An unjust law is no law at all, and the more that injustice becomes the law of the land, the more likely that chaos comes, too. Why? Because injustice begets more injustice. Most humans have an antenna that can distinguish right from wrong, but most humans also ignore this antenna to their detriment. It is far easier to accept the world as it is — even when it is drenched in depravity — than to rebel against majority opinion. It is far safer to stay silent in the sight of outrageous sin than to stand alone and say, “This is wrong.”
As everyday wrongs pile up high, though, human antennae — even ones that have gone unused for too long — begin to twitch uncontrollably. Why are so many people today afflicted by sadness? Because sins are a heavy burden to carry. The mountains of evil rising in our world torment every soul. And only by actively fighting the resulting chaos can we hope to one day find salvation.
That idea — that the struggle against evil is worth any cost — is easier said than done. How can the actions of any one person make any meaningful difference? As Christians all over the world celebrate the birth of Jesus Christ, it seems more logical to ask: how can any person dedicated to making a difference ultimately not succeed? Christ came to Earth to seed a message of hope and redemption and died for our sins. His disciples spread that message across the world, suffering torture and death, so that we might live. Christians have been persecuted, imprisoned, and slaughtered ever since, so that we might be saved. Next to their sacrifices, our hardships pale.
I admit that there is a rebellious streak in me. I am fond of rule-breakers who stand unafraid against evil. Rebellion for rebellion’s sake can be just as detrimental as injustice. Yet rebellion against injustice so that one may remain obedient to God is surely righteous. And when you say it out loud in that way — will you choose man’s laws or God’s? — the answer is obvious. So, I have always had a soft spot in my heart for God’s devout and indefatigable troublemakers.
As evidence that any one of us can make a difference in the fight against evil, I want to recognize the efforts of Bible smugglers around the world. Did you know that men and women routinely risk imprisonment and execution by secretly delivering God’s Word to populations forbidden from receiving Christ’s message?
Just as the apostles did two thousand years ago, followers of Christ still risk life and limb to spread His message today. In fact, the last century has been a busy one for God’s smugglers. They have navigated the Soviet Union’s Iron Curtain, the Chinese Communist Party, and Islamic supremacists intent on Christianity’s eradication. Yet God’s smugglers have persevered.
For decades, two Finnish men named Antti and Esko smuggled Bibles into the Soviet Union and throughout the Eastern Bloc. They moved through Finnish forests in the dead of night, hid Bibles in secret compartments within their vehicles’ gas tanks, and eventually began manufacturing prefabricated housing components that allowed them to move tens of thousands of Bibles through Leningrad, Moscow, Tula, Oryol, Kiev, Kishinev, Romania, and Bulgaria. They survived many security checks and many “impossible situations,” and several of their collaborators were imprisoned. Through all those years of danger, though, Antti and Esko found strength through Scripture: The Lord will protect your going and your coming, now and forevermore.
In an ongoing operation today, there are Christians printing and smuggling Bibles into Middle Eastern countries that torture followers of Jesus Christ. “[T]hey tried to kill me five times,” one smuggler recounted, who shared the story of a Believer so thankful for their covert operations that the man embraced his new Bible as the “most important book on Earth.” A supporter of these perilous missions takes inspiration from the Book of Joshua: Be strong and courageous. Do not be afraid; do not be discouraged, for the Lord your God will be with you wherever you go.
Perhaps the most well-known Bible smuggler was Andrew van der Bijl (known by most as Brother Andrew, he died just last year), a fearless Christian from the Netherlands who risked his life on innumerable occasions to bring light into the darkness of totalitarian regimes. As he operated a kind of Christian spy ring with clandestine missions to deliver God’s Word, he developed a prayer: “Lord, in my luggage I have Scripture I want to take to your children. When you were on earth, You made blind eyes see. Now, I pray, make seeing eyes blind. Do not let the guards see those things You do not want them to see.”
That prayer saw him through nerve-racking encounters with Cold War border guards, Chinese communists, and Islamic security services. In an operation codenamed Project Pearl, he helped coordinate the delivery of a million Bibles for a Chinese Christian woman known as Mama Kwang and her small team of rebels to unload from a barge off the Southern coast in a single night. That “night of miracles” forty years ago has been credited with the explosion of Christian fellowship in China today.
