Chronicles of the End Times
Occasionally, people say, are we really in the last days? How do we know? Does it matter one way or another? We will try to answer these questions and many others in this study. But the most important question may be, how can we reach others with hope in these changing times? One part of prophecy is often emphasized over another, causing us to lose perspective and miss the blessing and beauty of prophecy in scripture. I have taken the information in this study from many authors and teachers who have their lives studying God's word. I have added some insight that the Holy Spirit taught me. With God's help, I have endeavored to keep the whole counsel of the word of God in full view to give us an accurate picture of Christ and His great love for a lost world. I pray that this will challenge you and cause you to grow in the knowledge of our Lord Jesus Christ, as it has me preparing it. Let's begin!
Chronicles of the End Times
The Light is Greater Than The Darkness.
Experience the raw reality of Christian persecution as we uncover the tragic fate of 70 beheaded believers in the Democratic Republic of the Congo, attributed to an Islamic State-linked group. This episode promises to open your eyes to the stark contrast between the harrowing struggles faced by Christians in places like North Korea and Nigeria and the relative ease enjoyed in the West. Despite growing negativity and division in Western societies, there's a powerful call to embrace gratitude and foster a deeper relationship with God. We delve into the bullying Christians face even in the supposedly safer Western world and the urgent need to spread faith beyond church walls.
In another enlightening chapter, we challenge listeners to transcend the basics of Christianity and pursue spiritual maturity. Inspired by Hebrews, chapter 6, we confront common misconceptions about intimacy with God, emphasizing that true closeness is built on love and trust rather than physical connection. As we look towards making 2025 a standout year spiritually, there's encouragement to grow in faith and patience, knowing every effort is seen by God. With a focus on being givers like Jesus, this episode is a heartfelt reminder to remain hopeful and engaged, because the King is indeed coming.
Welcome everyone. This is Russ Scalzo. Chronicles of the End Times. Thank you for being with me today. Today we're going to be talking about the persecution of Christians that's going on all over the world, and especially, we're going to be talking about the discovery of Christians that's going on all over the world, and especially, we're going to be talking about the discovery of 70 bodies in a church in the war-torn Democratic Republic of the Congo. Now, according to Open Doors, which supports persecuted Christians around the world, it's an Islamic group linked to the Islamic State called the AFD, and they have beheaded 70 Christians with machetes in the church.
Speaker 1:It's hard for us sometimes to fathom these things, living in the West, but there is a real war going on, spiritually and physically, against God's people, and it is directed by Satan himself and the demons and the demon princes of this world. We ought to be on our knees every day for two reasons. One, to thank God that we live in a country where that's not happening. Wherever you are in this world in Europe, the United States, australia, japan, on and on, many, many nations where this type of persecution is not happening Persecution is going on, the hatred for Christians and the Word of God is everywhere, but we're not being attacked in our homes or in our churches and dragged out and having our heads cut off. Men, women and children. You say man, russ. It's not a very uplifting podcast today, but it's the real world and we need to be praying for those people, thanking God that we're not suffering through that type of persecution and then asking God for his mercy and to touch those who are being threatened and for the families of those who have lost loved ones, all because they believe in Jesus Christ. This is the kind of news you're not going to hear about on the major networks. It may show up as some little sideline.
Speaker 1:We're more interested in talking about the politics of this world, dividing people into groups so they can hate on each other, whether it be because of the color of their skin or their political preferences, whether they're male or female. Liberals, conservatives we just can't get enough of hating on people, and you've probably noticed how negative our country has become. We focus on the negative. We live in the negative. We actually live depressing, negative lives when we are like that. Now, not all of us are doing that, those especially who have a more sound mind and those that are walking close with Jesus, but it's like saying something positive or nice about someone is looked down upon. We'd rather talk negative, yell and scream, drop a thousand F-bombs to make sure everybody understands how we feel.
