Question Time Stamps for Quick Reference: 0:00 - Intro 1. 0:25 {Is Doomsday Prepping Biblical?} Should we as Christians be stockpiling food and supplies for some future global catastrophe? Some of my Bible study sisters are constantly talking about this and have started preparing for impending doom. Scripture tells us, “Do not worry about tomorrow” and "Be anxious for nothing.” But at the same time, I don't want to be caught off guard. Should Christians be stockpiling just in case? 2. 17:42 {Navigating Difficult Pregnancies} What are your thoughts on terminating a pregnancy due to a “lethal” condition like anencephaly? This seems like euthanasia. Applicable passages might be Genesis 9:4-6 and 2 Samuel 1:1-16. 3. 31:29 {Praying for the Sins of Others} Do we in any way need to (or can we) pray for the sins of another person, such as a family member? This topic was a recent one in some chats I am in. The verse cited was Leviticus 26: 40. 4. 36:45 {Was Mary Asking Jesus for a Miracle?} When Mary told Jesus that the wedding was out of wine, was she asking Him to do a miracle, or a more prosaic fix? I was taught that she asked for a miracle, but I wonder due to her other actions. 5. 43:26 {Thinking Biblically about Dating} I’m a late 20s Christian man struggling with anxiety in dating. As things progress, I tend to overanalyze everything to determine if I can marry the girl, and things end about 3 months in. Any scriptural advice? 6. 49:50 {Blasphemy in the Sermon on the Mount?} In The Sermon on the Mount, Jesus refers to God as the audience’s Father. How was this not blasphemous in the way that Jesus claiming to be the Son of God was a big deal in the Passion narrative? 7. 54:22 {Asking Others for Help When Needed} I have an illness that leaves me physically and mentally fatigued. My wife and I need a lot of help but struggle with asking. How do I ask for help in a way that is God-honoring and not selfish? 8. 1:00:10 {What Exactly Is Sin?} What exactly is sin? Is there a difference between sins against the flesh and sins against the heart/spirit? Does 1 John 5: 17 have anything to do with that? Is sin only sin when it causes death? 9. 1:06:36 {What does “Woke” Mean?} I have heard you use the word “woke.” Please define it. Since being hijacked from the Black community, it seems to mean different things. 10. 1:21:45 {Salvation before the Reformation} Were people saved before the Reformation? It is hard to believe everyone went to Hell during that time, so I've heard people use this to argue in favor of Catholicism. Is this a valid argument?
I am a Christian prepper as well. We prep for several months needs. It definitely came in handy during the COVID months in that we had plenty of food and supplies such that we did not have to leave our location to shop. We had enough for 8 months. We continue prepping to this day and have used our supplies to assist others in need who are suffering housing and food needs due to the economy that they are feeling crunched by. So, our prepping is something like tithing in that we are able to help others in need. We prep smart and don’t over do it, but definitely use it to help ourselves as well as others in need.
Hi Sarah! I listened to Mike's study on Bible translations. What translations does he currently use for the 10 questions? Thanks. Jennifer in Texas (edited for grammar).
notice between the 6th and 7th seal there is a chapter about people appearing in heaven. And at the 7th seal there is silence in heaven for about half an hour. (this happens to be the ICBM flight time just saying) OKay, okay okay, so what happens after this? Probably the closest description of what WW3 would look like before the discovery of atomic energy. So if someone can find a better description of WW3 than Trumpets 1-4, let me know. 1/3 destruction of the land, the sea, ships of the sea, the sky is scorched which blots out the sun/ and then there is wormwood,. something that kills people in a similar way to fallout. One could argue, oh they die because the water is bitter, not radioactive.. Okay.. radioactive isn't a word for Jon of Patmos. Also there could be military weapons that we don't know about, thinks like orbital battleships/ very large ships in space/ nuclear powered, ready to launch whenever desired, they could be manned or unmanned and any of the 3 super powers could have something like this. Some people think wormwood can be an asteroid , sure maybe? we will find out at some point and from my perspective it feels like it could be in our lifetime.
Praying for you brother, pray for me too. I've been having a hard time being intentional in my relationship with God. A lot of east distraction from reading time and prayer sadly
Thanks, Pastor Mike. I AM prepping. Not out of fear that God won't provide. I prep for the people that HAVENT PREPARED, and plan to use those shared moments to share the gospel.
I have enough food for myself for about a year, but I’m single and plan to give it to starving people. It’s God’s work to feed the hungry. I am blessed to be able to do it to any degree now and in the future.
Yes, it's something everyone used to do. If you grew your own food you had to. People don't realise that the supermarkets only have about 2 days worth of stock, they're dependent on daily deliveries, it doesn't take much to disrupt that. Look at people fighting over toilet rolls! God gave us common sense.
You can prep without being paranoid or fearful but it is something to guard against. Even if the end of the world happens Christ is still King. An easy thing to forget.
