Prepper Recon

Pure religion and undefiled before God and the Father is this, To visit the fatherless and widows in their affliction, and to keep himself unspotted from the world.

James 1:27

We’ve been talking about stewardship of your resources over the past few weeks. I’ve identified some serious cases of waste and abuse. The last thing I want to do is discourage you from giving. That would be a greater sin than the waste and abuse itself!

So, I want to give a few more examples of ways you can honor God with your substance as instructed by Proverbs 3:9. The above picture is of Claudia Arango, a lady from our church in Fort Lauderdale. God called her to be a missionary in an orphanage in Uganda, called Good Shepherds Fold. She has given her life in the service to the King through her work at GSF. She has adopted three girls, orphaned by mothers who either couldn’t care for them or who died from AIDS. They are Emma, Maggie and Hope.

Claudia has dramatically changed the lives of these three girls, and the many other orphaned children she helps everyday. While Claudia’s call was to be the boots on the ground, we are all part of the body of Christ. Those of us who are not called to go, God often blesses financially. For us, our calling is to finance these efforts.

As you are looking to be a better steward of what God has blessed you with, I pray that you’ll look for real needs, and make sure those are being met before you fall into the trappings of the modern American church which always seems to need the latest HD projector, or new seat cushions.

I can personally vouch for Claudia and the Good Shepherds Fold. I’m sure God would be honored if you chose to support them. And if not them, there are millions of worthy causes that are dedicated to doing God’s work from which you can choose.

Jesus said “what does it profit a man if he gains the whole world yet loses his own soul?” Prepper translation: “What good will it do you to survive the coming economic collapse, nuclear war, or even a zombie apocalypse if you don’t know you will go to heaven when you die.” A recent study found that 10 out of 10 people die! On that day we will meet our Maker. It only makes sense to be prepared for that day. Click here to learn more about knowing GOD.

Have a blessed day and happy prepping!

Mark

 If a brother or sister be naked, and destitute of daily food,  And one of you say unto them, Depart in peace, be ye warmed and filled; notwithstanding ye give them not those things which are needful to the body; what doth it profit?

James 2:15-16

Last week we talked about honoring God with your substance. I pointed to some examples of churches who squandered the resources given to them. One of the examples I used was a church that was washing clothes for homeless addicts. In doing something that seems good, they were actually enabling the addictive behavior, and short-circuiting the natural pain level that God has instituted for that sin. By making the addict comfortable in their disease, that church is actually doing more to damn the souls of those addicts to burning in hell than to spread the love of Christ.

So, what are we to do? Should we let them rot? Doesn’t the Bible teach about second chances, compassion, and forgiveness? Yes it does, thank God! Because, I am a recipient of a second chance, forgiveness and the compassion of some very dedicated, godly people. You see, I was addicted to alcohol, benzodiazepine, and weed. While my rant to not make addicts comfortable in their sin may sound heartless, I actually know a thing or two about this subject.

What the addict on the corner needs is to get hungry. He needs people to quit feeding him and giving him money. If you’re doing that, you’re literally buying him a ticket to hell. Once the food stops coming, he’ll have to spend the money he panhandles on buying groceries, which means no drugs or alcohol. And if the money quits coming in, praise God! He’ll have to check into one of the thousands of faith-based addiction recovery programs around the country. Once he is there, he’ll have to abide by their code of conduct, stay sober and attend church services. Once he’s completed the program, he’ll be sober, used to following rules and ready to reintegrate with society, and, he’ll have a relationship with the one who can keep him from stumbling back into his sin. That doesn’t sound so heartless does it?

So,the next time you want to give a bum a five-dollar bill or buy him a chicken dinner, go home and make a donation to a place that will actually provide him with the help he needs.

A few of the establishments I recommend are, Faith Farm, Teen Challenge, and The Salvation Army. It takes a little more time and effort than throwing a few bucks at the bum, but I know you’d rather please God than simply alleviate your guilt.

Jesus said “what does it profit a man if he gains the whole world yet loses his own soul?” Prepper translation: “What good will it do you to survive the coming economic collapse, nuclear war, or even a zombie apocalypse if you don’t know you will go to heaven when you die.” A recent study found that 10 out of 10 people die! On that day we will meet our Maker. It only makes sense to be prepared for that day. Click here to learn more about knowing GOD.

