Emergency Soup
Introduction:
I’m Pete. God loves you!
The topic today: How should Christians handle emergency preparedness?
Emergency Soup:
2 small cans white chicken
2 quarts water
1 heaping tablespoon chicken bouillon
1-1/2 cups instant rice (when it boils add the rice)
Recipe credit: Charlotte Boggess, Bloomer, WI
Emergency Preparedness and Bible:
Joseph:
One of history’s earliest accounts is found in the Bible, Book of Genesis, Chapter 41. God stepped in to help His people avoid famine and help them populate. Joseph was placed in a position of authority to store food in preparation. Many lives were saved.
The Rich Fool:
It is possible to become too absorbed in self and self preservation, slighting God and others. The rich fool built bigger barns when it was time to be generous. Jesus speaks:
And he told them a parable, saying, “The land of a rich man produced plentifully, and he thought to himself, What shall I do, for I have nowhere to store my crops?’ And he said, ‘I will do this: I will tear down my barns and build larger ones, and there I will store all my grain and my goods. And I will say to my soul, “Soul, you have ample goods laid up for many years; relax, eat, drink, be merry.”’ But God said to him, Fool! This night your soul is required of you, and the things you have prepared, whose will they be?’ So is the one who lays up treasure for himself and is not rich toward God.” And he said to his disciples, “Therefore I tell you, do not be anxious about your life, what you will eat, nor about your body, what you will put on. For life is more than food, and the body more than clothing. Consider the ravens: they neither sow nor reap, they have neither storehouse nor barn, and yet God feeds them. Luke 12:16-24 (ESV)
Proverbs:
The prudent sees danger and hides himself,
but the simple go on and suffer for it. Proverbs 22:2-3 (ESV)
A certain amount of foresight is wise. While we are to trust God and His provision, we are also to be good stewards. That means taking action to prepare for likely trouble.
Mutual Support:
Now in these days prophets came down from Jerusalem to Antioch. And one of them named Agabus stood up and foretold by the Spirit that there would be a great famine over all the world (this took place in the days of Claudius). So the disciples determined, every one according to his ability, to send relief to the brothers living in Judea. And they did so, sending it to the elders by the hand of Barnabas and Saul. Acts 11:27-30 (ESV)
Support and preparedness is to start with those in your own family and work outward:
But if anyone does not provide for his relatives, and especially for members of his household, he has denied the faith and is worse than an unbeliever. 1 Timothy 5:8 (ESV)
So then, as we have opportunity, let us do good to everyone, and especially to those who are of the household of faith. Galatians 6:10 (ESV)
Ultimate Preparedness:
There is preparing for an unexpected physical event, but foolishly ignoring the spiritual. God gave us His perfect Son, Jesus. Jesus offers us eternal spiritual preparedness:
Jesus said to her, “I am the resurrection and the life. Whoever believes in me, though he die, yet shall he live, and everyone who lives and believes in me shall never die. Do you believe this?” She said to him, “Yes, Lord; I believe that you are the Christ, the Son of God, who is coming into the world.” John 11:25-27 (ESV)
Don’t Be Anxious:
It’s too easy to start worrying about all the “what-ifs”! God only knows the future. So, take reasonable precautions as able, and give your concerns to God in prayer:
Rejoice in the Lord always; again I will say, rejoice. Let your reasonableness be known to everyone. The Lord is at hand; do not be anxious about anything, but in everything by prayer and supplication with thanksgiving let your requests be made known to God. And the peace of God, which surpasses all understanding, will guard your hearts and your minds in Christ Jesus. Philippians 4:4-7 (ESV)
The Best Recipe:
The best recipe for each of us starts with repenting of our sins to God, then giving our heart to Jesus, whom God sent for our eternal preparedness. From there the recipe for preparedness depends on our means and on a healthy balance of faith, prayer, preparation, and generosity.
May God Bless You!