This meme appeared some time ago on Facebook. I believe it's worth sharing here.
Saturday, March 24, 2018
Tuesday, March 20, 2018
When You Need to Call for Help
My daughter Merrianna posted the meme below on Facebook. I thought it worth publishing here as a personal security tip.
Tuesday, March 13, 2018
Why I Am a Prepper, 2
Continued from Why I Am a Prepper.
Our Spiritual Responsibility:
In terms of our responsibility as witnesses, when we observe our culture's moral descent, we must guard against thinking ourselves better than those around us. We are sinners, saved by grace . . . SINNERS, saved by GRACE. As we seek to conform ourselves to the character of Christ, we must walk a precarious line.
On the one hand, we must avoid and reprove the ungodliness that we see all around us. On the other hand, we must avoid self-righteous attitudes. We must apply a passage like this to ourselves first and foremost and then to our neighbors.
Draw near to God, and he will draw near to you. Cleanse your hands, you sinners; and purify your hearts, you double-minded. Lament, mourn, and weep. Let your laughter be turned to mourning, and your joy to gloom. Humble yourselves in the sight of the Lord, and he will exalt you. (James 4:8-10 WEB)
We must approach preparedness in terms of our spiritual responsibility to provide for ourselves and our neighbors as we see God's deepening judgment on the Church and the nation. Scripture requires as much.
A prudent man sees danger and takes refuge; but the simple pass on, and suffer for it. (Proverbs 27:12 WEB; also, Proverbs 22:3)
But if anyone doesn’t provide for his own, and especially his own household, he has denied the faith, and is worse than an unbeliever. (1 Timothy 5:8 WEB)
For these reasons, we prepare to provide our households with food, clothing and shelter for eventual catastrophe.
Beyond our responsibility to witness and to provide material necessities, we also have a spiritual responsibility to provide leadership. As society loses the moral glue that holds it together, we must have real answers about how a community can and should function in terms of God's Word. In fact, Jesus made this a major objective of the Great Commission.
Jesus came to them and spoke to them, saying, “All authority has been given to me in heaven and on earth. Go and DISCIPLE ALL NATIONS, baptizing them in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit, TEACHING THEM TO OBSERVE ALL THINGS THAT I COMMANDED YOU. Behold, I am with you always, even to the end of the age.” Amen. (Matthew 28:18-20 WEB)
In other words, we need to have answers for our neighbors as to what went wrong in our culture and how to correct those errors as a community and a nation. Our assignment is to disciple them to think in terms of a Biblical worldview and live in terms of it.
I've linked to an essay, “When the Treasuries are Empty”, that will help you realize what this means.
Our Spiritual Responsibility:
In terms of our responsibility as witnesses, when we observe our culture's moral descent, we must guard against thinking ourselves better than those around us. We are sinners, saved by grace . . . SINNERS, saved by GRACE. As we seek to conform ourselves to the character of Christ, we must walk a precarious line.
On the one hand, we must avoid and reprove the ungodliness that we see all around us. On the other hand, we must avoid self-righteous attitudes. We must apply a passage like this to ourselves first and foremost and then to our neighbors.
Draw near to God, and he will draw near to you. Cleanse your hands, you sinners; and purify your hearts, you double-minded. Lament, mourn, and weep. Let your laughter be turned to mourning, and your joy to gloom. Humble yourselves in the sight of the Lord, and he will exalt you. (James 4:8-10 WEB)
We must approach preparedness in terms of our spiritual responsibility to provide for ourselves and our neighbors as we see God's deepening judgment on the Church and the nation. Scripture requires as much.
A prudent man sees danger and takes refuge; but the simple pass on, and suffer for it. (Proverbs 27:12 WEB; also, Proverbs 22:3)
But if anyone doesn’t provide for his own, and especially his own household, he has denied the faith, and is worse than an unbeliever. (1 Timothy 5:8 WEB)
For these reasons, we prepare to provide our households with food, clothing and shelter for eventual catastrophe.
Beyond our responsibility to witness and to provide material necessities, we also have a spiritual responsibility to provide leadership. As society loses the moral glue that holds it together, we must have real answers about how a community can and should function in terms of God's Word. In fact, Jesus made this a major objective of the Great Commission.
Jesus came to them and spoke to them, saying, “All authority has been given to me in heaven and on earth. Go and DISCIPLE ALL NATIONS, baptizing them in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit, TEACHING THEM TO OBSERVE ALL THINGS THAT I COMMANDED YOU. Behold, I am with you always, even to the end of the age.” Amen. (Matthew 28:18-20 WEB)
In other words, we need to have answers for our neighbors as to what went wrong in our culture and how to correct those errors as a community and a nation. Our assignment is to disciple them to think in terms of a Biblical worldview and live in terms of it.
