by Joseph | Oct 1, 2011 | Preparation, Sharing
Arise and shine for the light has come, and the glory of the Lord is risen upon thee. Isaiah 60:1
Today, we want to share a devotion we received and hope it will give you encouragement. It is time to Rise Up! It is time to set aside fear! It is time to move forward with boldness and courage!
Times are very tough, and fear is impacting in a lot of lives. We are beginning to see the challenging times that we have been preparing for. God hasn’t just prepared us to store food so we can eat during a global food shortage. We have been called for a purpose. We are to be overcomers, untouched by recession and all that we read or hear in the news. God holds our future and we are safe and secure in the palm of His hand.
It is time to step-it-up-a-notch and move to a higher place and take a higher position. When a solider has been hurt and wounded in battle, he may be slumped over and walk with a limp. However, after a time of rest and recovery, he can walk straight and stand up tall. The Lord is calling us to rise up and stand tall.
We are living in challenging times and what used to work, doesn’t work anymore. For instance, there was a time you could put ten dollars worth of gas in your car and drive all day. Those days are over and so is casual Christianity. You can’t go very far on ten dollars; it takes $80 to fill my tank and it takes more to fill my spirit. A ten minute prayer time or a ten minute time in the Word will not work.
I believe we are living in a time when we must know God and His Word like never before. You must know who you are and realize the authority God has given you as His child. You are a citizen of the Kingdom, a joint heir with Jesus Christ, and therefore you should be living by a higher standard. The kingdom of God is at hand. He has put His Word in our heart and He expects us to use His Word to speak life into dead things, and hope into hopeless people. This is a time to arise and shine for the light has come.
Encourage those who have fear. Share the Good News of a loving God who has offered His Grace and Mercy, and will never leave us or forsake us!
by Joseph | Sep 22, 2011 | Preparation, Sharing
I’ve shared on this blog, that I believe we are headed for great difficulties. It is important that we prepare for the chaos that will impact our lives.
Many who are now engaged in the “Prepper” movement, are pushing action based on fear. That fear is significantly adding to the problems, and creating all sorts of conspiracies. It seems that everywhere you go now, you can hear someone speaking about some outlandish conspiracy theory. The worst part is, the conspiracies and fear grow exponentially. The fear captures many people, destroys hope, and ultimately becomes bondage. Society becomes unstable, which obviously, will create more need for preparation.
So, with difficulties surrounding us from every side what can we do? I mean, there are wars and rumors of wars, famines, and earthquakes in various places – and that’s just the beginning. It seems that all over the planet, you hear of devastation. For many people there seems to be nowhere to turn.
I’ve often thought about the scenarios that we face, and wonder to myself : Where can I go to be safe? I’ve thought about underground, heading into seclusion, and even other Countries. The reality is, there is potential difficulty with any place you go.
Some who are reading this article will be frustrated with my ultimate resolution, but it’s the only safe place that I can offer with absolute certainty. The only place that I know of where you can have safe refuge, is in God. He will never leave us or forsake us.
“It is better to trust and take refuge in the Lord than to put confidence in man.” Psalm 118:8
God is your refuge. He is the only one who knows the answer to your present difficulties and fears. Take refuge in Him and the answer will quickly come on how you should prepare.
In the refuge of the Lord, the enemy cannot touch you, taunt you, or discourage you. You are safe under the shadow of His wings. Find the secret place every day. There you can find rest for your soul and strength to overcome the trials of these difficult days.
Psalm 112:7, “He shall not be afraid of evil tidings, his heart is firmly fixed.”
by Joseph | Sep 18, 2011 | Preparation, Sharing
Part of emergency preparedness involves having money available during the situation, and having a backup of all your financial data for when the crisis has passed. Think about how terrible it would be to survive a particularly bad situation, and then find out that all your financial information was lost. There are different steps that you can take to minimize a financial emergency when things go wrong, and to plan for your future.
Now, while there are certainly potential scenarios and risks of banking collapse and global financial meltdown, this writing will not address that level of preparedness. This post will make an assumption that current banking and legal tender remains somewhat solvent and available. We will share more on the potential of massive financial collapse in future posts.
Money is an important part of good emergency preparedness, since banks may not be open and access to funds electronically may not be available. So this means that cash may be the only form of payment accepted at stores or in other situations. If that should be the case, then you will need to have a supply of emergency cash that you can access if there is a large-scale problem. This money should include coins for pay phones and it should be hidden in a safe place in your home.
After the situation has been resolved, then the next step is fixing the problems and confusion that occurred. Your emergency preparation should have involved making backup copies of all relevant data related to your finances. On an external drive, you should regularly backup any recent transactions made online, and your credit card information. The idea here is that even if there is a massive power surge that fries your computer, followed by a power failure, once things have been restored to normal you should be able to hook your external drive to an unaffected computer and recover all your data.
