Why Preparing is Biblical
For the longest time we’ve ridiculed those “preppers” that have the mindset to prepare for the unexpected. We expect things to go on like they always have, and indeed even scripture talks about scoffers in the last days, “where is the sign of his coming, things are going as they always have” is their chant/mantra.
The reality is there is always a need for preparedness, you are not guaranteed prosperity (you need to recognize that the world is governed currently by fallen angels, when Adam gave up the title by disobedience) nor health and longevity. So as a result, you should do all you can, to maintain all of those things.
We read in Proverbs 30:25
The ants are a people not strong,
Yet they prepare their food in the summer;
The New King James Version. (1982). (Pr 30:25). Nashville: Thomas Nelson.
As well as Proverbs 6:6-11
6 Go to the ant, you sluggard!
Consider her ways and be wise,
7 Which, having no captain,
Overseer or ruler,
8 Provides her supplies in the summer,
And gathers her food in the harvest.
9 How long will you slumber, O sluggard?
When will you rise from your sleep?
10 A little sleep, a little slumber,
A little folding of the hands to sleep—
11 So shall your poverty come on you like a prowler,
And your need like an armed man.
The New King James Version. (1982). (Pr 6:6–11). Nashville: Thomas Nelson.
We also know the story of Joseph (Jacob’s son) who was sold off to foreign adversaries as a slave and later traded to the Egyptians. Because of his abilities, he was quickly promoted to even equal with Pharoah of the time, being in charge of all that Egypt had gathered, so that when famine hit Canaan and they came for food in Egypt, not only was there plenty, but they were provided for in spite of his brothers selling him away. Keep this in mind, we find numerous times what the enemy plans for evil, Yahuah turns to good.
So with that in mind, you need to realize we are all called to plan for those times when we have needs or others around us have needs.
Those things that people must have are air, food and water. The rest is nice to have, but not required. In the “prepping” community it goes much deeper into medical supplies, defensive supplies and so much more.
So let’s talk briefly about preparing during times of abundance. There’s several facets to this, we should investigate short term, long term and permanent storage.
Short term
Commonly called a pantry, this is what you have on hand for day to day needs. I am of the mindset that anytime you use something from this storage, you should replenish 2:1 when you go to the store, this helps build your back stock and enables you to be generous to others when they have needs. BTW if your grocer has a clearance section always start there, I was fortunate to stumble on Rao’s dried pasta with a date 3 yrs out…I cook pasta throughout the month, so I bought all of it. Not only was it 50% of the original price, it’s a premium food, so you don’t have to eat poorly while working this plan. Mom and Dad grew up in the Great Depression, so a lot of this is from observations as a kid, that most people don’t even plan for today.
Additionally, this short term store, is your gifting store. If someone comes around with needs, give freely, this is what this is for. You’ll see a lot of packaged meals, those are great giveaways especially to families with children. Notice that a lot of that is prepared foods, not something you want to eat daily, but something that can easily be given away and consumed. I have a small stockpile of disposable utensils for this as well.
Long term
This is typically the 6mos to 2 yr mark, canned goods fit here for the most part. Buying them a flat at a time is helpful and will enable you to have a “larder” like they did back in the depression. My mom canned food and had backstock in the garage that we relied on, this larder was the grocery store at home, and she’d periodically replenish it as need be. We’d go picking berries in the summer as well as fruit (peaches, etc) and mom would can jams, fruits and more. The same is true of frozen food. Frozen food is typically good for 3-6 mos. Some keep it longer, but it’s not recommended. Having worked in restaurants, this is indeed their rotation scheme, so plan accordingly and use frozen on a regular basis (with replenishment, either via hunting, fishing or shopping). Notice spices fall in here, they have a shelf life of a couple years, and try cooking with them. There’s also a huge container of various vitamins and supplements, while under stress, you’re going to need them. Don’t forget pet food as well. The Black container in the image below is a solar oven.
Permanent
This is an interesting one, I started here after building a 3 mos backstock for my pantry. The companies that do this are now facing shortages unheard of, so if you can get any of it, latch onto it. These are freeze dried, airtight foods that can last 10-20 years. You can cook with them periodically and replenish as available, which is always recommended. For example, I’ve bought freeze dried vegetable mix only to find it has to be rehydrated prior to boiling/cooking. Otherwise you end up with crunchy bits instead of what you intended. so learning to cook with your long term food is key to success when you ultimately have to live off of them. Suppliers that I’ve relied on (availability will vary) are:
I have NO experience with the rest of them, but have heard that Mountain House is pricey and over seasoned, although very popular with a lot of people.
Cooking
Once you have food on hand, how do you prepare it? I’ve several options, but if you’ve done it right you do have some foods you can eat straight from the package (the short term stuff) and then as you dig into longer term, you’ll need the ability to cook, bake and clean.
