Chippy!

Boy, it was cold in the house this morning! I checked my weather app - 37 bloody degrees! Yikes!! Winter is approaching. The cold air is just a sign of the times.

Here's another sign that winter is approaching. Chippies! They are running everywhere - digging up holes in our yard, searching for food that they can store up for the cold months ahead when their food will be scarce.

They also like to sit on our wood pile and "chip" at anything that moves - a shadow, the neighborhood cat, my wife, etc. They're just trying to warn other chipmunks of impending danger. Nothing wrong with that.

Speaking of impending danger, we have an election coming up. Each of the two candidates says the other is dangerous. Regardless, one of the two will win and we are stuck with them for four years. That's true.

I saw a video this week that listed the top ten Dollar Store things you should have on hand should things go bad. Here they are, just in case your candidate loses.

1. Matches / lighters
2. Candles
3. Band aides
4. Water
5. Chlorox disinfectant 
6. Ramen noodles
7. Batteries
8. Ibuprofen 
9. Flushable moist wipes
10. Tooth paste / brush combo 
11. Ziploc bags

I guess that's 11. Somebody can't count and it's probably me. Those are good items to have but the Bible has a better list, and it's short. One item, and His name is Jesus.

When times get tough, Jesus is the one thing you NEED to have. Why? Well, He doesn't take up any storage space, He's free, and with Jesus in your heart, you can live forever!

The Bible says that things will get bad before Jesus returns. It looks like that's happening right now. Don't get caught without your name in the Book of Life when He returns. That would be extremely bad.

"Anyone whose name is not found written in the book of life will be thrown into the lake of fire." - Revelation 20:15

You do NOT want to go there!

Heed the example of the chipmunk. Store up Jesus in your heart while you still can. If Jesus is Lord of your life, you WILL be saved. If He is not, well, you read the verse.

Here's better verse:

"If you confess with your mouth that Jesus is Lord and believe in your heart that God raised him from the dead, you will be saved." - Romans 10:9

Live In The Now

The world we live in today is a whole lot different than when I was a kid. Of course, that was 50+ years ago. A lot of things have changed since then, and not all of them for the better.

This generation of today lives by the mantra featured in my story title - live in the now. There's no thinking about the future or possible consequences. "Just do it," says Nike.

Back in the 60's the Boy Scouts had a motto - "Be Prepared." Everything we did was in preparation for some future event.

First aid, tying knots, foraging for food, exercising, camping, handling knives and axes, civil service, attending church. Everything was a training exercise for the furure.

And now? Most of today's kids don't even know what a checkbook is, much less how to balance one.

What do they do when the power goes out? "Well, my phone has a flashlight." And when the battery dies? "Umm . . . call mommy and daddy?"

I'm not a big prepper but I do believe in being prepared. The extent of each person's preparedness is up to the individual.

My preparation for the future has led me to Christ. Through Jesus, I know exactly what my future holds.

Yes, my wife and I buy things in bulk when they go on sale. Yes, we stock up our pantry and our freezer. We have a generator, we have a wood burning fireplace. But our faith and Hope for our future lies in Jesus.

"For I know the plans I have for you,” declares the LORD, “plans to prosper you and not to harm you, plans to give you hope and a future." - Jeremiah 29:11

Live for the future.

Live In The Now - Wayne's World

Aww Poop!!

Have you ever had one of those days when it seems like nothing is going right? My wife had one yesterday. Her computer didn't work. The person who could fix it wasn't there. Her "friend" at work had booked too many people for appointments and people were getting frustrated, including my wife. Sometimes we get to the breaking point, we get frustrated. And why? Well, usually it's our own fault. We don't prepare.

Here's a sad picture for you. Actually, it could be good or it could be bad. All depends (no pun intended) when you noticed the empty toilet paper rolls in the dispenser - BEFORE or AFTER you sat down. It is always good to be prepared . . . and observant.

Stuff like this happens to me more than I'd like to admit. I fill up my car's gas tank and go inside to pay, only to discover I left my wallet at home. Or getting in line at the toll booth to cross the Mackinac Bridge before discovering you don't have enough money to pay the $4 toll.

I was in the Boy Scouts. I am supposed to "be prepared." It's their motto!! Yet I fail at these simple life lessons almost daily. Why? Honestly? I think it's because I am distracted by all other the other stuff I have going on in my life. I don't have time to think. I don't have time to prepare.