I've linked to an essay, “When the Treasuries are Empty”, that will help you realize what this means.
Friday, March 9, 2018
Why I Am a Prepper
I have not posted on the topic of preparedness for some time. I thought it good to state my reasons for making preparations for possible nationwide disaster.
Laura and I first started thinking seriously about preparing for a possible financial collapse in the summer of 1970. Over time, God has led us to also seriously consider exactly WHY we prepare for disaster. We can summarize the reason in two short phrases: God's judgment and our spiritual responsibility.
God's Judgment:
Throughout Scripture, we see that God judges the sinful behavior of men and nations. In Romans ch. 1, the Holy Spirit gives a comprehensive view of that judgment.
For the wrath of God is revealed from heaven against all ungodliness and unrighteousness of men, who suppress the truth in unrighteousness, (Romans 1:18 WEB)
Christians often think of judgment in terms of standing at the Great White Throne in the Last Day, but this passage deals with judgment that takes place within history, on earth.
God brings wrath on a society that departs from Him to follow false gods.
Because, knowing God, they didn’t glorify him as God, neither gave thanks, but became vain in their reasoning, and their senseless heart was darkened. Professing themselves to be wise, they became fools, and traded the glory of the incorruptible God for the likeness of an image of corruptible man, and of birds, and four-footed animals, and creeping things. (Romans 1:21-23 WEB)
American civil religion gives recognition to all gods of all faiths. As a case in point, consider the prayer service held the day after our current president's inauguration, attended by the Trump and Pence families.
“While most who led prayers and offered readings at the service at the Washington National Cathedral were overwhelmingly evangelical, the long list of participants also included leaders from the Catholic, Greek Orthodox, Jewish, Mormon, Muslim, Sikh, Buddhist, Bahá'í faiths. The service opened with a Navajo blessing.” (http://www.npr.org/2017/01/21/510948923/trumps-and-pences-attend-interfaith-inaugural-prayer-service)
The Bible tells us that those who serve false gods actually worship demons (I Corinthians 10:20). When Christians participate in joint services with those who worship false gods, they join themselves to demons (see I Corinthians 10:21; II Corinthians 6:15). That we see this on the national stage indicates a problem that runs deeply within Christ's Church in America.
Now, when I speak of God's judgment on America and, more particularly, on the Church in America, I am not referring solely to some future event. Judgment has begun, and it continues day by day. We can see this in Romans.
Therefore God also gave them up in the lusts of their hearts to uncleanness, that their bodies should be dishonored among themselves; who exchanged the truth of God for a lie, and worshiped and served the creature rather than the Creator, who is blessed forever. Amen. (Romans 1:24-25 WEB)
America's overwhelming obsession with sexual lust is a sin, to be sure, but more than that, the glorification of sex represents God's judgment on a society. God gave us up to sexual immorality because, as a nation – indeed, as the Church – we have not separated ourselves from the false worship of idolatry and demons.
A 2014 article in Christian Post reveals that this form of judgment has fallen upon the Church as well as upon secular society.
“A new study on Christian attitudes toward dating and marriage reveals a broad acceptance for cohabitation, premarital sex and a rejection of traditional gender roles. Experts believe that many Christians are following cultural trends over scripture when it comes to sex and marriage.” (http://www.christianpost.com/news/christians-are-following-secular-trends-in-premarital-sex-cohabitation-outside-of-marriage-says-dating-site-survey-113373/)
In two churches that we had joined since moving to SC, we know of three pregnancies out of wedlock. One involved the son of the pastor, another involved the daughter of an elder. I want to reiterate that this particular behavior is not only sinful, but also a form of judgment upon God's people.
The Romans passage also teaches that the homosexuality which has become rampant in the last few years, has come upon us as judgment from God.
For this reason, God gave them up to vile passions. For their women changed the natural function into that which is against nature. Likewise also the men, leaving the natural function of the woman, burned in their lust toward one another, men doing what is inappropriate with men, and receiving in themselves the due penalty of their error. (Romans 1:26-27 WEB)
These scripture passages let us know that judgment has already descended upon America, and it continues to grow. For example, we begin to see the coming of reprobate minds (minds devoid of sound reason) both in the Church and in society at large (Romans 1:28). As we watch society devolve into the wickedness described in verses 29-31, we wonder if society can even hold together. Cultural disintegration follows upon the heels of moral disintegration.
