sasha2u
New Kid on the Block
Posts: 22
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Post by sasha2u on Jun 30, 2011 7:14:21 GMT -5
I have recently been reading alot about "Christian Preppers"....ya know, those Christian folks who form support networks and learn survivalist skills so they can be self sufficient, and not depend on ANYTHING that is modernized, ie supermarkets and electricity. Of course, years ago I thought these folks were a bit off.....but I don't anymore. Living here in the beautiful but oh-so-crazy ultra liberal Catskill Mountains of NY state, I am forced, for the most part, to keep my biblical voice silent....I work for both communists and "Lesbian Power Couples".... I have to survive but you get my drift. I have been reading alot about Pastor Chuck Baldwin's move from Florida to Montana, one of those western states that is being now called the "Great American Redoubt"...... those states that tend to be more Christian Conservative freindly. I've read that many folks are "voting with their feet" and "getting out of Dodge" and moving to said states....and after seeing the Glenn Beck debacle in NYC the other night (I know that Glenn is a Mormon, and I used to follow him but no more).....all I can say is "ah yes, those tolerant, loving, kumbaya Leftists...their compassion just makes me all warm and fuzzy"....NOT. If you don't know what I'm talking about, it's about Glenn and his family being vicously attacked in NYC, by Lovin' Leftists (In reality, the Spawn of Satan!) who threw wine at his wife and screamed "we don't tolerate COSERVATIVES here!" blah blah blah. Ya know, Leftie Love, in all it's crowning glory. Now, I have two questions.....what does everyone think of the Christian Preppers movement, and what are your thoughts on Chuck Baldwin? My main concern (and confuison) with Pastor Chuck is the "wrapping the cross in the American flag" kind of thing...yet isn't it okay to be worried about our very survival in the coming days AS CHRISTIANS? I'm off to work right now.....hope my post is making sense! Thanks all!
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aiw
Full Citizen
Posts: 87
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Post by aiw on Jun 30, 2011 8:00:04 GMT -5
Hi Sasha –
Yes, it makes sense to me. I have been contemplating this myself in that I wonder just how bad it is going to get before the Lord comes to get us. I keep having thoughts of watching my children slowly starve to death due to what I believe is an impending food shortage…or perhaps nuclear fallout from the plants affected by the current fire…and the flood, (at the same time! What are the odds?) What stops me short from heading for the hills is a hope that He will return before any of that happens…naïve perhaps, but leaving civilization doesn’t seem to make sense right now, either.
Thank you for a timely thought –provoking post….
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Post by shann0 on Jun 30, 2011 11:52:22 GMT -5
2Tim1:7 For God hath not given us the spirit of fear; but of power, and of love, and of a sound mind.
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Post by PrisonerOfHope on Jun 30, 2011 12:44:17 GMT -5
It's only prudent to keep at least 2-3 weeks' supply of food and water on hand in case of an emergency - storm, trucker's strike, or whatever, and I admit I've been stocking big bags of Meow Mix because with the flooding in the Heartland I expect prices will go up, and I can't be as flexible with the kitties' diet as I am with mine. I also stock up on canned goods, cereal etc. when they're on sale, purely as a money-saving measure - it's something I've always done. (Oh OK, and CHOCOLATE! ) But...do you think for one minute that Jesus would have neglected to tell us to stockpile food and supplies for the Last Days if that were necessary? And how about the majority of people who live from paycheck to paycheck, and can't even afford to lay in even a little extra food, much less pick up and "head for the hills?" No, He didn't forget....He told us to "Look up!" I entertained the thought of setting aside more than my usual month or so's supply of food and water, and the Holy Spirit brought me up short....He reminded me of all my neighbors who, in the recent tornado, lost everything...including the extra supplies they may have set aside. Years ago I went from an executive job to one that was straight commission. At first I thought I was going to starve - I wasn't earning any commissions, and from my $250 a week draw, had to take care of a debt repayment program that was over $500 a month; the rest left over wasn't enough to cover the rent on the apartment in the very nice area of NYC that I lived in....much less food, utilities, and carfare. I made it...but to this day don't know how. One day a couple from church gave me two bags of groceries. The wife was into "healthy" food, but the husband whispered to me, "I put something in there you'll like." To my delight, when I got home I found a box of Walker's Chocolate Chip Shortbread, imported from Scotland! I rationed those cookies out to make them last - two a day - so the pleasure of them lasted for several weeks. Eventually the Lord blessed my socks off, and I got to where I made more in commissions than all my co-workers combined. With my first check that had money left over after necessities were taken care of, I asked my friend where he got the cookies, and I headed to Zabar's to get a box. After months of struggling, I decided I deserved to pig out - I was going to eat as many of those cookies in one sitting as I wanted to! Well, I got home, and tore the box open....none of this opening it neatly from the end like I did the last time! And there, carefully packaged inside the box (same size and packaging as the one I had been given) were....ten cookies. So - how did the previous box of ten cookies last me for several weeks, having two every night? Well....you've heard of the loaves and fishes, haven't you? ;D Even now, the money I have to live on for the month is less than what my pocket money was years ago, and you know what? I'm living better than I did when I was making big bucks! I have a beautiful house of my own, a car that didn't cost me a cent, a fabulous wardrobe, and I eat very well. I don't know how He does it...but He does! I have no doubt that if all I had was a single box of cereal the Lord would make it last for as long as I needed it to. He's never let me down before, and isn't about to start now. I'm not heading for the hills - I'm trusting the Lord.