Have you ever read the story of Noah and the ark? You probably do so I'll just hit the high points.

"13 And God said to Noah, “I have determined to make an end of all flesh, for the earth is filled with violence through them. Behold, I will destroy them with the earth. 14 Make yourself an ark." - Genesis 6:13-14

If I was Noah I probably would have said, "Seriously? Right now? I don't have time for this!" But Noah obeyed God and began preparing for the flood. There were no clouds in the sky. There was no sign of rain. Everyone was having fun and partying in town. Nobody was ready for what was about to happen. They were about to get stranded on the toilet without any T.P.

Here's a little verse that can serve you well if you obey it:

"22 Noah did this; he did all that God commanded him." - Genesis 6:22

And so it was that Noah was prepared when the flood came. I wonder if Noah took toilet paper on board with him? Or what ever they used back then. Hmm. Unanswerable question I guess but somehow I think he was prepared.

So how do we prepare ourselves for situation like running out of essential things? That's easy. Prepare ahead of time. And just how are we going to be ready for life's tricky little situations? Read your Bible!

"28 For which of you, intending to build a tower, does not sit down first and count the cost, whether he has enough to finish it—  29 lest, after he has laid the foundation, and is not able to finish, all who see it begin to mock him,  30 saying, ‘This man began to build and was not able to finish’?  31 Or what king, going to make war against another king, does not sit down first and consider whether he is able with ten thousand to meet him who comes against him with twenty thousand?" - Luke 14:28-31

This life we are given is not always easy. It's not supposed to be. Life is full of challenges and situations to test and try us. God designed it that way for a reason. So we will learn and grow in our faith and in our character. We are not supposed to just go through life assuming things will just fall into our laps. We are here to learn!

Remember to prepare yourself for the day. Not only THIS day but also for the day that Jesus returns. On that day we do NOT want to be left staring at two empty toilet paper rolls when the poop hits the fan. It will be too late then. We must prepare ourselves now. Your reading assignment for today . . .

Matthew 24:3-14

This is The Gospel . . .

"By this gospel you are saved...that Christ died for our sins according to the Scriptures, that he was buried, that he was raised on the third day according to the Scriptures, and that he appeared to Peter, and then to the Twelve. After that, he appeared to more than five hundred of the brothers at the same time..." - 1 Corinthians 15:2-6

Training

Having spent a lot of time with youth over the past few years I have developed quite a few wonderful relationships. It is enjoyable to me to see these teens mature into young adults, especially if they are growing in the ways of the Lord. But many are those who fall off the radar, who drift into nothingness and they are slowly, and fatally, absorbed into the world.

As high school graduation looms large in our community, a month or so away, I find myself thinking of those young lives about ready to enter the world. But are they ready? Are they truly prepared for what awaits them? The answer, at least in MY mind is "uncertain" . . . leaning towards "probably not".

Several of my young friends from the youth groups I have been a part of have chosen the military for their post-high school careers. They have gone off to boot camp already. It's fun to see their pictures on Facebook, selfies in their military garb, their bodies changing shape right before our eyes as they train and exercise, preparing for whatever might come their way.

Think about that for a moment. The first thing a new recruit does when he joins the Army, Navy, Air Force or Marines is . . . train. They get ready. Ready for what? They get prepared, both physically and mentally, for battle. Battle in an ever-changing and uncertain world.

According to The Barna Group, most of today's young Christians will leave their faith upon exiting high school. (see Barna Survey). Why? Well, in my opinion, and in the opinion of J. Warner Wallace (more on him in a moment), it is because the church is not TRAINING their youth for when they hit the real world. What's that verse?

"6 Train up a child in the way he should go; even when he is old he will not depart from it." - Proverbs 22:6

The Bible says TRAIN! We are to train our children, not entertain them, not goof around with them, not even TEACH them. Although teaching is very important it is not the same as training.

If you were going in for open-heart surgery would you want a doctor who has been trained in the operation he was about to perform, or would you rather have someone who has only read a book about it. It's no different with our faith. Our teens go off to school, untrained in the ways of the Lord, and the first atheist professor they encounter removes what little faith that student ever had.

So who's at fault? Youth pastors? Nope. WE are. The parents. We turn our children over to youth pastors thinking they will do the job and we no longer have to. Really? They see our kids one, maybe two hours a week. Can't get much training done in that short amount of time.