Speaker 1:God is calling those who are listening to prayer. God is calling those who are listening to get close with him and to build their relationships up with him. I recently spoke on relationships and you know, in this world there's givers and there's takers in relationships. I'm sure that if you've been alive for more than 10 minutes in this world, you know that and maybe you have experienced some bad relationships because of that. You can give your love and you give your love and you care about people and you want to help people through their lives, see what you can do for them, encourage them, and then the other type of person just takes and takes and takes. You never get a return of that love and that concern and we have to make sure and I have to make sure that I'm not that way with Jesus, that I'm just not asking, asking, talking, talking and not listening to what the Lord wants, because God is a giver. He's the greatest giver. He gave of himself. We know that on the cross he gives of himself. Every single day. He puts up with these horrific things that are going on in the world. If it was you or me, we'd wipe out the whole world and start over or just forget about it altogether. But God is merciful and kind beyond what we can even imagine. Sometimes his grace is like so great you just can't put it into words. But on the other side there's you and me. Are we just going to be takers or are we going to be givers as well? And that's what Jesus wants us to be. He wants us to be like him, a giver, giver of ourselves, giver of our money, giver of our time, our prayers and our love, in a world that's starving for it, in a world that's walking around in the desert of depression and negativity, and I hope and pray that you and I will not get pulled into that, because that's a terrible, dark place to be. Jesus Christ wants the best for us. He wants to see us be successful and, as Paul said, I wish that you would prosper as your soul prospers, and that really should be how the equation works.
Speaker 1:Many Christians are feeling this. Some of the countries are obvious and some of them aren't. North Korea ranks as one of the most dangerous countries for Christians Somalia, libya, yemen, nigeria. In Egypt, christians face discrimination, including harassment on the streets and bullying at school. There are many other nations as well. Here in America mostly, we suffer from bullying, and that bullying comes from those on the far left. Their mission is to intimidate us to such a degree that we stay in our churches, we stay in our homes and we don't take Jesus to the streets. In our churches, we stay in our homes and we don't take Jesus to the streets. And we all have to admit. Over the last 10 years or more, the bullying of Christians in this country and in other countries around the world has gotten worse. How dare you express yourself in our world? Sometimes that's how it feels. Then there is severe persecution going on in Iran.
Speaker 1:But in the midst of all this, god is moving. It's hard to wrap our minds around how this works. In the Gospel of John, chapter 1, one of my favorite chapters because it declares how great God is In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God and the Word was God. He was in the beginning with God. All things were made through him and without him was not anything made. That was God. He was in the beginning with God. All things were made through him, and without him was not anything made. That was made In him was life, and the life was the light of men. The light shines in the darkness and the darkness has not overcome it, and that's what we have to remember the light shines in the darkness and the darkness has not overcome it. We have to remember that. We need to feed the Spirit. We need to feed our Spirit. We need to be in close relationship with Jesus Christ.
Speaker 1:When you get into a relationship, what's your expectations? I'm sure we all have expectations when we get into a relationship, and when we talk about Jesus Christ, the expectation should be through the roof. Whatever you put into a relationship, if it's a healthy one, you'll get it back and you can't outgive God with your time and your money and your devotion to him. He just comes back at you a hundredfold in so many ways. We need to remember. We need to put that on our prayer list as we're praying for our families and our friends and our nation. We need to pray for our brothers and sisters who are given their lives, all because they love Jesus. But we can know for sure that you can't outgive God, even if it's your life that you have to give up for him, because your reward in heaven is so great and it goes on forever eternity. Keep in mind, god has so much more for you and I.
Speaker 1:I think of Hebrews, chapter 6. Let's think on this today. The writer says therefore, let us leave the elementary doctrine of Christ and go on to maturity, not laying again the foundation of repentance from dead works and of faith toward God and of instruction about washings and the laying of hands and the resurrection of the dead and eternal judgment. So the writer here is encouraging all of us to reach out for more, though we speak this way. Yet in your case, beloved, we feel sure of better things, things that belong to salvation, for God is not unjust so as to overlook your work and the love that you have shown for his name in serving the saints, as you still do. We desire each one of you to show the same earnestness, to have the full assurance of the hope until the end, so that you may not be sluggish but imitators of those who, through faith and patience, inherit the promises. Let's march on. Let's make our relationship deeper with Christ. He's God, as John so aptly puts in his gospel and in his epistles.
Speaker 1:We have a relationship with the Almighty God, and it's not our faith that matters, but our trust in Him. A healthy relationship, an intimate relationship, is about love and about trust. Unfortunately, today, intimate relationships are usually equated with sexual relationships. But, as we know, you don't have to have trust or even love for that type of relationship. But if you want a real, solid relationship, it comes with trust and true love, and that, my brothers and sisters, can only come through a relationship with Jesus Christ. He's the only one that is completely trustworthy, for we all fail. So I encourage you to dig deeper today. Make 2025 the best year you ever had in Jesus, and everyone around you will notice it, and you will bless the Lord and everyone you come in contact with, praying for you all. That God will continue to open doors for you. You never dreamed possible. This is Russ Scalzo for Chronicles of the End Times. Keep looking up. The King is coming. You.