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Need Encouragement?
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our friend's pastor is predicting the end of the world, very discouraging
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Hi. I'm new to DAB since Jan 11.
We have some friends that have a pastor that is preaching about the end of the world. The first thought that comes to my mind is that no one knows the day or hour etc. But they won't stop talking about it. You can't even ask them a question like... which one of these would you buy? without getting back an answer like "it doesn't matter because next year we will all be starving and the dollar will be worthless"
It is so discouraging and depressing to hear them talk about what he's saying. (sort of predicting and calling it "prophesy" from God)
My gut feeling (I think from God) is that God does not want us to worry about tomorrow. I'm in favor of being prepared.
But what they are describing is a situation that no one could prepare for... like the great depression.
I know there are economic difficulties in the world. I lost my job a couple years ago and had to start over. But we made it through that.
We're mostly concerned not about ourselves or our well-being. But instead we're just very concerned because we have young children and fear a future where we would not be able to care for them as needed.
I would appreciate some wise council regarding exactly what we should be doing... are we supposed to be storing up food, water, gasoline, etc because everything is falling apart?
I typically try to stay positive and look for the good but this topic has consumed my wife and a day doesn't go by lately without thinking about this topic.
One of our friends said he was ramping up to start living off the land (because he doesn't think america will have any groceries or gasoline)
There is no way we can prepare for this type of crisis here where we are now. We live in a neighborhood. We can't have cows and chickens here.
I appreciate your prayers regarding this.
Thank you.
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Jay Jones 02/28/2011 06:02 |
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Jake Van Horn
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03/01/2011 01:59 |
Praying with you Jay. I think you are right, it is very difficult to prepare for a crisis like that. Even if you are lucky enough to have the room for live stock and a small garden, very, very few people could truly be self sufficient.
I have at times become overly concerned with matters like these and while it is obviously very important to be prepared you simply can't let it consume you. The great commission is not to store up goods at all costs, to survive the next depression. No, Christ sent us out to preach the Gospel of salvation by the grace of God through faith in Jesus Christ.
Romans 8:28 says: all things work for the good of those that love Him and in Romans 11:36 it states: For from Him and Through Him and for Him are all things. To Him be the glory forever! Amen. As hard as it can be to comprehend, all things means all things.
As far as what to do in the event of an actual crisis? I think this really depends on your situation. For me the responsibility for the safety of my family really changes things.
I'M BY NO MEANS AND EXPERT ON THESE MATTERS!!!!!!!!! But it would seem to me that large urban areas are simply not going to be safe places and all towns will run out of supplies very quickly. So I think a good exit strategy would be a great idea and in a truly worse case situation living off the land really is not that far fetched. Getting my family to a safe location would be a priority. So I think prudent things to do would include: having a week or two of food and water on hand, try to keep your vehicle{s} full of fuel (I'm guilty of breaking this rule constantly), having a back pack of basic survival gear ready to go and "ready" means you can grab it and be out of the house in less then 5 minutes, talk with your family about meeting locations in the event you are separated and other commonsense types of things.
One thing for sure is that in the event of extreme social unrest there are going to be many opportunities to share the love of Christ with people who are going to be scared, confused and very lost. People working together in "community" will fare the best. Christians just simply can't be the ones who are losing their heads at these times. All these things are opportunities to point others towards Christ. So the better prepared we are physically, mentally and spiritually, the better equipped we will be to serve others. In the end what do we really have to fear? If We are in Christ then we know where we are going and we know who we will be with. Our lives are truly so uncertain that it is only by the grace of God that we take our next breath. Sure the end times could be now and it's in the expectation of Christ eminent return that we must live. But today could be our "end day". Any one of us could be eating our toast this morning and standing before the Lord at dinner. That is why today is the day of salvation and today is the day to fully submit our lives to Christ in repentance as we throw our bodies at the foot of the cross. It is in Christ that we find life not in the size of our store houses.
However it is written: "What no eye has seen, what no ear has heard, and what no human mind has conceived"- the things God has prepared for those who love him - 1 Corinthians 2:9
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Abby
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03/11/2011 07:05 |
I really don't mean to be disrespectful, but that pastor sounds a bit wacky. No one knows when the end will come. We know it will come some day but when, no one knows. I think, and this is only my opinion, where we should be ready is in our spiritual life more than in our physical surroundings. Lord, I pray for this church and the message they are spreading. May you penetrate their hearts and reveal to them what you say about the end times. Prepare them spiritually for the end times, whether the worlds or individual end.
Jay, talk to your pastor and get his perspective on this issue. If you do not have a church home, this would be a good time to seek one out.
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Robert Martin
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03/13/2011 07:46 |
I do support Abby position. It is said that it will come as a thief, in the middle of the night.The only thing we have to worry is, to be in peace with ourself and mostly with God. He knows who we are and we're were going, we just have to let go and trust him. It's not easy. But he is the one who cares deeply for us.
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