Training involves lots of time. It involves sacrifice. It involves selfless individuals willing to learn and be taught. For the soldiers on this page, and also for us, without that desire to give up one's self in an effort to be made stronger, there is little hope of surviving in battle.

Now, about J. Warner Wallace. I was listening to a Christian radio talk show the other day and this guy was on. He was talking about training our kids rather than simply teaching them. [His words inspired me to write this story] He turned TRAIN into an acronym which stood for Testing, Requiring, Arming, Involving, Nurturing.

We must test our children to find out what they do and do not know. We should require them to read, memorize scripture, and serve others in the community. We need to arm our kids so when they venture out they are prepared - arm them with the truth of God's Word and the ability to deliver the Gospel. Get them involved with opportunities, not only to serve but opportunities to share the Gospel and defend their faith. And we must nurture our children. When they experience a battle and get wounded we must love them and allow God to heal them through us.

The enemy we face "prowls around like a roaring lion," searching the herd for the weakest target he can find. Then, in a moment they are not expecting, he attacks and kills his prey. We must not be weak when the attack comes. We must be strong. We must . . . train.

"6 Humble yourselves, therefore, under God’s mighty hand, that he may lift you up in due time. 7 Cast all your anxiety on him because he cares for you.

8 Be alert and of sober mind. Your enemy the devil prowls around like a roaring lion looking for someone to devour. 9 Resist him, standing firm in the faith, because you know that the family of believers throughout the world is undergoing the same kind of sufferings.

10 And the God of all grace, who called you to his eternal glory in Christ, after you have suffered a little while, will himself restore you and make you strong, firm and steadfast. 11 To him be the power for ever and ever. Amen." - 1 Peter 5:6-11

People Get Ready by Jim Cole

Opportunity

One of the things I have prayed for over the past few years is the ability to recognize opportunities when God places them in front of me. Opportunities for me to give my testimony about how God changed my life. Opportunities to speak into the lives of those I encounter on any given day. Usually I drop the ball and have many post-opportunity talks with myself like, "Idiot!" or the always-popular "What I SHOULD have said was . . ." Well, not this time. God answered my prayers this past week by gifting me awareness and confidence in two situations. And I scored!!!

Now before I tell you how God provided me with those opportunities this week, I need to give you some background information. Like who I was . . . you know . . . before.

I was what most people would call a good person, a good dad. I loved my wife and my children. I had a good job. I went to church a couple of times a year. I was good, or so I thought. Little did I know that my children were being neglected . . . by me. Although I was living as a good example in terms of what the world thinks of as "good," I was not leading a godly life nor was I "training up my children in the way they should go" (verse).

After Jesus rescued me from the life I was living I recognized my shortcomings. I knew that I had failed my children, spiritually, and prayed that God would have mercy on me and them. I began to pray. Pray for opportunities to speak into their lives about Jesus.

Fast forward to this past Saturday. Our daughter was visiting. She and my wife had planned to go out that evening, have a glass of wine, and chat. This, after shopping and talking all day together. After supper my daughter and I were sitting at the dining room table when my wife came in and, looking at the dinner dishes on the counter, said, "I don't think I can go our tonight. I'm tired and all of those dishes are staring at me."

Oh daughter simply said, "Okay."

<pause>

God was about to answer two prayers at once. He had just laid an opportunity in front of me. I'm sure He was waiting to see what I would do with it. I have missed so many other opportunities in my life. Why would I change now, right?

<play>

"I'll take you out. Do you like hot chocolate?"

"Sure!"

Opportunity recognized and taken. My daughter and I spent an hour and a half at a local coffee house having a most wonderful conversation. We talked about God, about church, "religion," relationships, husband/wife submission/sacrifice . . . all kinds of things. It was amazing!

The following day at church I told my friend and also our pastor about what had happened. "Praise God!" was their reply. It was like God had given me the football, despite me having a history of "fumbling" opportunities, and I had just come off the field after scoring a touchdown.

A few days later at work I was down in the plan room, wrapping some presents for some college kids when a co-worker came in and asked, "What have you got there?"

Ding!!! Opportunity!!

We talked about God for 20 minutes. I gave him my testimony, telling him how another co-worker had led me to Christ. It was an awesome opportunity to tell someone else about my faith and why I believe what I do.