About 2 or 3 years ago, I got an urge to prep and wasn't sure what I was prepping for. I had ideas but nothing solid. Turned out my husband would lose his job and the money and food we had saved kept us going for the 6 months between work. I think it is wise to prep, not to a crazy amount and it shouldn't consume you. Just a healthy amount with money savings, food and water storage, being able to defend yourself. If the Lord gives us much, then it is good to be wise with it and not just spend crazy. Even while we didnt have my husbands income, we could still give
Yep, would second this. I had my doubts when we bulk bought some stuff and people visiting find it funny (we dont have many cupboards so it mostly sits in the visible corner of our kitchen). But now we've had second kiddo and planning to homeschool, we have a lot less income and things are ever more expensive, the 'prepping' is part of God's provision for us now.
At age 71 and on social security only I can't afford to prep. I do have extra canned goods but sometimes I can't afford groceries. I have Dr bills, rent, utilities, medicine and all. I put my faith in Jesus. When, and if, the time comes His will be done..
I was personally faced with the "your baby probably has a fatal condition", and I was leaned on pretty hard to terminate. That beautiful child is now in her mid 20's, employed as an engineer after completing her masters' degree. She has very mild epilepsy that might be related to the anomaly that caused some initial tests to be abnormal, but with good sleep hygiene and some modern medicine she has no trouble driving and living life. Having said that, I also have the perfect scenario that you presented in Q.1, and it is not rare. It is called ectopic pregnancy, which is a pregnancy outside the womb where the baby's placenta has attached to other organs (like intestines, kidneys, etc.0. It's often diagnosed because of pain to the mom, and blood work shows that the baby is not forming a healthy placenta, and is doomed to die. It will generally prove fatal to mom if left untreated. Even very pro-life physicians will advocate for a termination when the situation looks hopeless. There are very *rare* cases where an ectopic pregnancy is viable, and the mom is then offered the opportunity to continue with the pregnancy under close supervision, and with a cesarian delivery done if mom gets into serious trouble or the child is close enough to the "due date'' to be delivered into this world.. Hope that helps.
Re. Marriage and happiness. Mike is correct that happiness is not the goal of marriage, honoring and serving God is. But, if both spouses are aimed at the true goal, happiness will follow.
I’m a bit confused with this one. If you could help me out that would be great. You can honour and serve God without being married. What are the additional ways of serving God in a marriage that can’t be done alone? I can only really think of raising God serving children-even then there is fostering and adoption available if that is something one is passionate about. What does serving/honouring God mean in a marriage and what does it look like? I have heard something along the lines of ‘treating your partner in a God honouring way’ but again you can do this without marrying them.
@@emersyn444 hey. As a woman about to celebrate 9 years of marriage (currently without kids) what I can say is that a way I have personally realised I can honour God in my marriage is by working on myself (and I say this in a non- selfish way… it’s not about me but about others). Being married made me realise how stubborn I am, and how prideful I can be. Sometimes in an argument with my husband I would sit out of the situation mentally and hear myself and be like “Why are you saying this?!” Being married is allowing someone into areas of yourself that you don’t let others in and they are going to hit those sore points… they really see the good, the bad and the ugly (and I know in myself there was and is plenty of ugly to face). Through my marriage so far God has helped me see my own pride in a way that I was totally blind to before, and die to it to marry myself better to the needs of another. I think the importance of the promises I made in marriage to another make that something worth the fight against my own selfishness sometimes, that I don’t know if I would have fully committed to if there were the simple way out of leaving that person best suited my personal needs. I think marriage and my value of my own promises made to that person are what has made me stick through the times when I really wanted to run away because I was facing an ugly bit of myself that I didn’t want to acknowledge. Learning and seeing my own pride has also let me look back at areas in the past where my pride has affected my relationships with others, and I’ve been able to say sorry, which has in turn made them do the same, and move forward better in relationships now seeing the needs of others where I was blind before. All my relationships are better for it, and the bulk of my pride has been faced and brought up through my marriage (so far… am learning always pride is a never ending pit 😂 Probably why the Bible has so much to say about being humble!). On top of this, 7 years of our marriage I have started suffering with a health condition, and watching my husband lay down his desires to help me fulfill my needs and my desires too really helped me to nail pride to the cross. In some ways God has blessed me through illness by letting me walk a difficult path. I pray every day for healing, but oh my days I am SO grateful for the lessons I have learned and the sweetness of relationship that has come through my husband laying himself down (which humbled me and made me ask fir forgiveness), illness and difficulties making me face the ugly parts of myself, and the kinds of friendships I now have around me. I only hoped and prayed for the friendships I have now, and I never realised it was in part my pride stopping those things from being reality. I hope this helps answer the question. This is my experience only so may not apply to uou or to everyone, but I am sure others will be able to relate in some way. God bless. ❤
@@emersyn444 I dont quite understand your question, but Paul said in his opinion it's better not to marry since you can focus better on serving the Kingdom, but if you have the desire to marry, then there's nothing wrong with that either.
