Helping Others in Crisis and Favorite Website on Prepping

[AlexDTX]

This may have already been addressed, if so direct me to the other thread.

My question is: How, as Christians should we help others when we have supplies and they do not? For several years I had followed this website: survivethecomingcollapse.com by David Morris which focuses on surviving where you are in a crisis. It has been inactive for half a year, but is still a wealth of information.

He advises not helping directly but indirectly so looters don't come to your home. Either through a third party such as a church or anonymously such as putting on doorstep. What do you think and do you recommend other websites?

 

[SavedByGrace3]

Well that is the question of the day.
I address that issue in my book and there are several paths to take. You mentioned a couple.
Many shy away from helping anyone because they feel eventually the marauders will show up and seek to take all you have, not to mention possibly doing harm to your family... I will not detail into that. Others such as myself site John who said that if you have the goods of this world and fail to address the needs of your brothers, the love of God is not in you. That is a serious rule. Love compels you to act. How could any of us see a starving family standing on our stoop and not do something. I am interested to hear what others may say.
Thanks for the thread.
Dids

 

[AlexDTX]

Thank you Didaskalos. That is the reason I posed the question. I feel Christians have come along side the Prepper's movement without thinking through what a Christian response to the matter should be. Your reference to John is just one of several in the Scriptures that seem to urge giving without question. The bottom line is trusting God for our provision. There is a natural responsibility we have, for example, if any man doesn't work he should not eat, which shows that trusting God does not mean sitting on our behinds and letting others take care of us. But then there is exhortation not to rely on the arm of the flesh. Giving to others has that same dialectic tension. In my opinion, giving is not the question. In a time of crisis when many are without and you have a supply, but not enough to help everyone, how do you choose to help and how do you do so that you are not a magnet to everyone with need?

 

[SavedByGrace3]

A section from my book. Here we see the the believers in Antioch aiding the believers in Judea:


Christian Preppers and The Dearth

Acts 11:27-30 KJV
27 And in these days came prophets from Jerusalem unto Antioch.
28 And there stood up one of them named Agabus, and signified by the Spirit
that there should be great dearth throughout all the world: which came to pass
in the days of Claudius Caesar.
29 Then the disciples, every man according to his ability, determined to send relief
unto the brethren which dwelt in Judaea:
30 Which also they did, and sent it to the elders by the hands of Barnabas and Saul.

What would you have to give your neighbor if a “dearth” occurred today? Would you be on the giving side or the receiving side? If you are not prepping, you not only have nothing to give, but you will be depending on the charity of others to survive. You will be standing in the relief line. Please note that the dearth was “throughout all the world.” Christian areas were not exempt. There were no miraculous interventions to save them. No food out of the sky. Christians who were not prepared did not have food fall down upon them from heaven. Yet the Christians in Antioch had more than enough to spare. Regardless of how or why, the Antioch believers were prepared for such an event. They had so much that they were able to relieve those who did not prepare. If a dearth occurred today, what would you have to give if the prophets called for all to give according to their ability? I have a half ton of rice. Do you? I am prepared not only to care for my family, but to help the needy. What will your ability be when the prophets call? I exhort you to be like the Antioch believers and prepare today. Especially in uncertain times such as we live.

 

[AlexDTX]

A section from my book. Here we see the the believers in Antioch aiding the believers in Judea:


Christian Preppers and The Dearth

Acts 11:27-30 KJV
27 And in these days came prophets from Jerusalem unto Antioch.
28 And there stood up one of them named Agabus, and signified by the Spirit
that there should be great dearth throughout all the world: which came to pass
in the days of Claudius Caesar.
29 Then the disciples, every man according to his ability, determined to send relief
unto the brethren which dwelt in Judaea:
30 Which also they did, and sent it to the elders by the hands of Barnabas and Saul.

What would you have to give your neighbor if a “dearth” occurred today? Would you be on the giving side or the receiving side? If you are not prepping, you not only have nothing to give, but you will be depending on the charity of others to survive. You will be standing in the relief line. Please note that the dearth was “throughout all the world.” Christian areas were not exempt. There were no miraculous interventions to save them. No food out of the sky. Christians who were not prepared did not have food fall down upon them from heaven. Yet the Christians in Antioch had more than enough to spare. Regardless of how or why, the Antioch believers were prepared for such an event. They had so much that they were able to relieve those who did not prepare. If a dearth occurred today, what would you have to give if the prophets called for all to give according to their ability? I have a half ton of rice. Do you? I am prepared not only to care for my family, but to help the needy. What will your ability be when the prophets call? I exhort you to be like the Antioch believers and prepare today. Especially in uncertain times such as we live.

That is an excellent argument for prepping. However, it does not say how they dealt with their neighbors, only that they sent relief to the saints of Jerusalem. Nor does it say they sent relief to the pagans. But I am in agreement that believers should be prepared and that we should be the ones who are in the position of giving relief when needed. Regrettably we have many believers who are in as much debt as the lost world and would not be ready to help.

I think this would be a great topic for the preppers thread: are you out of debt and do you take care of your health through diet and exercise?