Wow! Two opportunities this past week. Each one taken. May God continue to provide opportunities in EACH of our lives. To talk about Him. To answer questions about Him. May we always be prepared to give and answer for the hope that we have.

"Preach the word; be ready in season and out of season; reprove, rebuke, and exhort, with complete patience and teaching." - 2 Timothy 4:2

Joe Gibbs - I Am Second

Real

I'm going to be expressing a political opinion in this story. Check that. Let's get real. I am going to be expressing some rather sad facts. All one has to do is watch the news.

First of all, we need to pray for our president. Here is a man who aspired to high office, got there and then something happened. Things got real. I think our president is comfortable doing things domestically. He knows how to say all the right words, he knows how to press the flesh, and smile that smile. He did whatever he had to do to win the vote. But then something happened. The reality of world politics forced him to make some choices and he was found to be lacking in his knowledge of what is REALLY happening in this world.

He was not prepared for what happened in Syria, demonstrating a lack of foreign policy knowledge, and he is currently showing his inexperience in dealing with the Russians and their moving into Ukraine. It is embarrassing to watch.

First Syria, where he drew the now famous "line in the sand." The line everyone ignored. He was all set to launch missiles and "protect our interests." But then Russia stepped in, scolded the president, saying that we shouldn't be so quick to attack. Russia then negotiated with Syria, their ally, and produced a peaceful result. Then Mr. Putin publish an Op Ed in the New York Times. In that piece Putin told us Americans what his opinion of President Obama was and he, quite honestly, put our president to shame, internationally and at home. You can read Putin's Op Ed here.

Our president never was not prepared to participate on the world stage nor was he prepared for the reality of what is happening now in Ukraine. Our president has demanded that Russia remove its troops. As of this writing Russia has not responded. Honestly? I don't expect them to pay any attention to our president. After all, Obama is reducing our troop numbers to below World War II levels. He can't go back now, can he? President Obama has himself painted into a corner and, in this scenario, he simply cannot win. Our president was not prepared when things got real.

Are WE as Christians any better? Are we prepared for when reality hits the fan in OUR lives? When will things BECOME real for us? When a friend gets cancer? When someone we know dies in a car crash? My friends, when Jesus returns it will be too late to decide what we believe about God. The door to the wedding feast will already be closed.

I was standing in church today, talking to my friend Ron, when his wife came up to tell her husband something. Their daughter-in-law is from Ukraine. Her country is in the middle of reality. Things just became real for my friend and his family. TOO real.

How can we ever get ourselves prepared for these major life-altering events in our lives? Well, the first thing that needs to be done if for us to get ourselves right with God. Have you submitted yourself to Jesus? Have you repented of your sins and sought his forgiveness? It would be a good idea to do that . . . everyday!!!

So many people in this world think they are good to go with God simply because they go to church regularly and they consider themselves a good person. That is a works-based theology and does not hold water in God's eyes.

I have many friends and relatives who believe in false teachers like Joel Osteen and Rob Bell. They believe that all faiths lead to heaven despite Jesus himself telling us they don't. Osteen doesn't not preach sin or repentance. Bell says all roads lead to heaven and denies the atoning sacrifice of Jesus on the cross. He also says there is no hell. These men have not prepared their flocks for the reality of scripture. They all could find themselves knocking at God's door.

Our pastor read this in church on Sunday. It seemed like a good reminder what is at stake for those who are not ready when things suddenly become real.

"And again Jesus spoke to them in parables, saying, 2 “The kingdom of heaven may be compared to a king who gave a wedding feast for his son, 3 and sent his servants to call those who were invited to the wedding feast, but they would not come. 4 Again he sent other servants, saying, ‘Tell those who are invited, “See, I have prepared my dinner, my oxen and my fat calves have been slaughtered, and everything is ready. Come to the wedding feast.”’ 5 But they paid no attention and went off, one to his farm, another to his business, 6 while the rest seized his servants, treated them shamefully, and killed them. 7 The king was angry, and he sent his troops and destroyed those murderers and burned their city. 8 Then he said to his servants, ‘The wedding feast is ready, but those invited were not worthy. 9 Go therefore to the main roads and invite to the wedding feast as many as you find.’ 10 And those servants went out into the roads and gathered all whom they found, both bad and good. So the wedding hall was filled with guests.

