours.

On my website, you will also find many additional resources to help you grow in your walk with Christ.

If you have been blessed by these messages, I also invite you to become a Winning with the Word patron on Patreon. As a patron you will enjoy special benefits only for my patrons. Just go to Patreon.com and search for Winning with the Word to join. I would lke to thank all of my patrons who are making this podcast possible.

And to all of you wonderful listeners out there, thank you so much for listening. This is Dr. MaryAnn Diorio, novelist and life coach, reminding you 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.

To subscribe to “Winning with the Word”, click here.

To receive my monthly newsletter, click here.

 

Listen to the podcast here:

________________________________________________

Now it’s your turn: Have you entered the rest of God? Please leave your comment in the Comment Box below. Thank you!

PLEASE TWEET: “” by Dr. MaryAnn Diorio (CLICK TO TWEET)

Please tell your family and friends about “Winning with the Word,” and please pass this post on to them. Thank you!

Check out these three popular Winning with the Word podcasts below. You may also search for a particular topic in the search box at the top of the sidebar on this page. 

__You Are ALREADY HEALED!

__The Dangers of the Enneagram

__Is the World Coming to an End?

__The Coming Global Cataclysm

__Is Your Tongue Ruining Your Life?

__A Parent’s Promise from God

 Are you new to this blog? If so, what is the “Winning with the Word” blog and why will it bless you to read it?

“Winning with the Word” is a weekly blog that helps you to deal with the daily problems of life by using the Bible as your guide to solving them. The Word of God will make you a success in life!

AN INVITATION TO YOU: To subscribe to Winning with the Word, click here.

_____________________________________________________________

Copyright 2000-2020 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. 

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How to Enter the Rest of God

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 TO YOU: To follow this blog, click here. 

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

______________________________________

 

 

 

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

 

 

 

______________________________________________

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, March 30, 2020. Today’s Podcast is Episode #13 in Series 2020 and is titled “How to Enter the Rest of God”.

Most of us have heard the quote that “desperate times call for desperate measures.” It is believed that the quote originated with the Greek physician Hippocrates. Regardless, it is a quote applicable to our day.

With the rapid global spread of the Corona virus, and with no cure yet, it can be said that we are, indeed, living in desperate times. Desperate not only physically, but also financially, emotionally, and psychologically.

So, what is a body to do?

While the problem may be complex, the solution is simple. What are we to do? We are to rest in the Lord.

What does it mean to rest? An Internet search discloses the following definitions for the word “rest”:

1.  To be placed or supported so as to stay in a specified position; rest on/upon.
2.  To be based on or grounded in; depend on.

How do these definitions relate to resting in the Lord?  Well, using the first definition as a model, resting in the Lord means to be supported by Him, to lean on Him, so that we can stay in the position of peace. Using the second definition, resting in the Lord means to be grounded in Him and to depend on Him.

Resting in the Lord may be easy to do when things are going well, but when things are going crazy, it is far more difficult to rest in the Lord. 

You see, when things are going well, we become self-reliant. We feel as though we are in control of matters and that nothing can change without our changing it. But the experience of recent days proves that such thinking is a delusion. We are no more in control of our lives than we are in control of the universe. God is in ultimate control, and He ultimately calls the shots.

At the same time, God does not leave us powerless. He wants us to draw our power from Him. In short, He wants us to rest in Him. To trust that He will be there for us, even in the worst of storms.

In Hebrews 4: 11, the Bible commands us to enter into God’s rest. Listen to what it says: “Let us labour therefore to enter into that rest, lest any man fall after the same example of unbelief.” This verse instructs us to “labour” or “work” to enter God’s rest. This sounds like a contradiction, but it is not. It takes effort to enter God’s rest. That effort involves getting to know God and His character so that we can grow in trusting Him. 
 

The rest of God is the peace of God. It is the place of total, unwavering trust in God. How do we get there? By getting to know God. You see, trust comes from knowledge. We do not trust people we do not know. The people we trust the most are the people we know best.

