Unprepared: Prepped Without Oil

“Then the kingdom of Heaven shall be likened to ten virgins who took their lamps and went out to meet the bridegroom.  And five of them were wise, and five foolish.  Those who were foolish took their lamps and took no oil with them, but the wise took oil in their vessels with their lamps.  But while the bridegroom was delayed, they all nodded and fell asleep.  And at midnight there was a cry: Behold, the bridegroom is coming; go out to meet him!  Then all those virgins arose and prepared their lamps.  And the foolish said to the wise, Give us some of your oil, for our lamps are going out.  But the wise answered, saying, No, lest there should not be enough for us and you; but go rather to those who sell, and buy for yourselves.  And while they went to buy, the bridegroom came, and those who were ready went in with him to the wedding feast; and the door was shut.  Afterward the other virgins came also, saying, Lord, Lord, open to us!  But he answered and said, Truly, I say to you, I do not know you.  Watch therefore, for you know neither the day nor the hour in which the Son of Man comes.”  Matthew 25:1-13

 

I live in Kalispell, Montana.  In Kalispell there are many liberty, freedom-minded people from all sorts of walks of life who live either in town or nearby in Flathead County.  There is probably not a city in the United States, in terms of percentage of people, who are more liberty minded than those of Kalispell.  On a regular basis you see pro 2nd Amendment, Oath Keepers, anti-Obama and other freedom themed bumper stickers.  Chuck Baldwin also hosts a church here, called Liberty Fellowship, that has a decent following, considering that Kalispell is a small city. 

 

Northwest Montana was recently in the news as the anchors were discussing how certain local real estate businesses are booming, people are buying second ‘survival’ homes in the rural areas.  These houses are for those who don’t live here, but with the assumption that at some point in time they might have to.  Many of these houses are self-sufficient, off-the-grid, that are tucked away in areas far from the general population. 

 

For years now there has been renewed prepping calls by the alternative news community.  The number of people who have determined to prep are in the millions and their preparations very by each individual.  The percentage is greater than those who prepped for the oil crisis and Y2K.  There are many different theories as to what could happen, what will happen and situations that will likely arise, that present different philosophies about the likelihood of certain events.

 

People prep for civil unrest, martial law, magnetic pole shifting, apocalypse, the Tribulation, thermonuclear war, economic collapse and a variety of other reasons.  I’ve known people who go from having a bit of extra food, candles, batteries and water to those who have 10,000 bolts (arrows), high tech thermal imager cameras, numerous guns, large amount of ammo and food for years to come.  Some harden their homes, putting plexiglass in, reinforcing doors and placing hidden bunkers on their property or hiding things in various places.  There are those who prep with a camping mindset, to live off the land.  Whatever the case, the varying degrees are astonishing.

 

A true Believer might have some items on hand as well or might have nothing extra at all.  One thing a true Believer should never have is a seven year supply to supposedly survive the Tribulation (“time of Jacob’s trouble”, Jer. 30:7).  For those who are truly His, He will come and gather us to Himself, prior to that time.  For more in-depth reading on the Rapture, please see this LINK.  At this point I know a lot of people will simply quit reading, they strongly disagree and will criticize that this is -exactly- the reason that this country is going down the tubes. 

 

“For the Lord Himself will descend from Heaven with a shouted command, with the voice of the archangel, and with the trumpet of God. And the dead in Christ will rise first.  Then we who are alive and remain shall be caught up together at the same time with them in the clouds to meet the Lord in the air. And thus we shall always be with the Lord.”  1st Thessalonians 4:16-17

 

“Behold, I tell you a mystery: We shall not all sleep, but we shall all be changed; in a moment, in the twinkling of an eye, at the last trumpet. For the trumpet will sound, and the dead will be raised incorruptible, and we shall be changed.”  1st Corinthians 15:51-52

 

“After these things I looked, and behold, a door having been opened in Heaven. And the first voice which I heard was like a trumpet speaking with me, saying, Come up here, and I will show you things which must take place after these things.”  Revelation 4:1

 

They state that Christians who believe in a pretrib Rapture, do not do anything to fight for freedom and liberty.  They accuse us to be pacifists who are actually part of the problem and making the situation worse for all Americans.  Well don’t use me as an example in your arguments, because I would be in your ‘gray’ area and not fit in your argumentative mold. 

 

In times past I spent a great deal of time trying to ‘save’ America.  I partnered up with others and became heavily politically active, not only writing bombshell news article to try and wake up the masses, but actively handing out information to the general public to try and get them to come to their senses.  I also know more about prepping than the vast majority of people out there, having first hand knowledge.  I did this not only as a Christian, but also as a pretrib Rapture believer.  The reality is most people, whether they believe in pretrib, midtrib, posttrib or some other concocted scheme, have not repented and believed into Jesus Christ.  They are not part of the ‘few’.  (Matthew 7:14)

 

My reason for not ‘fighting’ for freedom anymore is the simple fact that this country has overall rejected God Almighty.  In doing so, I do not wish to find myself in a -fight- against God by fighting for a country that refuses to not only repent of its’ wrongdoings, but rather continues to push movements that go against God. 