So far, the manifestations of God's anger with us as a people have not captured our collective attention as a call to repentance. Even the calamity of 9/11 did not lead us to humble ourselves. As we see this deepening judgment that has already fallen upon us, we must look to God's Word for our responsibility to Him, to our families and to our neighbors.
Laura and I first started thinking seriously about preparing for a possible financial collapse in the summer of 1970. Over time, God has led us to also seriously consider exactly WHY we prepare for disaster. We can summarize the reason in two short phrases: God's judgment and our spiritual responsibility.
God's Judgment:
Throughout Scripture, we see that God judges the sinful behavior of men and nations. In Romans ch. 1, the Holy Spirit gives a comprehensive view of that judgment.
For the wrath of God is revealed from heaven against all ungodliness and unrighteousness of men, who suppress the truth in unrighteousness, (Romans 1:18 WEB)
Christians often think of judgment in terms of standing at the Great White Throne in the Last Day, but this passage deals with judgment that takes place within history, on earth.
God brings wrath on a society that departs from Him to follow false gods.
Because, knowing God, they didn’t glorify him as God, neither gave thanks, but became vain in their reasoning, and their senseless heart was darkened. Professing themselves to be wise, they became fools, and traded the glory of the incorruptible God for the likeness of an image of corruptible man, and of birds, and four-footed animals, and creeping things. (Romans 1:21-23 WEB)
American civil religion gives recognition to all gods of all faiths. As a case in point, consider the prayer service held the day after our current president's inauguration, attended by the Trump and Pence families.
“While most who led prayers and offered readings at the service at the Washington National Cathedral were overwhelmingly evangelical, the long list of participants also included leaders from the Catholic, Greek Orthodox, Jewish, Mormon, Muslim, Sikh, Buddhist, Bahá'í faiths. The service opened with a Navajo blessing.” (http://www.npr.org/2017/01/21/510948923/trumps-and-pences-attend-interfaith-inaugural-prayer-service)
The Bible tells us that those who serve false gods actually worship demons (I Corinthians 10:20). When Christians participate in joint services with those who worship false gods, they join themselves to demons (see I Corinthians 10:21; II Corinthians 6:15). That we see this on the national stage indicates a problem that runs deeply within Christ's Church in America.
Now, when I speak of God's judgment on America and, more particularly, on the Church in America, I am not referring solely to some future event. Judgment has begun, and it continues day by day. We can see this in Romans.
Therefore God also gave them up in the lusts of their hearts to uncleanness, that their bodies should be dishonored among themselves; who exchanged the truth of God for a lie, and worshiped and served the creature rather than the Creator, who is blessed forever. Amen. (Romans 1:24-25 WEB)
America's overwhelming obsession with sexual lust is a sin, to be sure, but more than that, the glorification of sex represents God's judgment on a society. God gave us up to sexual immorality because, as a nation – indeed, as the Church – we have not separated ourselves from the false worship of idolatry and demons.
A 2014 article in Christian Post reveals that this form of judgment has fallen upon the Church as well as upon secular society.
“A new study on Christian attitudes toward dating and marriage reveals a broad acceptance for cohabitation, premarital sex and a rejection of traditional gender roles. Experts believe that many Christians are following cultural trends over scripture when it comes to sex and marriage.” (http://www.christianpost.com/news/christians-are-following-secular-trends-in-premarital-sex-cohabitation-outside-of-marriage-says-dating-site-survey-113373/)
In two churches that we had joined since moving to SC, we know of three pregnancies out of wedlock. One involved the son of the pastor, another involved the daughter of an elder. I want to reiterate that this particular behavior is not only sinful, but also a form of judgment upon God's people.
The Romans passage also teaches that the homosexuality which has become rampant in the last few years, has come upon us as judgment from God.
For this reason, God gave them up to vile passions. For their women changed the natural function into that which is against nature. Likewise also the men, leaving the natural function of the woman, burned in their lust toward one another, men doing what is inappropriate with men, and receiving in themselves the due penalty of their error. (Romans 1:26-27 WEB)
These scripture passages let us know that judgment has already descended upon America, and it continues to grow. For example, we begin to see the coming of reprobate minds (minds devoid of sound reason) both in the Church and in society at large (Romans 1:28). As we watch society devolve into the wickedness described in verses 29-31, we wonder if society can even hold together. Cultural disintegration follows upon the heels of moral disintegration.
So far, the manifestations of God's anger with us as a people have not captured our collective attention as a call to repentance. Even the calamity of 9/11 did not lead us to humble ourselves. As we see this deepening judgment that has already fallen upon us, we must look to God's Word for our responsibility to Him, to our families and to our neighbors.
Wednesday, March 7, 2018
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