So it is with God. Our level of trust in God will correspond to our level of knowledge of God’s character. So if you want to enter into God’s rest, get to know God intimately.
 
How can you get to know God? By accepting His Son Jesus Christ. Jesus is the only way to get to know God the Father. Jesus said, “If you have seen Me, you have seen the Father” (John 14: 9). Jesus also said, “I am the Way, and the Truth, and the Life. No one comes to the Father except through Me” (John 14: 6).

If you have not yet accepted Jesus Christ as your Savior, I urge you to do so now by praying this simple prayer with me:

Lord Jesus, I come to You just as I am. I need You to save me. I cannot save myself. I repent of my sins and ask You to forgive me. I invite You into my life to be my Savior and my Lord. Lead me to the place of perfect rest in You. I pray, believe, and receive in Your Name. Amen.

If you prayed this simple prayer, please write to me at drmaryann@maryanndiorio.com. I would like to send you a little booklet that will help you get started in your relationship with Jesus Christ. I also encourage you to get yourself a Bible and read it every day, starting in the Gospel of John, which is in the second half of the Bible. The Bible is God’s love letter to you, His manual for your life. In it, He reveals Who He is. In it He reveals His infinite love for you. In it, He reveals His rest.

Finally, ask the Lord to lead you to the church of His choice for you where you can learn about Him and find fellowship and encouragement with other Christ-Followers.

For those of you who may not know, I write fiction about some of the issues I deal with in this blog and podcast. As a token of my deep appreciation for all of you who follow this blog and podcast, I want to give you a FREE ebook copy of my popular novel, The Madonna of Pisano, the first book in my trilogy titled The Italian Chronicles. To receive your FREE ebook copy, please go to the link listed at the end of this post. For those of you who are listening, the link is: https://www.smashwords.com/books/view/705659

Note that this offer is valid only until April 30th, so get your free ebook copy now before you forget!


I also invite you to visit my website at https://maryanndiorio.com/book-table. There you will find a complete list of the novels, novellas, and short stories I have written about characters with problems like yours.

On my website, you will also find additional resources, articles, non-fiction books, and podcasts to help you grow in your walk with Christ.

If you have been blessed by these messages, I also invite you to become a Winning with the Word patron on Patreon. As a patron you will enjoy special benefits only for my patrons. Just go to Patreon.com and search for Winning with the Word to join. This podcast is being sponsored by my wonderful husband and patron, Dr. Dominic Diorio. Thank you, Honey, for faithfully supporting the work of the Lord through this podcast.

And to all of you wonderful listeners out there, thank you so much for listening. This is Dr. MaryAnn Diorio, novelist and life coach, reminding you 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.

To subscribe to “Winning with the Word”, click here.

To receive my monthly newsletter, click here.

 

Listen to the podcast here:

________________________________________________

Now it’s your turn: Have you entered the rest of God? Please leave your comment in the Comment Box below. Thank you!

PLEASE TWEET: “How to Enter the Rest of God!” by Dr. MaryAnn Diorio (CLICK TO TWEET)

Please tell your family and friends about “Winning with the Word,” and please pass this post on to them. Thank you!

Check out these three popular Winning with the Word podcasts below. You may also search for a particular topic in the search box at the top of the sidebar on this page. 

__You Are ALREADY HEALED!

__The Dangers of the Enneagram

__Is the World Coming to an End?

__The Coming Global Cataclysm

__Is Your Tongue Ruining Your Life?

__A Parent’s Promise from God

 Are you new to this blog? If so, what is the “Winning with the Word” blog and why will it bless you to read it?

“Winning with the Word” is a weekly blog that helps you to deal with the daily problems of life by using the Bible as your guide to solving them. The Word of God will make you a success in life!

AN INVITATION TO YOU: To subscribe to Winning with the Word, click here.

_____________________________________________________________

Copyright 2000-2020 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. 

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