I hear what you are saying Todd and believe me I row around that pond a lot too! I guess where I am at is that I don’t prep at all for any of the seal judgements, like the scripture you quoted, I know I won’t be around when it gets that bad - but like Tammie said, no one really expected what 2020 would be like - and that being said, I feel like some of the seal judgements and tribulation period is sure casting a long shadow. Like the whole covid thing and the mandate thing et al, was that similar to the first seal and MOTB? It was not the first seal, and the jab and the mandate were not the MOTB as some were falsely claiming - but it sure was similar in a lot of ways -just a shadow of things to come. Just like this war in Ukraine, is it WW3 and the second seal - no, but could easily become that and is it a shadow of things to come probably. Then we start hearing about inflation and food shortages and it sure does smell like the 3rd seal and the scripture you mentioned - I am confident we are not here when things get that bad, but can it cast its long foreshadow over the church age? If the events of the past 2 years are any indicator I would say yes, so I think each person should seek wisdom and do whatever the Lord lays on each one’s heart knowing that we won’t be here to see the worst of it, but even as it says in Proverbs 27:12 “A prudent man foresees evil and hides himself; The simple pass on and are punished.” So if we see hard times coming, it is prudent to prepare for it really like all of our grandparents used to do before there were big grocery stores anyway. Also like Geri said, pack a few tracts or bibles with any stuff that is laid up and if we don’t need it maybe it will be a blessing to someone else. I have often wondered what would happen to my house and all my stuff when I get raptured? I wonder if some poor ignorant soul who didn’t understand the Gospel in the age of grace will find a little shelter here and be blessed - but then again if it turns into Mad Max beyond the thunder dome, I have often considered God could sent a big tornado and destroy everything if He doesn’t want roaming bands of heathen mauraders to be blessed by my things. Who knows? All I know is I won’t miss anything I have to leave behind! I haven’t personally bought any of the freeze dried buckets so I can’t say, the extent of my “preps” is just to have a little extra cheap food on hand to get by for a few weeks maybe a couple months if things got rough. And coffee. Everyone, including me will go nuts without a morning cup of coffee! I can always farm a little more and can a little more but if a shortage comes in winter, I’ll have a few months to wait to plant and my family won’t be eating good but they wont starve if they are not fussy! I’ve got chickens and goats and bees and keep cows for my neighbor so I’ve got a few options. I’ve always told my brother and my sister in law who are city dwellers if things ever get too rough come here and I’ll feed them - I joke it might be hard boiled eggs and dirt sandwiches that I’m serving but they won’t starve lol. Geri, I have and I have The Wise company, but like Patriot supply better and they carry gluten free Most people think it has to be freeze dried — but seriously — you can do yourself a huge favor by putting aside rice and beans. White rice can be bought in 20 pound or larger bags and divided up into zip lock bags or even jars. Same with beans and lentils. Oatmeal, cream of wheat (for those not gluten free), canned tuna, chicken, spam (although not healthy, sustenance). The idea with the freeze dried is this — remember the tribulation will be 7 years long — most of these products last for 5 to 20 years (depending on which company and what product). The left behind will need to survive with nothing growing (think of the seals that will come). All animals will be not always available to consume. You have to think survival — not grocery store, or even the ability to grow (I do have a small stock pile of seeds available for them). You can get lists from online sources and I follow many different sources. The ones left behind are due for a horrible life and starvation is top on that list. Geri — I would highly recommend getting powdered peanut butter as well. And teas (for you) coffee for the rest of us :mdrmdr: Remember you need a heat source to cook it, I bought from Sams, the burners that go under chaffing dishes and got a portable camping stove (it folds up to 4”x4”) this is a final back up for cooking. Water will be a problem - so they need to have tablets and purifiers TP will not be available, buy kitty litter and in many countries they already are used to using whatever they have, paper, magazines, etc…. I feel a heavy burden for them … Per chapter 4 in Revelation, the Bride will be taken out of this and is not subject to God’s wrath poured out on the earth. The church is not mentioned past Chapter 4, so when God’s wrath is poured out via the bowls and seals we will be in the lap of God’s love and enjoying our marriage feast …. But the left I need to have for them as God has opened the door and allowed me to prep for them…. Just my vision and mission :prayer-hands: And then there are those who have digestive issue's...needing gluten-free foods for storage! Better off to