@@GestOfAll Sorry perhaps my question was lost in my ramble! If ‘happiness i’m not the goal of marriage, serving God is’ then what additional ways can we serve God that we cannot do alone? If unhappy why get married? I am struggling to see the benefit of that-hope that makes sense 😅
My Dad ALWAYS prepared for just about any scenario possible, being a child of the great depression. {My grandad lost his job} My mom's folks, {my other grands} were farm folks, born in the late 1800's and ALWAYS kept everything. I grew up in a home of peppers. We had a water cistern under the house, slate roof & copper gutters that filled it. Our house had gas and electric lights, and 2 fireplaces. We grew fruit trees, and had a HUGE garden, and we worked canning, dehydrating, and freezing all summer. Summers on my grandmas farm, gave me first hand knowledge of milking cows, making butter and cheese, smoking hams and all the chickens a kid could care for! I'm now caring for my parents, who are 91, in Florida. I've purchased a water purification system, bought extra grains, pressured canned meats and veggies, and probably have a year's worth of extra food. Living in Florida however, my area is deed restricted for veggie gardens, so I can't grow a lot of what I want to grow. As a Christian, I not only believe in God's WILL being done regardless of what the world thinks, I am a pre-trib rapture believer, and yet I still prepare the best way I can. WHY? Because I see with my eyes what's going on with food plants burning to the ground, no oil, freight transportation slowed, division among us and wars. Less and less is the Church standing for the Biblical principles, or helping anyone in my area. I also collect Bibles. I want to ensure I have the written word of God to give to those who don't, if our grid goes down. I simply believe it's practical. It doesn't interfere with my FAITH. In fact I think if the Lord decides to come today, perhaps those left behind will be inspired to grab a Bible to read as they grab the food!!
On prepping- my husband and I have been mildly interested, not so much preparing for some sort of apocalypse, but more general preparedness. Once, I joined a couple of "prepping" FB groups... but it was bad for me because of allll the fear promoted in that group. Fear that makes people mean, not godly. When someone asked in the group how they could hide the smell of cooking food so that nobody knew they had food to eat (in some future apocalypse), I knew I had to ditch that group. We still do lots of things that would be considered "prepping" - we even freeze- dry foods, but we won't be ruled by fear.
I’ve been prepping for a couple of years now. It has come in very handy in bad weather situations and we all know the supply chain issues we had during the pandemic. It gives a lot of peace of mind that we have food and power should disaster strike. And oh my word, I love your shirt!
Christian nurse here. Anencephaly is the lack of the brain, usually the brain stem is there or part. I remember 1 Christian couple who bore their child to term. Anencephaly doesn’t interfere with the life of the mother under normal circumstances. Their baby died shortly after birth but the parents held him as he died. When he died, his organs were used to save / help several other babies. Not all babies with anencephaly die - it depends on how severe it is. You have to be careful with organ donation because some eager doctors will say the child is “brain dead” which isn’t a defined condition and they’ll take organs while the heart is still beating.
This is why I'm not donating my organs...my socioeconomic status is that of someone whose yelling "I'm alive! I'm alive!" would be cause for the doctor to say, "Yeah, that's just a reflex," lol
Brain death is a diagnosis. There are diagnostic tests to test for brain death. Apnea and cranial nerve reflex tests should be part of the diagnostic. If inconclusive, there are a variety of imaging diagnostics that can be performed. And if the heart isn't still beating, the organs are not viable. You can still harvest tissues after heart death. I don't work with neo/peds, so that's not an area I have experience with. But I know that with adults those tests are performed and family is informed and asked to make the call to remove someone from life support. After several days, if family refuses, ethics is often involved. To the person who said that saying "I'm alive!" Is a reflex, that is an ignorant opinion.
I’ve been a nurse for 29 years…..6 years in ICU….2 years on a transplant ICU. Can I ask, what makes you say doctors are “eager to get the organs” and pronounce a pt brain dead? What data and proof do you have of that? I can say from front line, weekly, hands on, and personal involvement what tests must be done to prove brain death prior to diagnosing brain death. It can’t be “faked”. We are required to test. Your claim is injurious and untrue.
@bboop200 Sadly not true. Not all doctors and hospitals behave this way but some do. Many no longer see any inherent value of human life but only if it meets a description that they find has value. A couple examples we've personally seen: My wife works with mentally handicapped adults and many people don't see them as having a "good" quality of life so they aren't fully human or valuable as the rest of us. She had a doctor asking for permission to perform multiple surgeries on my wife's client. When asked why, the doctor said because the client is basically brain dead, in a vegetative state. My wife asked if the surgeries were necessary or would benefit the client. The doctor said no but he had students who would benefit from the practice so why not? When my wife went to check on the client she found that they weren't verbal (many clients aren't) but they responded and interacted with her. When she confronted the doctor with the facts that they weren't vegetative but awake, the doctor said, OK but look at their quality of life, it sucks. Basically, what's the harm in practicing on them and then having them mercifully die. They could use that experience to help real people. Also in the last couple years we took care of an elderly family member. She had multiple health issues and major surgery. After being admitted to the hospital a couple times, about 50% of the hospital staff started trying to convince us to stop treatment and have her die. It would be much easier on everyone. She couldn't swallow but since their were risks with any alternative (she might choke or develop pneumonia) we should just "let her go" which meant stop giving her any nutrition including fluids. We didn't agree and insisted on help and the doctor said fine but they were just doing it for our emotional comfort because we couldn't let go. The doctor then claimed that our Aunt was on her deathbed and she would probably die in a week and the measures wouldn't matter. When pressed, the doctor said maybe she could live another 6 months but then she would just get sick again so what was the point? She lived another 14 months. It wasn't easy. She couldn't walk anymore and we had to feed, bathe, change, medicate, carry her, and more (we also have 5 kids) but it was worth it. We also got to pray with her, talk about childhood, heaven, family, and she got to spend 1 more Christmas with her extended family. During this time her daughter repeatedly talked about how she wished her mom would die because it was so hard for her (she lived in another state). The doctors fed into that mentality. One of them said "wouldn't it be better to let her go into the arms of Jesus instead of us ripping her out of Jesus's arms and forcing her to have more pain and suffering" Our Aunt said, No, she wanted to live. So we cared for her.