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sasha2u
New Kid on the Block
Posts: 22
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Post by sasha2u on Jun 30, 2011 16:13:56 GMT -5
I'm not talking about NOT trusting the Lord.....or about having a spirit of fear. If we knew a tsunami was coming....would we just sit still and say that God will magically save me from drowning or being crushed?
I don't know enough about pre-trib, or post-trib to debate it right now to be perfectly honest.....but I do know that as we speak, devout born again Christians in Chinese prisons are being beaten to death and tortured for not denying thier love of and faith in Christ.....as well as those in Muslim countries who face unbeleivabe atrocities (like Christian familes being chained together, from grandma on down to the young infants) and systematically burned alive by Islamists.
Are they not they the bride of Christ too? Sometimes I worry about us American Christians.....we've never had to face surviving in the most awful conditions or huge famines or REAL persecution.......yet.
But why would we feel we are immune to torture, or prison, or worse? I mean, I know how much I'm feeling the heat already from the Uber Left and the insanity of what our country is quickly becoming. It's getting more and more difficult for me to even WORK becasue of the crazies....so although I too, know that God is present in my life every day and sometimes blesses me greatly (and I am so thankful for that!)...I'm not quite sure that having a huge Christian support system in place or relocating to an area that is Christian freindly and AWARE of the times we are living in is abad idea at all....in fact, I left my last church recently becasue
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sasha2u
New Kid on the Block
Posts: 22
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Post by sasha2u on Jun 30, 2011 16:19:04 GMT -5
ACK....!!...because NO ONE IS PAYING ANY ATTENTION TO WHATS TRANSPIRING AROUND US...it's just business as usual and it's NOT.
Anyways....so far our "persecution" has been "soft"....doesn't mean we won't expereince much worse, or at least that akin to what others in foreign lands are suffering.
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Post by shann0 on Jun 30, 2011 17:10:41 GMT -5
I understand your concern. A little over a year ago, I felt the Lord was leading me to start putting some things aside for emergencies. But I'm no longer feeling that urgency. He's given me peace.
I don't see any problem with having some extra food and supplies on hand, and in fact disaster preparedness is important. Especially if you live in areas that are prone to them. But I don't feel that we need to worry about finding a cave up in the mountains somewhere and stocking it with 7 years worth of food storage.
I believe that the survivalist crowd has found a very effective marketing ploy, and that is keeping everyone fearful. Fearful people are easily manipulated into spending their money on things they normally wouldn't buy.
The Lord never told us in the bible that we need to have huge stores of food and water for the last days, He said when these things begin to happen, look up! I believe wholeheartedly that if we were supposed to worry about that, He would have told us.
So, to sum up, if the Spirit is leading you to gather some emergency supplies in case of flood, tornado, hurricane, fire, or earthquake do so. But do you have to spend considerable time, money and storage space to have several years worth of supplies? No I don't think so.
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Post by PrisonerOfHope on Jun 30, 2011 21:18:08 GMT -5
If you think about it, persecution has never been worldwide, and won't be until the tribulation starts. Even during the Holocaust the European Jews were being rounded up, but Jews in other countries were doing fine. Frankly, I don't think Satan has to worry about most American "Christians" - they're so eager to jump on the bandwagon of any false new doctrine that comes along, be it (un)holy laughter, soaking prayer, WOF, etc. - that most are probably apostate already; it's only a remnant who are clinging to the Truth. Another thing is this: Matthew 24 tells us that right up until the day that Noah entered the ark (a type of the rapture) people were eating, drinking, having weddings, etc. - in other words, pretty much "business as usual." Things are changing in this world quickly, and we can see that already many people can barely afford even the basics and it's no longer "business as usual" for them - so how close must the rapture be? I feel a tremendous peace, despite what's going on all around me. Sasha, I do think it's possible, though, that you and others are being led to lay away supplies for the tribulation saints, because the Lord knows where there will be people who will need those things. Maybe you've planted some seeds among your family and friends, and they'll sprout after you've left.
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sasha2u
New Kid on the Block
Posts: 22
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Post by sasha2u on Jul 1, 2011 5:46:50 GMT -5
Wow.....two very excellent and thought provoking posts, shann0 and POH.....thanks! I hope I'm not sounding argumentative, that's not my intent....and I also know that we are "to trust the Lord in allthings".... and I know I have to often pray for more faith. This is Satan's world after all, and I'm sure we will a be rejoicing when we are "outta here"! In the meantime, I will keep "looking up" and seeing where the spirit leads me, thanks ladies.
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