Another important step to being prepared for an emergency is having financial records and important contact numbers and names of people in a safe place. In fact, this information should ideally be stored in more than one place, in the event that the first location is compromised. Safe locations could involve an external hard drive, a safety deposit box, a home safe, or some other hidden location. Once the situation has been resolved, these records can be accessed and used to make a quick transition back to normal, and they can often suffice as evidence in case the original data has been lost or damaged.
To be successful with your emergency preparedness, you need to anticipate a great deal. It is hard to predict exactly what will happen in a major crisis, but basic steps you take should involve setting aside some cash and making a backup of your financial information. So much can be lost in such a short period of time that it is well worth it to invest a bit of effort in making sure that should the worst occur, you will be more likely to walk away from it unscathed.
by Joseph | Sep 13, 2011 | Preparation, Sharing
In the difficult and turbulent times we are facing, families are changing. In many ways the change is ultimately very good. I believe it is pushing families to be more cohesive and sensitive to each other. Families are somewhat forced to draw closer together in order to work through the tough times and fears. Obviously, family congruency is an important part of the preparation process.
I have heard many stories of how my grandparents raised their children to help around the homestead. It seems to have been common practice (and necessity) that families worked together to maintain the farm – and to survive. Times were tough, and families drew on the strength of each other to get through the turmoil.
With our modern improvements and advancements in technology (such as television, internet and cell phones), family ties have been impacted. Also, there is a catastrophic falling-away from the moral principles, teachings, and values that governed our homes. The divorce epidemic in our society has destroyed the peace and stability of the family unit. Children who once had the influence of their mother and father, now were getting influenced and guided by care-givers outside the home.
As a result of our moral decline, today many adults are simply ill-prepared for the difficulties that we now face – and will become increasingly intense. The first devastating impact will occur as our economy continues to deteriorate and force us to make difficult choices for our survival. The modern family that has been flush with entertainment options and toys, will likely find new economic challenges. A growing number of families will be forced to alter their entertainment habits (out of necessity) which may actually bring families together for alternative activities.
Another factor is the growing need for families to work together on multiple-family living space. Every week, I am hearing more-and-more families are being forced to have relatives move-in with them in order to cut expenses. Adult children are returning home in order to save on expenses. Certainly, it creates some discomforts – but, it does force families to revisit their relationships and work together for survival.
The fears of the unknown, are creating stress and hardship on everyone. Parents are struggling to hold things together, and kids are wondering what will happen in the future. It’s a painful time, but… a great opportunity for families to draw closer and feel the security of their love for each other. Things are not quite as difficult when you feel like you have someone with you regardless of how tough it gets. That’s where family comes in. (more…)
by Joseph | Sep 12, 2011 | Preparation, Sharing
Right now is the time to prepare your family for emergencies and difficulties. Times are getting much more difficult, and will continue to see an increasing intensity.
The fact is, no-one knows exactly what specific problems or challenges that could eventually result during a major and over-all emergency event. The best thing right now if to prepare for situations that could cause disruption to your normal lifestyle.
Certainly we do not want to operate in fear, so preparing will help us get our families ready when stressful times approach – and will enable us to help others who may struggle with the difficulties. The reality is, we do not know when something may disrupt our lives, or exactly what the turmoil may look like.
36 “However, no one knows the day or hour when these things will happen, not even the angels in heaven or the Son himself. Only the Father knows. Matthew 24:36 (NLT)
To help us prepare, let’s do some planning. The following are some simple tips and recommendations to help us prepare for an emergency. These are very simple action tips that you might find from various preparation and disaster support agencies like the Red Cross. Certainly, most are obvious suggestions, but it never hurts to revisit our preparation plans.
Get an “escape bag” ready
There are other names for the bag, such as: 72-hour kit, bug-out bag, battle box, and GOOD bag (Get Out Of Dodge). The focus of the bag is to get you items ready for a quick evacuation. It is not intended to be an all-out long-term survival kit. Basically, it is a portable kit that is ready to go in an emergency, and contains the items that would be needed to survive for seventy-two hours when evacuating from a disaster.
Water is life, and critical for our survival
Obviously, our bodies require water for survival. Years ago, I lived in South Florida when a major hurricane hit. I took for granted that water would flow into our home. Unfortunately, I was sadly mistaken. A State that was surrounded by water was thrust into a water crisis.
So, make sure to prepare for what you do not know. As much as possible, try to keep a water supply of a gallon for every person each day and one that would be enough for seven to ten days.