As Brother Andrew was fond of noting, “The Bible is full of ordinary people who went to impossible places and did wondrous things simply because they decided to follow Jesus.” Inspiring others with his courage, he “was always on the hunt for new rebels and radicals willing to go to the darkest places on earth, at the risk of death, to change the world.”
You do not have to become an international spy in order to be one of Brother Andrew’s “rebels and radicals” for Christ. God blessed us each with special talents, and with these talents, we each have special obligations. It is up to each one of us to do what we can when we can with steadfast determination. Rebelling against the evils of this world requires no additional invitation.
Among his many sermons on the importance of sacrifice and hard work, English greengrocer and lay preacher Alfred Roberts attested: “There is no promise of ease for the faithful servant of the Cross, and there is no bypass round Calvary. You will have to be a man of humble heart and paradoxically also a man of authority. God wants no faint hearts for his ambassadors. He wants man, who having communed with heaven, can never be intimidated by the world.”
That’s invaluable advice. No matter how small we may feel, when we act with God in our hearts, we have nothing to fear. We become the rock around which those with no resolve must move. Roberts knew that humanity’s salvation depends on humanity’s character and, therefore, he spent a great deal of time forging in others indestructible souls filled with virtue, tenacity, and perseverance. By many measures, he was successful, but he is remembered most for the moral strength of his daughter — known all over the world simply as the Iron Lady.
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You never know when your seemingly mundane words or actions might light a flame of courage in someone else. You do not know how your good example might affect another’s future. So speak bravely and live your life as if curious eyes are constantly watching. Be a person of both gentleness and authority. Be one of God’s valiant ambassadors. Be fearless, while others quiver. Be rebellious against injustice and defiant against evil. And remember this: no matter what tyrant rises or what iniquity spreads, God’s faithful children have nothing to dread.
Merry Christmas, friends.
Five Things New “Preppers” Forget When Getting Ready for Bad Times Ahead
The preparedness community is growing faster than it has in decades. Even during peak times such as Y2K, the economic downturn of 2008, and Covid, the vast majority of Americans made sure they had plenty of toilet paper but didn’t really stockpile anything else.
Things have changed. There’s a growing anxiety in this presidential election year that has prompted more Americans to get prepared for crazy events in the future. Some of it is being driven by fearmongers, but there are valid concerns with the economy, food supply, pharmaceuticals, the energy grid, and mass rioting that have pushed average Americans into “prepper” mode.
There are degrees of preparedness. One does not have to be a full-blown “doomsday prepper” living off-grid in a secure Montana bunker in order to be ahead of the curve. In many ways, preparedness isn’t about being able to perfectly handle every conceivable situation. It’s about being less dependent on government for as long as possible. Those who have proper “preps” will not be waiting for FEMA to distribute emergency supplies to the desperate masses.
Below are five things people new to preparedness (and sometimes even those with experience) often forget as they get ready. All five are common sense notions that do not rely on doomsday in order to be useful. It may be nice to own a tank during the apocalypse but there’s not much you can do with it until things get really crazy. The recommendations below can have places in the lives of average Americans whether doomsday comes or not.
Note: The information provided by this publication or any related communications is for informational purposes only and should not be considered as financial advice. We do not provide personalized investment, financial, or legal advice.
Secured Wealth
Whether in the bank or held in a retirement account, most Americans feel that their life’s savings is relatively secure. At least they did until the last couple of years when de-banking, geopolitical turmoil, and the threat of Central Bank Digital Currencies reared their ugly heads.
It behooves Americans to diversify their holdings. If there’s a triggering event or series of events that cripple the financial systems or devalue the U.S. Dollar, wealth can evaporate quickly. To hedge against potential turmoil, many Americans are looking in two directions: Crypto and physical precious metals.
There are huge advantages to cryptocurrencies, but there are also inherent risks because “virtual” money can become challenging to spend. Add in the push by central banks and governments to regulate or even replace cryptocurrencies with their own versions they control and the risks amplify. There’s nothing wrong with cryptocurrencies today but things can change rapidly.
As for physical precious metals, many Americans pay cash to keep plenty on hand in their safe. Rolling over or transferring retirement accounts into self-directed IRAs is also a popular option, but there are caveats. It can often take weeks or even months to get the gold and silver shipped if the owner chooses to close their account. This is why Genesis Gold Group stands out. Their relationship with the depositories allows for rapid closure and shipping, often in less than 10 days from the time the account holder makes their move. This can come in handy if things appear to be heading south.
