What is it about Christians today who think if they prepare for tough times they are not trusting God? I think it’s pure laziness on their part not to do everything they can to lessen the blow to their families. I’ve been preaching for four years now that everyone should have a food pantry with at least three weeks worth of food so that you don’t have to fight half the town for the last loaf of bread on the shelf when the whole thing goes belly up.

Pr 22:3 A prudent man foreseeth the evil, and hideth himself: but the simple pass on, and are punished.
Pr 27:12 A prudent man foreseeth the evil, and hideth himself; but the simple pass on, and are punished.

The Lord must have have really wanted you to pay attention to this because He said it twice!! There is a time when it is prudent to hunker down and let the masses fight for the last scrap of food. The Mormons store at least one year and most store three years worth of food, so get you a map and find out where all the Mormons live….just kidding. 🙂 Sometimes the children of darkness are wiser in their generation than the children of light. Lu 16:8 “And the lord commended the unjust steward, because he had done wisely: for the children of this world are in their generation wiser than the children of light.” When Elijah was on the run and God was feeding him miraculously with the ravens, at the same time in I Kgs 18:3-4, a good man named Obadiah hid a hundred prophets of the Lord in caves and fed them for 42 months during a 42 month drought. He could not have done that without preparations. There was a time when nearly every home in America stored at least 4-6 months worth of food to get them through winter and well into spring, but now most homes have only 3 days worth of food in them. Prov 30:25 “The ants are a people not strong, yet they prepare their meat in the summer”. Rioting, madness, and death will come to this nation on an unimaginable scale if the food supply were to suddenly dry up or become too expensive to buy. In the event of a sudden break down of our society (which is holding on by the skin of its teeth) you may have to keep your head down for several weeks until some form of order is restored. After hurricane Katrina, a businessman went back in the day after to look after his businesses. He had prepared nearly everything he needed to survive and what he had to write was very informative, so I will condense it down to talking points:

1. Do not look like part of the problem, look like you’re part of the solution! Don’t dress up like Rambo because you might get shot by the National Guard no matter what your good intentions are. I suggest a white hard hat, Carhart coat or overalls with a logo about electric, phone, water on it. People who look like they are a part of the solution are rarely hassled; they think you will make things better.
2. You do not need a huge amount of money to start preparing, what you need to do is get started. The first thing you need to store is water. I have a well and a generator but I still have at least ten gallons I can get to immediately. Six drops of standard Clorox bleach (unscented) will preserve a gallon of water for 3-6 months if it is stored in a cool dark place. Water is essential so do it right. I like the five gallonwater bottles with the screw cap (can be bought at grocery stores that have the filtered water stations); though heavy, it reduces the amount of containers that I have to take care of.
3. Food is next. If you pick up a bag of beans ( 2 lbs for less than two dollars) and a bag of rice each time you go to the grocery store you will have a store of food that will last for weeks in under 6 months. Canned goods last for years, and having precooked food ready to eat out of the can is an advantage if the power goes out or the gas is cut off. Make sure to store everything in vermin/bug-proof containers, away from excessive heat and light, and don’t forget a non-electric can opener.
4. Start thinking about what your family will need, and start setting those things aside. THINK! Medicines, Toiletries, Clothing etc. (I will give further suggestions in future posts) I shop at the Good Will and it is amazing what all the Lord can provide for you there for pennies on the dollar.
5. Don’t forget about your neighbors, either. You may not need them now or even like them but you will need them when it all falls apart. You may even get the chance to win them to the Lord. Nothing like giving up some of your precious food to a neighbor to soften their heart.
6. A back up generator with some fuel set aside can bring a lot of relief and some creature comforts.

These are just of few of the thoughts that I have tried to preach over the last 4 yrs, stay tuned for more.

Paul made it clear that in the last days, perilous times would come (II Tim 3:1), so if you’re a Bible Believer what exactly are you waiting for? If the Lord tarries it will be a very bumpy ride home.