11 “But when the king came in to look at the guests, he saw there a man who had no wedding garment. 12 And he said to him, ‘Friend, how did you get in here without a wedding garment?’ And he was speechless. 13 Then the king said to the attendants, ‘Bind him hand and foot and cast him into the outer darkness. In that place there will be weeping and gnashing of teeth.’ 14 For many are called, but few are chosen.” - Matthew 22:1-14

The road to God is a narrow one and few will find it. Many think they are walking on the right path. We need to check ourselves, read His Word and start walking like we are actually Christians. I am VERY concerned that too many people take their faith too lightly. We need to make it a priority. A number ONE priority.

Please join me in praying for our president and the leaders and people of Russia and Ukraine. Thank you.

Coming

Last week my wife and I were watching the weather. Our local weatherman, who has been officially certified by the National Weather Service and has gone to college (I assume) and has theoretically been trained in the magical arts of weather forecasting, stated that we were going to be getting 4" of snow the following day. He stated it with such confidence too. I actually believed him! Well, he lied. We received absolutely nothing.

I was grateful for the lack of snow though, not having to snow blow the driveway & shovel the sidewalk. But I was a little disappointed in the weatherman. He is supposed to know his stuff and, when his prediction failed to come true, I was a little let down. His forecast had prompted me to jump through all kinds of preparedness hoops, getting ready for "the big storm!" The storm that never came.

Oh well. It's better to be safe than sorry, right? An ounce of prevention is worth a pound of cure. Into each life a little rain must fall. What other words of cliché's can I offer up? How about . . . Never trust a weatherman!!

My last blog about Rabbi Yitzhak Kaduri got me thinking about predictions and preparedness. Kaduri's words had stated that he had seen Jesus in a vision and that he was told by Jesus that He would return shortly after Ariel Sharon's death. When Sharon died this past weekend I took notice. I'm not sure about Kaduri's prediction. He prediction success rate may be worse than our weatherman's for all I know. Is the return of Jesus imminent? And regardless of when Jesus returns, am I prepared for His coming? Are those I love prepared?

Last night at small group we talked a little about being prepared, about taking the initiative and speaking into the lives of those around us about Jesus. It's a big step . . . something we are all intimidated and afraid to do. But if we are afraid, are we truly prepared for what is to come? We should be standing is full assurance of our salvation yet, for some reason, we are afraid to speak out.

Jesus says in His Word, "38 For whoever is ashamed of me and of my words in this adulterous and sinful generation, of him will the Son of Man also be ashamed when he comes in the glory of his Father with the holy angels.” - Mark 8:38

Ouch!

I need to be thinking a little bit more about Jesus' imminent return and a little less about my "impression" in a world that doesn't really care about it. I need to spend more time preparing myself spiritually by spending more time in God's Word and by offering encouragement to others who are walking the same walk as I am, seeking God's will. I know my salvation is secure but I want Jesus to smile at me when He sees me. I want Him to be proud. :)

A couple of nights ago out illustrious weatherman predicted another snow storm. We were going to get a half a foot of snow, or so he said. So what did I do? I prepared my self for the coming storm, just like I did for the last one. Regardless of whether the storm actually came of not, I was prepared. So should it be for me with respect to the pending return of our King. We must be ready.

So? Did the weatherman's prediction come true? When I awoke yesterday morning there was no more snow than there was the night before. Still, I took my boots, I took a blanket. I brought TWO frozen dinners AND a breakfast, just in case I needed them. I even threw a snow shovel in the back seat.

And the storm? We got nine inches of the white stuff dumped on us during the day. Forty mile an hour winds made the roads nearly impassable. I left work early, hoping to make it home before dark. I passed a jack-knifed semi along the way. It took me two tries to get up the hill into our subdivision because the roads had yet to be plowed. But I made it home. I was prepared for the predicted storm that we received.

My friends, we MUST prepare ourselves for the coming of our Lord, Jesus Christ. We must reach out in love to ALL who don't know Him, and even those who say they do, just in case they really don't. We must love ALL who are hurting and in need of a savior - friend and enemy alike. Jesus died for all, not a select few.

So "let every heart prepare Him room." Prepare today as if He is coming tomorrow . . . because one day, He will be.

Joy to The World flash mob

Doomsday

My wife and I were really bored and tired the other night. Probably not the best combination for deciding what show to watch on television. It was one of those nights when simply pressing the button on the remote was too much effort for us. What a perfect example of what's wrong with our country. But, let's not get sidetracked onto THAT topic.