Lots of Potable Water
One of the biggest shocks that hit new preppers is understanding how much potable water they need in order to survive. Experts claim one gallon of water per person per day is necessary. Even the most conservative estimates put it at over half-a-gallon. That means that for a family of four, they’ll need around 120 gallons of water to survive for a month if the taps turn off and the stores empty out.
Being near a fresh water source, whether it’s a river, lake, or well, is a best practice among experienced preppers. It’s necessary to have a water filter as well, even if the taps are still working. Many refuse to drink tap water even when there is no emergency. Berkey was our previous favorite but they’re under attack from regulators so the Alexapure systems are solid replacements.
For those in the city or away from fresh water sources, storage is the best option. This can be challenging because proper water storage containers take up a lot of room and are difficult to move if the need arises. For “bug in” situations, having a larger container that stores hundreds or even thousands of gallons is better than stacking 1-5 gallon containers. Unfortunately, they won’t be easily transportable and they can cost a lot to install.
Water is critical. If chaos erupts and water infrastructure is compromised, having a large backup supply can be lifesaving.
Pharmaceuticals and Medical Supplies
There are multiple threats specific to the medical supply chain. With Chinese and Indian imports accounting for over 90% of pharmaceutical ingredients in the United States, deteriorating relations could make it impossible to get the medicines and antibiotics many of us need.
Stocking up many prescription medications can be hard. Doctors generally do not like to prescribe large batches of drugs even if they are shelf-stable for extended periods of time. It is a best practice to ask your doctor if they can prescribe a larger amount. Today, some are sympathetic to concerns about pharmacies running out or becoming inaccessible. Tell them your concerns. It’s worth a shot. The worst they can do is say no.
If your doctor is unwilling to help you stock up on medicines, then Jase Medical is a good alternative. Through telehealth, they can prescribe daily meds or antibiotics that are shipped to your door. As proponents of medical freedom, they empathize with those who want to have enough medical supplies on hand in case things go wrong.
Energy Sources
The vast majority of Americans are locked into the grid. This has proven to be a massive liability when the grid goes down. Unfortunately, there are no inexpensive remedies.
Those living off-grid had to either spend a lot of money or effort (or both) to get their alternative energy sources like solar set up. For those who do not want to go so far, it’s still a best practice to have backup power sources. Diesel generators and portable solar panels are the two most popular, and while they’re not inexpensive they are not out of reach of most Americans who are concerned about being without power for extended periods of time.
Natural gas is another necessity for many, but that’s far more challenging to replace. Having alternatives for heating and cooking that can be powered if gas and electric grids go down is important. Have a backup for items that require power such as manual can openers. If you’re stuck eating canned foods for a while and all you have is an electric opener, you’ll have problems.
Don’t Forget the Protein
When most think about “prepping,” they think about their food supply. More Americans are turning to gardening and homesteading as ways to produce their own food. Others are working with local farmers and ranchers to purchase directly from the sources. This is a good idea whether doomsday comes or not, but it’s particularly important if the food supply chain is broken.
Most grocery stores have about one to two weeks worth of food, as do most American households. Grocers rely heavily on truckers to receive their ongoing shipments. In a crisis, the current process can fail. It behooves Americans for multiple reasons to localize their food purchases as much as possible.
Long-term storage is another popular option. Canned foods, MREs, and freeze dried meals are selling out quickly even as prices rise. But one component that is conspicuously absent in shelf-stable food is high-quality protein. Most survival food companies offer low quality “protein buckets” or cans of meat, but they are often barely edible.
Prepper All-Naturals offers premium cuts of steak that have been cooked sous vide and freeze dried to give them a 25-year shelf life. They offer Ribeye, NY Strip, and Tenderloin among others.
Having buckets of beans and rice is a good start, but keeping a solid supply of high-quality protein isn’t just healthier. It can help a family maintain normalcy through crises.
Prepare Without Fear
With all the challenges we face as Americans today, it can be emotionally draining. Citizens are scared and there’s nothing irrational about their concerns. Being prepared and making lifestyle changes to secure necessities can go a long way toward overcoming the fears that plague us. We should hope and pray for the best but prepare for the worst. And if the worst does come, then knowing we did what we could to be ready for it will help us face those challenges with confidence.