Have a blessed day and happy prepping!

Mark

Honour the Lord with thy substance, and with the firstfruits of all thine increase:  So shall thy barns be filled with plenty, and thy presses shall burst out with new wine.

Proverbs 3:9-10

Honour the Lord with thy substance. Wow, that sounds pretty broad, right? I mean, that message seldomly comes across as having so much flexibility on Sunday mornings. Most folks I run into have the impression that the only way to really abide by that principle is to stick it all straight in the offering plate. But does that always honour the Lord?

Ten years ago, I would have said unequivocally, yes! However, I’ve been around the block a few times over the past ten years. And, I’ve seen a few things that I wish I hadn’t. I’ve seen churches make some very faithful expenditures that seem like solid investments into the kingdom of God. I’ve seen the very same churches make horrific decisions concerning money.

I’ve seen a pastor being paid a $500K severance package after being removed from the pulpit for his sexual sin. In the same instance, several members of the staff, probably in the $30K to $45K ballpark, were laid off. After all, you have to tighten your belt to weather the financial fallout when your pastor gets busted with the makeup girl and the Zumba instructor.

I’ve seen the widows mite being spent to wash clothes for homeless addicts, enabling them to live a higher quality of life, ensuring that they’ll never have to deal with the consequences of their sin which might force them to get help, and almost guaranteeing them an eternity in hell.

I’ve seen cessationists, those who don’t believe in the gifts of the Holy Spirit, wag their head, unable to understand why their congregation is withering like a dry branch in a drought. Program after program trying to grow the church without seeking the guidance or assistance of the Holy Spirit, amounts to wasted time and squandered resources.

So what does all of this mean? Should we quite giving to our local church? Of course not. Needless to say, I’m no longer a part of any of the churches mentioned above, but that’s not to say where I attend now is perfect. I think you have a definite duty and a certain obligation to help out with the operational costs of the church where you attend.

However, my beliefs have evolved with experience. I don’t think throwing everything you intend to give in the offering plate guarantees that you’ll be blessed. You have a responsibility to know how that money is being spent. I’m not encouraging you to become a professional church critic, we have no shortage of those as it is. But I am hoping to urge you to be the best steward you can be with the first fruits you dedicate to honoring God.

In this present age, more than new mobiles for the nursery, more than a fresh paint job in the forer, or a better projector, the church needs to stand and fight. A large portion of the church’s resources should be dedicated to defending our fading right to speak the truth, standing up for the Kim Davises, Coach Joe Kennedys, and the Sweet Cakes Bakeries of America. We should be fighting against the murders of the 3,288 children who are killed every day in America. We should be supporting staunchly Christian politicians so owners of casinos and strip clubs don’t become the new face of American conservatism.

We need to be fighting for our children, providing education outside of the public indoctrination camps, so our daughters won’t be molested by perverts using their restrooms, and our sons won’t be shamed for acting like men.

I’ve said it before, one of the best things you can possibly do for your church, is to donate to the NRA.  It is organizations like the NRA, Liberty Council, and First Liberty that are heavily engaged in the legal battle to push back against the anti-Christian, tyrannical forces of the God-haters, leftists, socialists, and communist who mean to shut you up and stand with their boot on your throat until you agree to validate every form of evil that they call good. Once that happens, the new mobiles in the nursery, the fresh paint, and the HD projector will all be for nothing.

It would be a senseless act, bordering on abuse, to give your fourteen year-old his entire college fund and inheritance to hold on to while he goes on Spring break. Likewise, if your church leadership is not awake to the imminent demise of the American Constitution, it is your obligation to make sure some portion of your first fruits are allocated to defending the remnants of freedom before the flame of liberty is extinguished forever.

Jesus said “what does it profit a man if he gains the whole world yet loses his own soul?” Prepper translation: “What good will it do you to survive the coming economic collapse, nuclear war, or even a zombie apocalypse if you don’t know you will go to heaven when you die.” A recent study found that 10 out of 10 people die! On that day we will meet our Maker. It only makes sense to be prepared for that day. Click here to learn more about knowing GOD.

Have a blessed day and happy prepping!

Mark