When my wife and I are overtired, the quality of our show selection wanes. We tend to scan through the channels briefly until we stumble upon some show title that has even a slightest bit of interest. Most nights my wife has a remote and I watch my computer screen. But last night I had the remote and was in charge of all things absorbed into our subconscious minds. Mu-a-ha-ha-ha-ha!!!

Naturally, I selected a show that had at least SOME content. Not like those shows my wife watches. No! This show was far superior in many ways. It was one of those "how-to" shows. You know. Informative, instructional, and there was an opportunity for Biblical discussion during the commercials. The show I selected had action, excitement and a deeper spiritual meaning than some of the house-flipping, gossip spreading, oh-so-predictable murder mystery shows my wife watches. Ha! Finally!!! A chance at watching a REAL show!! I'm talking about, of course, Doomsday Preppers.

Yeah . . . it was a poor choice. There are so many better things to be doing besides watching television. But it was one of those nights when I didn't want to "think" about anything. I just wanted to do nothing. And if we're looking to turn off our minds and zone, what better vehicle than television - the nation's favorite baby-sitter!

As we began watching the show my wife began to laugh over the crazy things these people were doing. Me too. They were really more than just a little overboard in their preparedness. Bullet proofing the family SUV with a 1/4" steel plating exoskeleton, target practise for the kids . . . with an AK-47. But our favorite was the 12" diameter steel tubes, filled with supplies and welded shut, dropped into the ocean off Alaska's coast for later retrieval after the tsunami apocalypse (sigh).

It amazes me that God is still so patient with us. We disappoint Him every day. We sin like there's no tomorrow. Hmm . . . no tomorrow. And then we believe that we are still capable of somehow beating the odds and surviving the end of the world?

To be honest, the whole prepping thing kind of interests me. My wife does stockpile some items that we tend use a lot, like toilet paper, Puffs, light bulbs, Multi-Grain Cheerios (hey, they're good!). We do have storage shelves downstairs. When my wife sees something on sale she buys lots of it. That's not prepping so much as it is smart shopping.

But then I think about God. What would He think about all this "prepping" stuff? Isn't it kind of like we're not trusting Him to provide for us? That's EXACTLY what it's like!

"11 The Lord said to Moses, 12 “I have heard the grumbling of the Israelites. Tell them, ‘At twilight you will eat meat, and in the morning you will be filled with bread. Then you will know that I am the Lord your God.’”

13 That evening quail came and covered the camp, and in the morning there was a layer of dew around the camp. 14 When the dew was gone, thin flakes like frost on the ground appeared on the desert floor. 15 When the Israelites saw it, they said to each other, “What is it?” For they did not know what it was.

Moses said to them, “It is the bread the Lord has given you to eat. 16 This is what the Lord has commanded: ‘Everyone is to gather as much as they need. Take an omer for each person you have in your tent.’”

17 The Israelites did as they were told; some gathered much, some little. 18 And when they measured it by the omer, the one who gathered much did not have too much, and the one who gathered little did not have too little. Everyone had gathered just as much as they needed.

19 Then Moses said to them, “No one is to keep any of it until morning.”

20 However, some of them paid no attention to Moses; they kept part of it until morning, but it was full of maggots and began to smell. So Moses was angry with them." - Exodus 16:11-20

There is an important lesson to be learned from the Israelites and the desire to "store treasures up here on earth." We need to place our trust in God, not depend on ourselves for survival. When the end of the world comes I don't plan on being here. Neither should anyone else who follows Jesus.

We who call ourselves Christians have placed our faith in Jesus Christ. It is because of that faith, and the making Jesus Lord of our lives, that we will be saved. We are deserving of death for our sins but "it is by grace you have been saved, not by works." Place your faith and trust in Jesus. Then, when the end comes, we will stand, arms open wide, and embrace the coming of our King.

"Blessed be the one who comes in the name of the Lord." - Matthew 23:39

Read what Jesus said about the end of the world in Matthew 24

Prepping

I was flipping around the TV channels a few weeks ago (we have a satellite dish so my thumb gets quite a workout). I came across a show named Doomsday Preppers. Interesting show. It's all about people who devote their entire lives to preparing themselves for the end of the world.

They usually live in "bunkers" or in a "compound," which is probably good because I'm not sure I'd want any preppers living next to me in MY subdivision.