I've started being prepared for the unknown in the last few years. 2020 taught me all I needed to know about it. My husband and I were in an essential field, so we never missed a day during the shutdown. We had money, no problem. But that money meant nothing when the shelves were empty. We had to get creative to feed our family. I thank God that He provided every need during that time, but I also thank God for allowing me to see what we need to do for the future. It could have been worse than it was. If something like that were to happen again, hopefully we will not need to buy food from the stores and leave it for the ones who need it. Hopefully, we will be in a better position to help others. We're not extreme preppers, we're just trying to be better prepared.
Nothing I've read in the Bible or learned from history tells me that everything is going to be ok. (until the 2nd coming) Everyone needs to at least be prepared for the typical natural disasters in their region. The least anyone should ever have is a weeks worth of food, water & medicine.
To the prepping question: someone I follow on RU-vid occasionally, but rarely, shout out one of these companies that sells disaster preparedness food. The thing he always says is 'look, sometimes it storms. Sometimes the power goes out. It never hurts to have at least a few weeks of supplies on hand.' I'm in the Midwest. It snows here. Sometimes the snow can get so deep that all the roads are shut down or it's cold enough that your car won't start. Emergency situations happen. Being a little prepared is better than not being prepared at all.
I don’t think it’s odd to have a couple or three weeks worth of supplies on hand. We have ice storms and snow storms on occasion, as well as hurricanes. The prepping for 6 months to a year is odd. If it comes to that, people are pretty quickly going to figure out that you have supplies while they don’t.
@@Wentletrap213 And my emergency supplies are things like dry beans. Sure, I'd eat them if I need to, but I prefer canned, and we don't eat THAT many of them usually. So what do I do when they get close to going bad? I'm keeping an eye on the dates, so I know when I need to start adding them into my regular meal planning, but I'd hate to have to do that for six months (or a year, if I'm going to stretch it out).
Ive heard about a couple who found out their child had encephalitis the brain was not developing, and the baby would die. They chose to have the baby, and they were able to hold their baby for a few hours before it passed away. They cherished those few hours with their baby.
I've also heard of a story of a child given a diagnosis like Spina bifida or some other condition that is essentially a death sentence for a baby. The doctors kept telling them to terminate but they wouldn't. When asked what they were expecting when the baby was born the doctor said they didn't know since they had never delivered a baby with this condition. Baby was delivered and turns out it just had a fat neck, no issues at all. There are so many stories of parents who decide to keep their child despite pressure from doctors and they turn out completely healthy. It's wild to think how many others are killed because of this.
He nailed it pretty well, I agree, too. He didn't need to mention this, but "wokeness" is, at the fundamental level, Marxism with western characteristics. It's all identity politics/oppressor vs. oppressed. I agree with him on this, too: it isn't merely political. It affects all believers on a very spiritual level. At its core it is anti-Christ and anti-human. I daresay the devil's religion.
Yes, his response to Q9 was excellent, especially his identification of the only things that hold the inherently opposed elements of LGBTQ together; namely: 1. A rejection of God's design of male and female 2. A belief that desires dictate identity
The atheistic ideology of "Marxism" includes words like "queer," "intersectionality," "bougie," "oppressor," and "reimagine." When Marxism is then applied to social constructs outside the traditional proletariat/bourgeoisie dynamic, as found in America, it is more "neo-Marxist." A synonym for neo-Marxism is "woke." Thus, how "woke" a company or person is -- reflects just how much of the neo-Marxist ideology one has embraced.
Yes.. God reminds me of Joseph when I start doubting storing food and water. We are not called to hoard. I have saved my family thousands having reserves.. and rotating the stock. But ultimately Jesus is our provider. Thankful you mentioned Matthew. I believe prepping is a hospitality gift.
I grew up in a family that canned food. I still grow a garden and preserve each year. I write the date on and it usually gets used in 2 years. When the jar of food is used, I store water in the jars reusing the flats. But beyond that I'm not hoarding.
Question 2 response. My mom was told with her 3rd pregnancy that her baby was going to die if she carried it to term and my mom would also. She took the doctors word for it and got an abortion. decades later she found out when speaking with other doctors that her situation could’ve easily been fixed without killing the baby. If someone finds themselves in a situation where the doctors says you and your baby will die get a dozen different opinions because you never want to be wrong about that.