buy what you like to eat rather than prepper freeze dried meals. Buy canned food that you enjoy. Start watching some of those prepper YouTubes for ideas. B-) One other thing I wanted to add to this thread, because his thread went in a whole different direction - which is ok, that’s like good conversation, let it wander a little bit and see where it goes! But we have really gotten into talking about some hard times and how to prep a little bit for them - so what I wanted to say to all is this: Yes we definitely do not want to be an ostrich with our head in the sand, we should watch not only for the rapture but for the perils on the horizon until we are rescued - but in the meantime I really want to emphasize that no one should be fearful under any circumstances. We know that it is always faith that pleases God and not fear, so I wanted to put a statement of faith out there, the old saying goes, and is a real good one, work like it all depends on you and pray like it all depends on God, and that has served me well. I am a hard worker, but I know all I have is the blessing of God. So here is my statement of faith: For anyone making any preps, whether great or small, do the best you can, seek out wisdom and guidance from the Lord and do as He leads you, but please, please, please do no be fearful. Do not worry, “what if I haven’t prepped enough?” Always remember the miraculous stories of old how God fed Elijah by the ravens, and how He miraculously fed the 5000, how he fed Israel manna from heaven, and how the widows oil did not run out. So many food miracles in the Bible! I find it interesting that all of this food crisis is beginning on a Shmitta cycle which means that any observant Israelis will not be planting their fields and God will have to feed them by miraculous means since they won’t be able to prep anything! Anyway, just consider, faith is not an excuse to be lazy or lackadaisical do what you are able to do, but do not worry about whatever you are not able to do, God will make up the rest, I am convinced He can take 2 cans of tuna fish and stretch it out as long as it is needed if that is all you have set aside - besides that, we will probably be leaving it for someone else anyway. I just wanted to encourage everyone with these thoughts in case anyone started reading down this thread and was getting a little concerned. I have felt prompted by the Lord to prep a little bit, if the power were to stay on and we could use our freezer food we would have enough to feed 4 for perhaps 6-9 months, but if the power is out it would be more like 3-4 months. I haven't felt led to do more than this....I wonder if it is meant just to help people out initially and for those who will see that the Lord had us prepare a little for them, and learn from our Bibles, books and left behind letters. The Lord will likely expect them to develop faith in Him and trust Him, and all the while learning that their life may be required. He loves the left behind trib saints no less than He loves us....I imagine that He will provide in miraculous ways, but will also complete the wrath that was prophesied. I think of the original Left Behind books and movies where the people that believed, studied scripture and knew what was coming and that some of them would likely die before the Lord returned. Even now I pray for the strength of those left behind to be able to endure, spread the word and be brave until the end, whether by death, martyrdom or Jesus' return. From Amir's e-mail newsletter: Notice Jesus did not say “get” ready, but rather “be” ready for the coming of the Son of Man for He is coming unexpectedly. This is speaking of the means by which we can escape the things that are coming upon the whole world, which is the rapture. Sad to say but there are actually people whose thought plan is to get saved during the tribulation if they miss the rapture. The problem with that kind of thinking asks what makes you think you will be able to die for Him then when you don’t even have to courage to live for Him now? The Bible says there will be a one-world government in the tribulation and we constantly hear of the New World Order today. The Bible says there will be a massive famine during the tribulation, and there is constant talk of a global food shortage today. The Bible says people will be under a strong delusion and believe the lie of the Antichrist during the tribulation, and today we live in a time of unprecedented delusional thinking. Men can have babies, gender is fluid, a clump of cells or a blob of fetal tissue are phrases used to describe a human child in its mother’s womb in our day. All this is delusional thinking. Everything going on in our world right now indicates that the time “such as has not been since the beginning of the world” is at hand. Jesus is coming for His church soon! What follows is a time of unprecedented cataclysmic events. If you’re not ready, today is the day to get ready. If you know others who are not ready, today is the day to tell them how to be ready, even if you have told them before that the end of all things is at hand. I know we are not to be unduly led by dreams, but last night I dreamed twice of bridges. One was a railroad trestle going high in the air. Makes me think we will soon be crossing over.