Water should be kept in appropriate safe chemical-free containers. Also, make sure that you also have filters and tablets for the purposes of purification ready and available when needed. (more…)
by Joseph | Sep 9, 2011 | Preparation, Sharing
WARNING!
I believe a World War is fast approaching and it is becoming increasingly essential that we are getting prepared.
Before I share some thoughts, let me start by saying that I post this with a very heavy heart. I struggle that many people may find the comments I will share to be disturbing or painful. Certainly, it is not my intent to discourage anyone or bring fear. On the contrary, I know we have a Redeemer – and in Him we have Life Everlasting. The purpose of this writing (and the blog in its entirety) is to hopefully provoke actions in preparation.
As I begin sharing a few things, I encourage the reader to pray. Draw close to God and ask Him to carefully prepare you and open your heart to what He wishes to change and establish in you. Ask Him to give you wisdom and discernment.
The things I share here are only my opinions – based on what I believe God has laid on my heart. I suspect that many of my comments will be viewed as controversial and perhaps even a bit alarmist. I am fine with that, as I am only sharing what I believe I am supposed to share.
Years ago, I received a “Preparation Call”. I am not a theologian and in Sunday School had never heard of a “Preparation calling” being something that was available or desired. So, my preparation call was somewhat bizarre. In fact, the calling came at a time when things were very prosperous in America – and long before anyone even heard of terrorism. Our economy was robust, and outlook was encouraging. To get a preparation call during that time was just weird. But… I just felt that God laid on my heart to begin getting prepared, and be ready to help others get prepared. So whatever that meant, I have since tried to live in full surrender to it.
Now… wherever you go, it seems that more-and-more people are getting prepared. People “feel” something is coming, and they are trying to find answers on how to prepare. Unfortunately, there are people who are now using this new heightened sense of concern to spread fear and worry. Some are even using fear to profit. They call themselves “modern day prophets”, when in fact they are only after modern day profits. God will bring them to task.
So, back to the point of this post. Again, let me emphasize that I firmly believe a World War is coming, and it is vitally important that we are preparing ourselves and our families. I believe it will be quite an intense time for everyone. For those who have ignored the call to prepare, it could get frightening.
There are many, many people out there who believe a battle in the Middle East is brewing. I not only think it is brewing, I believe it is imminent. The Bible alerts us of the importance of this are in the final days, and it is becoming more obvious by the moment that we are seeing the stage being prepared for war. (more…)
by Joseph | Aug 15, 2011 | Preparation, Sharing
As a whole grain, dark hard winter or spring wheats store very well. Dried wheat pastas and pre-ground wheat flours can also be purchased, but individuals purchasing these items from a supermarket should be aware their shelf life will not be near as long as that of properly stored and prepared whole wheat grains.
Obviously, whole wheat products are easily acquired both in supermarkets and through preparation specialty websites and whole grain stores. The biggest difference you will find is that items sold in most supermarkets have typically been processed and are stored in such a way that they have a much shorter shelf life. Also, purchasing wheat pasta means your storage will only allow for eating wheat pasta. Buying wheat whole grains means preppers with grain mills can make just about anything they would like out of the whole wheat grains they have stored. A plethora of breads, pancakes and even wheat gluten meat substitutes can be fashioned from simple buckets of whole grain wheat.
Many highly-intense preppers recommend storing enough supplies (including wheat) to last your family a year. Less hardcore individuals suggest two weeks is enough. In the event of a serious disaster where infrastructure is compromised and food is not easily acquired, a supply of food that is enough to last a few months is probably a good goal. Whole wheat grains, when properly stored, can last for well over a year. An excellent grain storage bucket we recommend can be found at www.grainbuckets.com
We all are aware that we live in very difficult times. There is no longer a question about the need to be prepared. Like many people, perhaps you have decided that long-term food storage is a necessary, and you are now working to get prepared in the case of a world or national crisis.
A great place to begin your food storage is with storing whole wheat and grains. Whole Wheat and Grains can be easily stored for long periods of time, and will offer a variety of food options during a time of crisis. You will need preparation food, so it makes good sense to start with grains.
by Joseph | Aug 6, 2011 | Preparation, Sharing
My family has been in preparation for many years. In fact, I started preparing before it was cool to be a prepper! That means absolutely nothing except, I’ve been watching, listening, and preparing for a long time :).
Years ago, I heard a preparation call and started on a journey that I assumed was all about survival and a self-sustaining lifestyle. I was looking forward to preparing by learning about gardening, food storage, and emergency preparedness. I never imagined that preparation would be so intense – but then again, when we began this journey most people didn’t even fathom a need for preparation.
Today, things are much different. People all over the world are beginning to see the need to prepare, and are asking “Am I too late to get prepared”? They aren’t quite sure what to prepare for, but they sense that something is happening in the world – and they better get ready for it.