Thank you Mike for answering the Prep question. After years of going back and forth I landed on the same conclusions you shared. I often struggled with the idea that many who are anti-prep will also have no problem squandering resources in pursuit of pleasure. We’re so blessed in America and have become so comfortable and reliant on this massive system we’ve built to sustain ourselves. Lord have Mercy if the system fails and we’re left without electricity and help for an extended period of time. I think it’s time for me to get a plan in order for short term disasters.
I was raised to the mindset of logical preparedness-not doomsday prep, but just the typical life type. Being from a long line of farmers, it’s just natural to observe that there are cycles of nature and life that happen, and you use the resources you have available for the future and when you know the cycles you use what you have to last till the next cycle. In the case of Joseph in Egypt, not the 7-year doomsday scenario, but the annual one-literally everyone stored grain to last until next harvest. Obviously. In modern times we have always bought things when they are on sale, and kept them for when they are not. We buy school and office supplies in July-because that’s when everyone runs back to school sales. We might use all of it this year, or it might take 2-3 years-but you buy it when it’s on sale. We grow our own tomatoes, and can them out of the garden. If you want to have tomatoes in the fall, winter and spring, you save them till next harvest. So the amount you “prep” kind of depends on how often the thing comes around. What cycle are we looking at? When is “harvest”? Is it monthly? Every 6 months? To me it’s just stupid to not have food in the house to eat if you can’t get to the store for a couple weeks. When Covid hit and everyone was freaking out about toilet paper, I thought….what do you do, buy one roll at a time and wait till you have 3 sheets to buy more? People are crazy. I’m of the mindset that you always have a pantry and shelves full of things like soap, for the next one to use after the one you’re using is gone. When it’s almost time to open the one last one in the cupboard, that’s when it’s definitely time to buy more-even if it’s not a sale. How do people not have a buffer built into their lives? Crazy.
You are correct. I have a big family, so I've always had to buy in bulk and keep stocked up. In fact, I've been looked at like I'm some crazy hoarder in the store before, lol. If people only knew how quickly those things, like toilet paper or soap, get used in my family. However I think the main issue is that in our current economic situation in the USA, many know this is best to do, but simply can't do it anymore. It's all most people can do to keep whatever they will need at the moment, much less for future use. It's gotten really bad.
Space can be a constraint too. can't have a month of food and water and hygiene if the apartment only has one free shelf left. Day-to-day living takes up floorspace too :(
Space is definitely a concern-and sometimes it’s very tight. This is also why some people rent storage units (not for food or supplies, but because space is tight). I admit I can’t imagine having to rent space for Christmas decorations or seasonal stuff like a bicycle. Obviously it depends on the situation-6 people in a studio is one thing, but often people can just be more organized, too. Definitely depends on the situation. We’ve often used under the bed or under a step for supplies to be tucked away. Above the kitchen cupboards is sometimes dead space. Etc.
You can never take too long to answer the questions. Remember, we can stop, come back and listen again. :) You are a blessing for the younger generations and the older generations. :)
Mike, I am so grateful that you always keep on trucking despite any negative comments or challenges. May the Lord give you peace and strength for every day. You don't know how much of a difference it makes for truth seekers. ❤
I was saved in COVID and in fear doomsday prepped, had a lift full of food, cash, silver coins and a caravan. I was saved and God showed me to trust Him and sell it all or give it to food banks. I truly believe God will lead His sheep!
Prepping. Follow the promptings of the Holy Spirit. I felt very strongly that we should have no debt. So paid off car and home just have a medical bill from my deceased mother-in-law. Then strongly prepped and canned for almost 2 years. Now the urgency is gone. We are well stocked now. I have heard many others say they feel the urge to prep also.
In the story of the "Boy Who Cried Wolf" people often forget that there really was a wolf and that he was infinitely smarter than people, waiting until they STOPPED listening to that annoying boy before he struck
The explanation on “wokeness” is spot on. Thank you, Pastor Mike. I’m a mental health professional and I work with youth dealing with these identity delusions.
One (of many) reasons I love these Q and A’s. I always learn something! I’ve known the Lord for over 40 years and never heard anyone explain the symbolism of the water jars and the wine. Amazing!!
Thanks for answering Dave’s question, Mike. Number 5 really hits home for me too. It’s been 7 years since my only relationship and it ended after 3 months. God has been teaching me in the last year more about how to love Him and love others first. I’m not perfect and if God blesses me with a husband, that man isn’t perfect either!
#7 Mike, I liked everything you said about how to ask others for help when you have a legitimate need. And I really appreciated at the end when you added that we should have HUMILITY to go ahead and ASK. In my own family, 3 of us have a physical disability and need legitimate help sometimes. One thing I get frustrated with my mom about - which I'm sure I'm guilty of, too - is when she holds in the pain or a need so long that, by the time she expresses it, she is in anger mode. I call it being "self-sacrificial to the extreme," which to me comes across as extreme selfishness 🤷♀️...and it makes the rest of us very frustrated. So I'm saying, if you're surrounded by people who truly care about you, go ahead and communicate your need. For the rest of your friends and acquaintances, do what Mike said and spread your requests around.