Although, being prepared for something is probably good. When I was in the Boy Scouts, "Be Prepared" was our motto. There were merit badges for all sorts of things that today many preppers train in - First Aid, Rifle & Shotgun Shooting, Archery, Fishing and Wilderness Survival. I was a prepper and I didn't even know it!

Do you have any idea what the top ten prepping items are? One website says it's these: a flashlight & batteries, water & food, a source of fire, guns & ammunition, blankets, a first aid kit, a knife, a radio, fuel and  . . . trash bags. Trash bags? Huh? A clean prepper is a happy prepper I guess.

Some of these preppers however go WAY overboard in my opinion. They have shelves filled to the ceiling with food. They have racks and racks of weapons and ammunition. If there ever is a Zombie Apocalypse, these crazed, armed zealots will be more than ready to defend themselves . . . if they don't eat themselves into a coma first.

Preparedness, in general though, is good. There is nothing wrong with it. We are all preppers to some extent. Most of our cars have a spare tire in the trunk . . . just in case we get a flat tire. Most people have a savings account at a bank, just in case we need some extra money for something. Schools have fire drills, many communities have tornado warning sirens that are supposed to go off in the event of a severe storm. And back when I was in grade school, during he height of the Cold War, we even prepared for a nuclear blast. Duck and cover baby!!

It's good to be prepared. But are we prepared - spiritually?

Recently, a young friend of mine lost her father. He died suddenly. No one knows why. My friend certainly could not have been prepared for that. How could she be? The real question though is, was her FATHER prepared? Are ANY of us prepared?

Jesus tells us "No one will know the day or the hour" He will return (Matthew 24:36) but He DID promise us a return visit. And when He DOES come back, there's gonna be a whole lotta hurtin' goin' on. Read Matthew 24, the entire chapter, and you will see what I mean.

When you get to the end of the chapter, Jesus tells us a parable about a fig tree and also about the head of a household, prepping for a thief to come in the night. These stories are meant to ask us a question. Are we prepared for Jesus return?

So, how do we prepare ourselves? Many theological experts say that we are in the last days before Jesus comes back. How can we be sure that we will be ready? Check scripture.

"Examine yourselves to see whether you are in the faith; test yourselves. Do you not realize that Christ Jesus is in you--unless, of course, you fail the test?" - 2 Corinthians 13:5

Hint number one was right there. Jesus has to be "in you" . . . in our hearts. Being baptized as a baby is not enough. Jesus told Nicodemus, "You must be born again" - baptized by water AND by spirit . . . emphasis on "the spirit." Read the first 21 verses of John 3 for more information about this.

Are we bearing fruit? Jesus has told us that if we do not bear fruit we will be cut down and thrown into the fire (Matthew 7:19). Folks, that ain't a good thing. We must examine ourselves. Daily! Is our spirit lush and producing much fruit? Or are we simply relying what our pastors and priests tell us is "good enough?" What? "Did Bob just tell us to not trust what our pastors tell us?" That's exactly right. There is only one source of truth and that is God's Word, the Bible. And the Bible says, "examine yourselves!" Examinew ascripture, examine self.

And what if, upon further examination, we find ourselves lacking when we calk down the fruit aisle of our souls? What if the branches of our spiritual tree are barren and non-productive? Then, according to God's word, the spirit of God is not in us. And that is NOT good! I we find ourselves without God's Holy Spirit in us we are therefore not in Christ and are doomed to destruction. We must get on our knees, beg forgiveness and repent of our ways, the lives we are living.

There is only one way to be saved - believe fully in Jesus Christ. He died so that we might live.

From second Corinthians . . .

(Verse 15) And he died for all, that those who live should no longer live for themselves but for him who died for them and was raised again.

(Verse 17) Therefore, if anyone is in Christ, the new creation has come: The old has gone, the new is here!

(Verse 20 & 21) . . . We implore you on Christ’s behalf: Be reconciled to God. God made him who had no sin (Jesus) to be sin for us, so that in him we might become the righteousness of God.

Are we prepared? Are we ready for the return of The King. If not, we must GET ready. This is prepping on a biblical scale. We don't want to be left behind, knocking at the door after He has come. If we are not "in Christ" when Jesus returns, God has promised that He will not . . . HE WILL NOT let us in. Time to get preppin'!

“Be ready and keep ready, you and all your hosts that are assembled about you . . ." - Ezekiel 38:7