 

…“but if it is of God, you will not be able to overthrow it; lest you even be found to fight against God.”  Acts 5:39

 

“Thus says Jehovah the God of Israel: Behold, I will turn back the weapons of war that are in your hands, with which you fight against the king of Babylon, and against the Chaldeans who besiege you outside the walls. And I will gather them together in the middle of this city.  And I Myself will fight against you with an outstretched hand and with a strong arm, even in anger, and in fury, and in great wrath.”  Jeremiah 21:4-5

 

Here lies the problem with the vast majority of preppers, they are unprepared.  Let me give you a couple of scenarios as to what would happen should the worst case scenario unfold.

 

There is a man I once conversed with, who has a place somewhere in Michigan.  This man had his acreage, his rural setting and TONS of supplies.  He is a fully trained law enforcement professional and could be considered a very sharp shooter.  He literally has enough supplies to arm dozens of men and for that a prolonged battle.  His plan included fortifying his home, being self-sufficient and able to defend his property.  His conceived threat was the United States government declaring martial law, an economic collapse and the fact that he would be wanted, as he was very outspoken against the federal government.  This man not only is prepared, but he has trained thousands of people in prepping.  He has a problem though.

 

If the situation is as bad as he surmises, and it may well one day be, a simple hellfire missile shot down his chimney would immediately render all of his preparations ineffective, as well as himself likely dead.

 

When I first moved to Montana in 2012, there were some who thought that we would certainly soon be in a situation that would require full activation.  Indeed a few of them were already living in the wilderness.  Yet I would interject some rare knowledge here about their plans.

 

Unbeknownst to most individuals, there are various border protecting and surveilling technologies used by the federal government, that would render most of the wilderness survivors ineffective.  On national lands throughout the United States there are hidden metal detectors that set off an alarm when someone walks over one of them.  If you were to pull up a Google satellite map and scour across the border to Canada (as many have spoke of fleeing to Canada) you will see that there is a swath of land that has been clear cut right along the border — EXTENDING THE ENTIRE WOODED UNITED STATES, with the exception of Maine.  In Maine that part of the border is privately owned. 

 

Far overhead drones flyover, unseen to the eye, metal detectors signal border agents where to head to, cameras with lenses that can see for up to 100 miles (with no barriers) keep a close eye out, using the latest sophisticated software to detect human movement.  Our northern border with Canada is MUCH more protected than most people know, even without an actual wall.  The virtual wall has been put into place in the past ten years and gets more high tech year after year.  In the regular national forests, satellites can pick up every tree that falls and the slightest bit of smoke that rises into the air. 

 

Needless to say, this is not simply the freedom minded people involved in prepping.  The number of rich people building everything-proof bunkers, houses with high tech safe rooms and buying extremely rural multi-million dollar estates is impressive.  There are many rich who have already prepared themselves second homes in far away countries, some have already resettled there.  Then there are even those who simply live on luxury yachts, sailing the world, considering themselves to be independent of the system. 

 

Maybe your one of the few who know these things and even more.  Maybe your plan is far superior and you have backup after backup.  Yet I would dare say the far-vast majority of people, no matter the complexity of their plan are simply: UNPREPARED.

 

Years ago in a local restaurant in Kalispell, I met with a group of people who mostly called themselves christians.  Here the relevant news was discussed, people talked about prepping plans and became established with one another to create a network of help during the upcoming crisis.  There were those who talked about using their home as a medical center, others would be supply houses, others would direct the men in battle and serve as commanders and numerous other scenarios.  This group and the ones that it represented was not a fringe part of society, but rather reflected a percentage that could only be found in Kalispell. 

 

As the talk filled the table and my wife and I listened, I could only note that not one person spoke about God, not one person spoke of ministering to people on behalf of Jesus, not one person spoke about the need for Salvation.  On the contrary, God’s name would be used in vain and no one seemed to even take notice, let alone blink an eye to the evil emitting from the perpetrators mouth.  To make matters even worse, my wife and I walked outside the restaurant and noted three cars, with occupants, facing the restaurant, all with suspicious men who likely were FBI agents.  When I addressed this matter to the group, one person out of them joined me in walking outside and viewing these people who were conceivably watching/listening to the conversations taking place, as well as recording license plates of the attendants.  Shortly after a brief stare-down, all three of the cars (parked on the street or in different lots) left. 