I keep a well stocked pantry but not for long term storage. I grow and preserve as much food as I can for my family and to share with others, but with the intention to eat it through the year. The gardening and preservation are hobbies of mine and a way for me to give my family good nutritious delicious food, and we mitigate some grocery costs. I also keep a 5 gallon bucket of rice because it’s cheaper to buy the big bags at Sam’s Club, and I try to always keep a couple extra bags of flour and basic baking supplies on hand because I hate running out. I’m not a prepper by any stretch in my opinion, but I could fairly easily go a few months feeding my family without the grocery store if I had to, but we’d have to give up quite a few things we really enjoy. 😁
I have been preparing for it because no matter what we could leave for other people if we are no longer here...also not only preparing food and stuff your soul...get your life right with God and get into your word... Be strong in faith because I believe it will be tested...
I was sexually assaulted resulting in my pregnancy. I chose life when I was being pressured to have an abortion. M_ son is now 54 years old & living in Costa Rica.
I teach emergency preparedness and am a Christian. I like to teach people to think about preps as another form of insurance. I also feel it is a way to love thy neighbor. There is a happy medium and a way to have faith in God but also know that God wants us to be prepared and care for our family’s well-being.
Hi Mike! In regards to the abortion question, as someone who works in a large obgyn office, I can assure you that the scenario that was given and similar ones sadly happen more often than the average person realizes. It’s actually diagnosed as a life limiting diagnosis and is always heartbreaking because it’s often in very wanted pregnancies. I’m grateful you took the time to answer the hypothetical instead of writing it off as “something that never actually happens” because again, unfortunately it happens way more often than you’d realize and far more often than I ever thought before entering the field of women’s health. Babies with no kidneys, no brain formation, severe heart defects incompatible with life, among hundreds of other issues. There also is something called twin to twin transfusion where sometimes one baby is “selectively terminated” to save the life of the other baby where both would have died otherwise. The majority of pregnancies we see are happy and healthy. But to ignore the very real situations that have happened and do happen in pregnancy that would lead a mom to possible choose to end the pregnancy is a huge mistake that the prolife side screws up big time on.
A dear friend of mine who has struggled with fertility for years suffered an Ectopic pregnancy. She got very sick and spent a week in hospital and they unfortunatly had to abort the baby. She and her husband both grieved the baby, but comforted them that they would see their baby in heaven someday.
Yes, the whole time Mike was explaining I was thinking of ectopic pregnancies that are exactly that scenario… the baby will die whether it’s treated or not, and aborting will prevent the death of the mother.
Question No. 2: How can you be sure that the child would die? I was born a twin at 7 months. According to the doctors, my sister had a 50 percent chance and I would definitely die. No chance because my lungs weren't developed. Then my father said, Not you, but God decides that they live. And here I am, all these years later, safe and sound. With lungs that are even larger and better developed than the average human. Praise the Lord.
'For a season, for a reason' is actually a great, profound little saying you came up with there, Mike. Someone should put that on a t-shirt. It's a great encouragement to trust God when things don't make sense, because ultimately we trust that God uses everything for good.
This was really good. Lots of good questions that connect and build on each other. Like the question of dating, then sin and wokeness . One of my takeaways was that a person can be in sin and know they are in sin and keep doing it anyway. Then you can have someone be in sin, and be ignorant and deceived, thinking they're the one in the right and everyone else who disagrees with them is wrong. God, the Creator, is the one who determines what sin is. Lots of food for thought.
For Question #2: There is in fact no medical need for an abortion in that circumstance and here’s why: Early delivery is an option. This is exactly why ectopic pregnancies DO NOT fall under elective abortions, despite what the pro-abortion side may have the uneducated masses believe. They are considered miscarriages (aka: spontaneous or involuntary abortions). The goal is to save the mother’s life, NOT to kill the infant. So the death of the infant (at any stage) though unavoidable, was never the intent. It is the indirect result of the removal of the fallopian tubes/womb. Early delivery is ALWAYS an option under circumstances where a mother’s life and sometimes that of the child is in danger. Sometimes the infant dies as an result, but under many circumstances (especially after 19weeks), the infant’s life can in fact be saved by early delivery. The terminal state of the child’s condition can never be a consideration for murdering the child early as if it was some sort of “mercy”. Especially considering how absolutely brutal ALL the life-ending options are.
I came to the comment section to say something similar. I'm really a bit surprised by what Mike said but maybe he hasn't spent a great deal of time thinking through this particular issue. He also seems to not be familiar with the false dichotomy fallacy.
My mom counseled pregnant woman and I learned a lot growing up about pregnancy and how abortion is always elective. My son was born prematurely and he is good now but they didn't waste time considering avoiding him when it was found there was an issue. They just delivered him and we delt with that. Fortunately through much care and intuition from his mother and I we made it through it all and he is 15. Pro abortionist would have ended his life.
The issue is most of the hyper conservative laws are being worn by men with no knowledge of things like ectopic pregnancy. No abortion after 6 weeks unless death is imminent means an ectopic pregnancy former get treated until death is imminent and that means losing the fallopian tube or uterus. If it has been treated quickly, the loss of fertility wouldn’t be necessary. And even if the law wasn’t intended to make the person wait, they are poorly written and cause doctors to be afraid to treat complicated issues early and quickly.
