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
A Spiritual Call to Action and Prayer
Use Left/Right to seek, Home/End to jump to start or end. Hold shift to jump forward or backward.
Do you ever wonder how close we are to a spiritual tipping point? Join me, Russ Scalzo, on "Chronicles of the End Times" as we tackle the escalating spiritual and societal crises shaking our world to its core. In this episode, we delve into the chapter "Prayer and Action Call," exploring the global turbulence and the pivotal role the Church of Jesus Christ must play in these trying times. Drawing wisdom from Psalm 106, we reflect on Israel's historical cycles of rebellion and redemption, making critical connections to today's spiritual climate. We discuss the severe risks of spiritual compromise and the essential need to stand firm against the powers of darkness. God's mission to save and heal is highlighted, urging believers to maintain a vibrant prayer life and deep reliance on the Holy Spirit.
As we move into the chapter "Crossroads of Faith and Prayer," we examine the dangerous consequences of drifting away from God, likening it to wandering in a spiritual desert. Reflecting on a biblical account where the Israelites' desires led to a divine punishment of wasting disease, we underscore the importance of unyielding faithfulness. The church is at a crucial juncture, and our collective response will shape our future. In these critical moments, we must commit wholeheartedly to God's will, seek His guidance, and extend His love to those around us. This episode is a clarion call for believers to stay steadfast, remain spiritually connected, and fulfill our mission of bringing joy to the Almighty as we anticipate the return of our King.
Speaker 0
00:08
Welcome, everyone. This is Russ Scalzo, Chronicles of the End Times. It's good to be with you today. Today, I'm just going to do a shorter podcast that I feel the Holy Spirit would have me share to encourage us that the battle is the Lord's and we can win it. Thank you for listening in England, Australia, Canada, Africa, and worldwide.
- 00:39
The world is in turmoil this morning as we look at the news. There are riots in France, war in the Ukraine, and the Middle East is about to explode into something that is going to change the world. here in America, we are more divided than ever, unfortunately. Everyone is discussing the presidential race, and the debate is shaping our future. But today I just want to take this time to remind us that God is in control and that we need to be praying, but praying with power and praying with passion, connected to the Lord, jesus Christ and the Father, through the power and the relationship of the Holy Spirit. It's not often talked about, but Jesus did say don't think I've come to bring peace, but I have come to bring division. He's telling us that he's not just getting arbitrary peace to the world, like a human type of peace. That's not why he came. We're going to look in Psalms today for this devotion. The Church of Jesus Christ all over the world is at a crossroads. What are we going to do? Are we going to fall in line with what society tells us is the right thing to do, or are we going to follow the Word of God and trust the Lord that he can bring victory at any time and he's able to provide for us and take care of us if we stay connected to the vine?
02:14
We're going to look at Psalm 106, and we're going to start with verse 28, which talks about the condition of Israel and there are two things that God is working on right now. It's Israel, the promises he made to them, and the church and the state of the church. We are in the Laodicean era, and many of you have heard that before. That is a reference to Revelation, chapter three, where God is rebuking the church and also encouraging the church to get in line with him and to get in line with the Spirit of God. Israel's history is filled with ups and downs, trusting God, moving away from God doing horrific things, and God reaching out to them.
02:58
Let's read this piece of scripture in Psalm 106, verse 28. They yoked themselves to Baal of Peor and ate sacrifices offered to lifeless gods. They provoked the Lord to anger by their wicked deeds and a plague broke out among them. But Phinehas stood up and intervened and the plague was checked. This was credited to him as righteousness for the endless generations to come. That's a powerful scripture. This person, Phinehas, stood up and intervened. What does that mean? Did he get in the way, stand up, and try to convince the people to do good? No, he intervened with God, and God credited that to him as righteousness, something we need to think about. Our job is to pray and stand in the gap.
03:46
We jump down to verse 34. It said they did not destroy the peoples, as the Lord had commanded, but they mingled with the nations and adopted their customs. They worshiped their idols, which became a snare to them. They sacrificed their sons and their daughters to demons snare to them. They sacrificed their sons and their daughters to demons. They shed innocent blood, the blood of their sons and daughters, whom they sacrificed to the idols of Canaan, and the land was desecrated. By their blood, they defiled themselves by what they did. By their deeds, they prostituted themselves. We've been talking about the great prostitute in Revelation, and this is what God is talking about: spiritual prostitution.
04:29
It says they did not destroy the people that God told them to destroy, but from a spiritual perspective, god doesn't want us to destroy people. He wants us to attack the principalities and powers that are in control. He wants us to intervene because it is a dangerous time we live in, where, yes, because we have walked away from God because the church has walked away from God. We, therefore, are sacrificing our sons and daughters because we're not walking in the way of the Lord, and we're not staying where we need to be in God, but we are feeling the pressure, and the church has decided to mingle with the enemy. It goes on to say that many times he delivered them, but they were bent on rebellion, and they wasted away in their sin.
05:13
God intends to save. He wants to save and heal and mend and bring light where there was darkness. It says in verse 44 that he took note of their distress. When he heard their cry For their sake, he remembered his covenant and, out of his great love he relented. God is constantly reaching out. In Psalm 107, verse 15, it says let them give thanks to the Lord for his unfailing love, for his wonderful deeds for men. He breaks down gates of bronze and cuts through bars of iron. God will do anything to reach us. That's where we come in, those who have been faithful to God, those who are faithful to his word.
05:58
There are a lot of important issues in this country and in every country around the world. People are concerned about food, feeding their families, housing their families, taking care of the little ones. These are genuine concerns. But we can't lose sight of the real issue. God uses affliction to bring his people back to him. Psalm 119, verses 71 and 72. It is good for me that I was afflicted, that I might learn your statutes. The law of your mouth is better to me than thousands of gold and silver pieces. This is what we need to be thinking about. We need to consider the real issues.
06:37
Psalm 108, verse 12, says Give us aid against the enemy, for the help of man is worthless. With God, we will gain victory and he will trample down our enemies, enemy of our souls. That's a great line, for the help of man is worthless for our salvation. We must be careful not to look to an individual for our salvation. God, and God alone, is whom we need to seek and whom we need to trust. We need to get on the same page as the Lord Jesus Christ. What is he trying to do? He's trying to turn the hearts of people to him. He's trying to wake up the church first so we can reach out to the lost. That's how it works. If we're not following God, if we're not praying, the world has no chance. For we are the arms and legs, we are the ears, we are the voice of God in this generation. Psalm 106, verse 14,.
07:32
It says In the desert they gave in to their craving and the wasteland. They put God to the test. So he gave them what they asked for, but sent a wasting disease upon them. In our case, the desert is a place where we have left God, a wasteland where we no longer hear the Spirit of the Lord. That is the true wasteland that is the true desert, and when we're in that place, we are in great danger. And that is a frightening verse. So he gave them what they asked for, but sent a wasting disease upon them.
08:06
We don't want to get to that place where we have exhausted God, where God said okay, I'm reaching out again and again and again and again, but you refuse to hear me. Therefore, I'm going to give you what you're asking for. That is why the church is at a crossroads. Where are we going to go? Are the people of God going to begin to pray? Are we going to hold fast? I don't want God to give me what I asked for in the flesh. I want him to give me what he wants to give me. I want him to give me more of his spirit, sensitivity to who he is, and more love for those who need him. I hope this has been a blessing to you. This is our mission, and this is what will bring a smile to the face of the Almighty. This is Russ Scalzo of the Chronicles of the End Times. God bless, keep looking up. The King is coming.
00:00 / 09:03