 

Of course these same patriots could not conceive that the very enemy that they were preparing to fight against could be amongst them, listening in, befriending them and taking part of the conversations.  In all of history, has a military operation that has been compromised ever been successful.  No nation willingly gives their enemy the battle plan prior to the battle, but rather uses the element of surprise to try and achieve their gains. 

 

No matter the complexity of the plan, without Jesus your plan is null and void.  Even if you were to take and be successful at every interval, when you eventually die, as all men die (Hebrews 9:27) you will stand before the Most High and unless you are in Christ, you will have met your Maker, unprepared.  These preppers have no oil, they might name the name of Jesus, but in reality they are lost, unsaved and destined to Hell.

 

There is no hope for them in the afterlife, they have not the knowledge of God.  They do not know His Son, they have not repented of their wickedness and they refuse to believe into Jesus.  Understand that all of these preparations for the body are unfruitful is your soul is unprepared.  This life is very short in comparison to eternity, but a blink of the eye.  Most reading this will not be merely 18, but already much older, with an expected life span of 30-50 more years. 

 

“And do not fear those who kill the body but are not able to kill the soul. But rather fear Him who has power to destroy both soul and body in Gehenna.”  Matthew 10:28

 

“Be anxious for nothing, but in everything by prayer and supplication, with thanksgiving, let your requests be made known to God; and the peace of God, which surpasses all understanding, will guard your hearts and minds in Christ Jesus.”  Philippians 4:6-7

 

“Therefore I say to you, do not be anxious about your life, what you will eat or what you will drink; nor about your body, what you will put on. Is not life more than food and the body more than clothing?  Observe the birds of the air, for they neither sow nor reap nor gather into barns; yet your Heavenly Father feeds them. Are you not of more value than they?  Which of you by being anxious is able to add one cubit to his stature?  So why are you anxious about clothing? Consider the lilies of the field, how they grow: they neither toil nor spin; and yet I say to you that even Solomon in all his glory was not arrayed like one of these.  Now if God so clothes the grass of the field, which today is, and tomorrow is thrown into the furnace, will He not much more clothe you, O you of little faith?  Therefore do not be anxious, saying, What shall we eat? or What shall we drink? or What shall we wear?  For after all these things the Gentiles seek. For your Heavenly Father knows that you need all these things.  But seek first the kingdom of God and His righteousness, and all these things shall be added to you.  Therefore do not be anxious about tomorrow, for tomorrow will worry about its own things. Sufficient for the day is its own trouble.”  Matthew 6:25-34

 

Maybe the worst case scenario unfolds, maybe you are indeed rounded up and placed in a concentration camp.  Perhaps the economy collapses and your plans failed as you become quickly outnumbered by the desperate and hungry (have you seen what is happening in Venezuela?).  Even so, the focus of this life, should not be the body, but rather the soul and rectifying your soul with your Creator through His Son Jesus Christ. 

 

Regardless of where you standing on prepping, understand that without Jesus, whether you are rich or poor, prepped or unprepped, old or young, strong or weak, you are doomed.  Consider your ways, consider your plans and understand the importance of biblical Salvation!

 

“Trust in Jehovah with all your heart, and lean not unto your own understanding.  In all your ways acknowledge Him, and He shall direct your paths.  Do not be wise in your own eyes; fear Jehovah and depart from evil.”  Proverbs 3:5-7

 

“Roll your ways upon Jehovah; trust also in Him, and He will bring it to pass.  And He will bring forth your righteousness like the light, and your justice like the noonday.  Rest in Jehovah, and wait patiently for Him; do not fret over him who prospers in his way, because of him who works out wicked devices.  Cease from anger, and forsake wrath; do not fret; it only leads to evil.  For evildoers shall be cut off; but those who wait upon Jehovah, they shall inherit the earth.  For yet a little while, and the wicked shall be no more; indeed, you shall diligently consider his place, and it shall be no more.  But the lowly shall inherit the earth, and shall delight themselves in the abundance of peace.  The wicked plots against the just, and gnashes at him with his teeth.  Jehovah laughs at him, for He sees that his day is coming.  The wicked have drawn out the sword and have bent their bow, to cast down the poor and needy, to slaughter those who walk uprightly.  Their sword shall enter into their own heart, and their bows shall be broken.  A little that the righteous has is better than the riches of many wicked.  For the arms of the wicked shall be broken, but Jehovah upholds the righteous.  Jehovah knows the days of the upright, and their inheritance shall be forever.  They shall not be ashamed in the evil time, and in the days of famine they shall be satisfied.  But the wicked shall perish, and the enemies of Jehovah shall be as prized lambs; they are consumed; like smoke they vanish.”  Psalms 37:5-20

 

Amen!