My simple answer to the question of whether it is too late to get prepared is… absolutely not!. But that comes with a disclaimer that there is a limit of time, and once that time runs out – there will no longer be the option for preparation. I believe their is an increasing intensity of events, and the preparation window is beginning to shut. Time is running out.
According to the Gospel of Matthew 25:1-13 the five virgins who are prepared for the bridegroom’s arrival are rewarded and the five who are not prepared are excluded. Hear the Word…
1. Then the Kingdom of Heaven shall be likened to ten virgins who took their lamps and went out to meet the bridegroom.
2. And five of them were wise, and five were foolish.
3. Those who were foolish took their lamps and took no oil with them,
4. but the wise took oil in their vessels with their lamps.
5. But while the bridegroom tarried, they all slumbered and slept.
6. And at midnight there was a cry made “Behold the bridegroom is coming; go out to meet him!”
7. Then all the virgins arose and trimmed their lamps.
8. And the foolish said to the wise, Give us some of your oil, for our lamps are going out.”
9. But the wise answered, saying, NO, lest there not be enought for us and you; but go rather to those who sell, and buy for yourselves.
10. And while they went to buy, the bridegroom came, and those who were ready went in with him to the wedding; and the door was shut.
11. Afterward the other virgins came also, saying, “Lord, Lord, open to us!”
12. But he answered and said, Assuredly I say to you, I do not know you.”
— Matthew 25:1-13
In the days ahead, I will share some of the steps we took to begin our journey toward preparation. For now, the most important first-step is to ask God to change your heart – so that you are prepared to greet the Bridegroom when He arrives.
by Joseph | Jul 26, 2011 | Preparation, Sharing
Okay, here it goes – I’m certain I’ll be labeled (again) as some crazy conspiracy theorist, or perhaps a gloom and doom preacher. Feel free to label me whatever you feel is appropriate. I’ve been called lots of things before :).
First of all, let me state that I do believe we are heading toward a collapse. In fact, it wasn’t too long ago that I would say that and be completely alone in my statement. Today, however, there are many people who now seem to agree with me.
This is not intended to be “gloom and doom” but a reminder that we must be preparing. I can not fathom how anyone can go through a day without the Faith in knowing the coming Messiah.
So why do I think there will be a collapse? Well, everything I’m seeing tells me so. You see, for a long time America has been the greatest financial powerhouse on the planet. Today, not so much. We are about to lose our lunch. Those who have held to a faith in the government structure will soon be very disappointed.
At this very moment the government wrestles with this issue of raising our debt ceiling. Basically, we have to borrow more money to keep us floating. At some point (which I believe is now), you simply can not continue borrowing above your ability to repay.
I certainly pray for our leaders and appreciate their hard work on this matter. It’s a very, very, difficult decision and one that will create major issues regardless of which way it goes. I recognize the difficulty. You see, I contend that regardless of the vote – we are heading for a collapse. Heed the call to prepare!
The US government likes to borrow money rather than make the tough choices of which programs to cut. We have become a Country of Entitlements and have continually fed the animal until it is very difficult to wean. The more we feed it, the closer we come to our own demise.
(more…)
by Joseph | Jul 25, 2011 | Preparation, Sharing
In my lifetime, I have never seen such despair and ambivalence. People are afraid and many are losing hope. The times have impressed people to begin living more simple lives, and to prepare.
In fact, many people have felt a call to prepare and to be ready for the difficulties that are approaching. Those difficulties could be in the form of political or economic crisis, or they could be a catastrophic natural event like an earthquake or drought. Whatever the difficulty, countless families are now seeing the importance of preparing.
My family has been in active preparation for years now, although I’ve shared often that it is not what I assumed it to be. When I originally started on the journey of preparation, I assumed it was all about storing provisions and learning how to plant a garden. Certainly, those were/are important in the process of preparedness, but the real need of preparation is much greater.
God is calling us to a deeper Faith in Him. We can, and should, be better prepared for events that will impact us in a major way – but more than that, we need to be steadfast in our Faith. We need to be prepared to meet our God.
As we simplify our lives and look for ways to sustain our families in emergencies, we should also be preparing and softening our hearts to hear from God. Store the Word of God in our hearts, so when the times of troubled waters come – we are prepared.
“Save me, O God; for the waters are come in unto my soul. I sink in deep mire, where there is no standing: I am come into deep waters, where the floods overflow me. I am weary of my crying: my throat is dried: mine eyes fail while I wait for my God.” Psalms 69:1-3
Today, we want to share a devotion we received and hope it will give you encouragement. It is time to Rise Up! It is time to set aside fear! It is time to move forward with boldness and courage!