There are all sorts of options, so I won’t go into them here, but keep in mind if fuel is an issue, you’ll quickly run out of the ability to prepare food. I found a couple great solar ovens and cookers from Peak, Etmate and SunRocket to boil water. All of them have their pros and cons, but if you have plenty of sunshine, they will do their job just fine.
A jet boil or rocket stove are also good items, enter that into a search engine and you’ll see what they are. They do require fuel, but the Rocket stove can burn pretty much anything.
Energy needs
If we ever face a grid down situation for a prolonged period of time (we just has 6 states hit by Tornados…so they are facing this now), you’ll need the ability to collect and store energy. I worked for the WECC (the western power grid) shortly after leaving MSFT and I can tell you, it’s not IF there’s a failure, but WHEN there’s a failure. California and their wildfires should tell you quite a bit about the state of the equipment in their area, it’s not in good shape.
There are great solar generators that collect via solar panels and store. They aren’t cheap, but if your life depends on a CPAP machine, you’ll need something powerful to do that. I personally own a Jackery and their panels for the unit. They now have more powerful models available from the same company, but be prepared to put out at least $1,000-$1400 to get that with solar panels.
Medical and Sanitation needs
You can tell your physician you are going to be away for a while and get an extra 90 days of meds. More importantly if it’s something that improved health can cure, then do that…meds will ultimately fail us, and we need natural remedies or just healthier bodies. You should stock up on vitamins, minerals, etc. I’ve also heard that if you can’t get help from your MD, you can still order meds from various sites including Indiamart.com
Stock up on various first aid items, remember when you buy 1, make it 2. Put the extra away for emergencies. Continue in this manner over time and you’ll be prepared. Hygiene is also key, so the ability to clean up, should be thought about as well.
Water and Proper Storage
Some of us are blessed with water in our areas. Others like myself, live in the desert and have to plan accordingly. There are various ways to store water, but buying in 1 gallon containers, although convenient is ridiculously expensive over time. Look into water storage and the proper chemistry to keep it consumable. Home Depot sells the huge water urns (300, 500, 750, 1000 gallons) and they deliver those via truck. If you’ve got space, do so. You can rotate your water by watering those things needed using your stored water, anytime its time to replenish/refresh the water (6mos to 1yr if properly stored).
Additionally you’ll want filtration as well as the ability to boil it. See above for cooking devices including the SunRocket for water boiling. I recommend the British Berkey it’s used in safaris and literally can save your life from the parasites. So you can run pretty much muddy water through it, and get clear water on the output. Boiling it afterward is always a good idea. Also collecting water pills for emergency sanitization is a good idea, tastes terrible, but will keep you hydrated. There are small personal water devices too that you can take with you like the life straw or the Berkey water bottle. I always have one when biking, if I get lost, etc, I can rely on nature and the filtration of these devices to get emergency water.
Protection
There are so many thoughts on this, but let’s look first at scripture. In the 10 commandments it says “you should not murder” many translations say kill, but that’s wrong, it’s murder. It’s a crime of passion, etc that is being ruled out here. Remember the children of Israel were sent into many lands and were instructed to “not let any live” so our Father is not double minded, he is talking about murder in the commandments.
So if you have to defend family, friends, etc, it’s fine. We want to avoid having to end someones life, but if it’s between you and someone else, choose wisely.
There’s tons of less than lethal devices out there, but sometimes, like the riots throughout our nation over the last few years incited by those funded from nefarious causes, we have to stand our ground and defend our family, ourselves and our property. From Tasers above to Pepperball guns below, there are great options that aren’t lethal.
Jurisdictions vary, where I am, you literally can have pretty much anything, so many do. In other states, you are highly restricted. I would indeed reconsider being there, if it’s a state that doesnt value life.
Knowledge
Make sure that things you need for long term are printed. We rely heavily on the electronics of today, but unless you have printed copies, when or if power fails, you’re going to be lost without them.
Food Acquisition
If stores fail, are you ready or able to hunt or fish for your food? Worth thinking about from pellet guns, archery to rifles. All are viable, but don’t wait to train until your life depends on it.
What About Nesara?
Here’s the thing, none of it is guaranteed anytime soon. I work in one of the organizations that will be changed/altered when it happens, so I am your “canary in the coal mine”. Right now, there’s no indication and we are on normal status. Unlike some deceivers, I really do work in that area and can indeed back that up. So the best thing you can do now, is prepare for the worst, while we still have time. If you don’t need it, you’ve just built some insurance into your life, if you do need it, you have indeed saved your life. So take time and make this a priority. We all too often think we can wait to the last minute and the reality is, you can’t plan for emergencies down to the time and date, they just happen. So make a shopping trip to Wally world or other discount places (I like Cash & Carry outlets as I get mine wholesale) and stock up a flat or two of canned goods here and there. If you need to buy a chest freezer, great idea. Make sure you have something that can power it should power go out as well. Get started, it’s never too late, but you should indeed be moving quickly as time is drawing near where you may indeed need those provisions.
Shalom