My wife and I had a time where we felt that the Holy Spirit was prompting us to "prep." No doomsday event happened but we lost a significant source of income for a season and we truly feel that our food storage was one of the ways the Lord blessed us through that particular trial.
Proverbs 6:6-9 New International Version (NIV) Go to the ant, you sluggard; consider its ways and be wise! It has no commander, no overseer or ruler, yet it stores its provisions in summer and gathers its food at harvest. How long will you lie there, you sluggard? When will you get up from your sleep?
I don't "doomsday prep", but I have felt it very important to learn to cook from scratch and develop skills like sewing and gardening. It's been so much fun!
It’s not until recent history where people didn’t actively prepare food stores to get through the winter. Was it fearful for people to stock up for winter? Obviously not. I keep food in reserves. Nothing crazy but if something happens, we won’t need to panic. It’s especially helpful during Hurricane season when everyone raids the stores but I don’t need to because I always keep extra on hand.
Everyone should prep. Especially after seeing how the government got during *Covid.* Scientist’s predict California is overdue for a huge earthquake, other states have to worry about Tornadoes, Hurricanes, floods, and everyone should be worried about an EMP strike. Prep does not have to be expensive or time-consuming. Store things like Beans, rice, flour, sugar, salt, vegetable shortening, yeast, baking powder, and cooking oil. These things are cheap, easy to store and last a long time.
When I think of praying for others who are struggling with sin, I think of praying that the Lord may soften their heart so they can accept Him. This might come in the form of experiences that will help them have a change of heart. I also see this as a commandment and part of our own repentance and journey towards Christ. Matt 5: 44-46.
On the anencephalic question, I have personal family experience with that scenario. The mother of the baby was also very sick and hospitalized but not in risk of losing her life. The doctors convinced them that the baby's brain was slowly being obliterated and they told the couple that the baby was suffering due to the increasing brain pressure. They then promised not to harm the baby, they would induce the mother slowly over three days so the baby wouldn't be harmed. It was heartbreakingly painful to lose this baby who was very wanted and loved, but, of course, the doctors likely saw hospitalizing this mom and saving this baby to be burdensome to their system or they did have the baby's suffering and the mental and physical suffering of the mom as being the priority. This pressure was given into. The head of the baby was also enlarging abnormally due to the hydrocephaly, making a birth riskier with time. So, the couple gave into this advice. These moral dilemmas do confront us all the time, similar to end of life scenarios. I don't know if they did the right thing. God will have to tell us.
I think the questions in response to the prepping question is: Are you Prepping from a place of Fear or prepping with the ability to serve as God needs. For a few years i have been building up my 2nd pantry with supplies. I hold this pantry lightly. I use up/rotate my 2nd pantry items so they do not expire or if we run out because it wasnt on sale and then forgot to buy it. I buy items only when on sale amf a reasonablely good date, for the 2nd pantry. eg beans and rice, pasta sauce, toothpaste, toothbrushes, hand wash shampoo, oil, stock etc. I have been able to use this pantry FOR others to bless them. 🙌🙏
I can tell you this. As a single male believer, remaining single is looking better and better. The last Christian sister I briefly dated was so messed up in different ways, that I literally ran from her. Have now experienced this twice. I have sought Jesus' help in this area for a while now, so being single in this season is for a reason.
With the doomsday prep for me it's more about ensuring my family is provided for when it's hard I think it's smart to have those back ups. Some people go really crazy with it and start to get fearful, which we're not supposed to be doing it out a fear. My husband always says "hope for the best, but prepare for the worst"
48:05 A cheesy, but true, saying I heard once was “a perfect spouse isn’t found, it’s created!” :) That doesn’t mean you expect to change people but it does mean you need to grow TOGETHER. I wish I’d had pastors like Mike to counsel me when I was struggling. My church did absolutely nothing for younger people and now I’m divorced and praying for reconciliation :(
I think to some degree these doomsday peppers are doing God’s work, but it reminds me of a story my pastor shared with us once. He explained how God told him where he was gunna be and what he was gunna do in the near future. He knew the exact location and people he would be working with. So, he figured since God told him all this that it meant he should get the ball rolling. He spoke with these people and they all agreed to move into this place together immediately and they were hustling in chaos living there. They decided to call it quits and figured it wasn’t the right time. A year later, they all wound up getting together and moving back to that same place and doing their mission and it was an amazing experience. Everything lined up perfectly and just flowed smoothly the whole time. The point is, I think these preppers are right to think they need to prep, but they’re possibly prepping too early. Possibly. God also could be prepping them for the times to come by getting them ready to know how to handle the situation when it does come. If I had to prep tomorrow for a month I would be scrambling trying to figure out what to get, where to get it, where to put it, how much I need etc. These people are well aware so much so that all they would need is the time it takes to get stuff together. There would be no question of what to do when the time comes. I think God may be letting them know they will need to do this at some point, so they’re mentally ready to act right away with a plan already in mind. That way they can lead everyone well and get things done quickly.
I think prepping is a good thing to put into practice regardless. You should always have extra on hand for your family and friends. Things happen. Electricity goes out. Natural disasters occur. Have extra. That's just sound practice.
I've rebuilt my sailboat to a live-aboard bugout survival pod that can stay out at sea self-sufficient for up to 10 years (minimum 7 years). I've lowered my yearly cost of living to $3500 including everything by moving onboard, so I don't have to work anymore. Good luck! 🤞
My sum total of prep for Y2K was to buy a nice shake flashlight. (But I do live in a rural area where food and water are more accessible) Thanks for a balanced answer Mike!
Yeah! I remember Y2K. Some of my friends swore it would be Jesus coming and yet lived in fear and obsessed. I hate to say it, but they were giving me anxiety. I just had tuna, water, a good flashlight Some warm clothes. People need to do what they need to do, but not obsess and live in fear.
I’m sure I could hear some good arguments for “prepping,” but it gives me pause for so many reasons. I suspect fears of civil war or a doomsday are being stoked up by people who want to sell you supplies they know you’ll never need.
In regards to question # 4: My pastor said that the Greek implies that she did indeed want Jesus to do something publicly miraculous, and that they have already had this conversation and that it was almost unresolved and brought back here. Nothing sinful of course, but a disagreement/misunderstanding of how Jesus was to go about His ministry. And Jesus’ reply was so gracious that she knew He’d do something to help one way or another and left it to Him. It was very interesting!
Prepping - requires organisation & progression (consuming older items & replacing them) of foodstuffs that deteriorate over time, otherwise it becomes wasteful & we are not being good stewards with what God has given us. 💒
Prepping is not hoarding. If you have food and water for years, I ask why? I learned use as you go and restock. A little here a little there. Stock up on God and His word❤
Knowledge is appropriate and acceptable - knowledge of foraging, growing crops, cleaning water, etc. To stock for 2 weeks is good sense. This gives you time to get your bearings. To stock for more than 2 weeks will only increase your fear and "wealth related thinking" unnecessarily.
I'm a bit of a prepper... I keep a go-bag with a first aid, trauma kit, burn kit, survival, and roadside kit that makes my local EMTs jealous. It's paid itself off a dozen times over in use, even replacing expired medications as an annual habit. Was saving up to get a freeze drier so I could make my own emergency food packets, and I ended up part of the mass layoffs going on all over lately. The extra cash has been critical in getting my new private business up and running! I was alone in my family in being 10-billion percent prepared for the Covid lockdown nonsense. Ended up being their primary TP provider, and got them to upgrade to bidets as well.
My son was born at 26 weeks and is fine at 15 Years now. If there is danger to the mother you deliver the baby and if they don't make it that is not purposefully killing the baby. Late term abortion especially requires days for prep. If there is danger to the mother you deliver the baby not abort it.
Matthew 6 is about a person’s heart. We prepare some, but our HOPE and TRUST is not in our preparations (which moth and fire and theft can rob from us). He is our salvation so we strive to remove worry from our hearts (we fail regularly, but seek to obey Him and not worry)
I think we should prep as individuals and as a collective in our nation for just basic common sense to minimize wrinkles and help times flow smoothly. I think it adds to our economy and security. I think freeze dried foods are so cool because they last so long without chemicals added. I think because I went through Katrina it marked me for life in my thinking.
I prayed about it. Everyone should. All I thought I heard was look to the ant. Proverbs 6:6-22. I think most of all we need to look to our savior. I think we are to do our best and he is so good. Thank him and trust him to do the rest.
Ultrasound tech here. Anencephaly in and of itself is not fatal to the mother. It is a birth defect of the baby involving the brain. There are children out there with anencephaly who are two years old,disabled, but alive. So in the first question- it wasn't inherently a danger to the mother.
People prep for everyday life too: cold, storms, heat, drought. It’s nothing crazy; it all depends on the circumstances. Wisdom, discernment, and financial responsibility all play a role. Because these factors are involved, I have fun with it too.
I don't consider myself a prepper, but we are prepared for emergencies and unforeseen circumstances. We never had to scramble for water, cleaning supplies or toilet paper.
Yeah after 2020, I always keep a little extra of some staples on hand, especially since one extended family member needs more personal care products than average and it was especially stressful trying to find what they needed at that time so I want to be able to help if it becomes necessary again someday.
Pastor Mike, thank for your take on question #2. I do want to share that in a situation where the mother's life is threatened and the pregnancy must end, the pro-life option is to either induce labor or complete a c-section. The reason is that if the mother's life is truly threatened, then the pregnancy must end asap. Abortion using pills requires a 2 day protocol, so that is not an "emergency". Abortion procedures utilize a pill which is meant to stop the baby's heart, then the next day the baby is removed in pieces via suction or is pulled out manually, so that is also not an "emergency" option. However, if labor is induced or a c-section is performed, the baby is able to pass on in the loving arms of mom and/or dad, or a nurse who values life.
On the subject of preparedness; only a fool does not prepare for disaster, but a greater fool trusts in things above God. I always look at it from a practical perspective and experience. Covid, power outages, storms. A short paycheck. Take lessons from the past, from the ones who survived wars, economic depressions. It was the little things. Basics for material and skills. it was strong connections to family and church community.
