First of all I want to say that I am a prepper and I am trying to figure out exactly where this fills in everything else. During my time reading today I came across this passage and I want to get some other opinions on it. Matthew 6:25-34 25 “Therefore I tell you, do not worry about your life, what you will eat or drink; or about your body, what you will wear. Is not life more than food, and the body more than clothes? 26 Look at the birds of the air; they do not sow or reap or store away in barns, and yet your heavenly Father feeds them. Are you not much more valuable than they? 27 Can any one of you by worrying add a single hour to your life[a]?
28 “And why do you worry about clothes? See how the flowers of the field grow. They do not labor or spin. 29 Yet I tell you that not even Solomon in all his splendor was dressed like one of these. 30 If that is how God clothes the grass of the field, which is here today and tomorrow is thrown into the fire, will he not much more clothe you—you of little faith? 31 So do not worry, saying, ‘What shall we eat?’ or ‘What shall we drink?’ or ‘What shall we wear?’ 32 For the pagans run after all these things, and your heavenly Father knows that you need them. 33 But seek first his kingdom and his righteousness, and all these things will be given to you as well. 34 Therefore do not worry about tomorrow, for tomorrow will worry about itself. Each day has enough trouble of its own.

It's the 'worry' and 'run after' thing. In light of Proverbs 6:6 Go to the ant, you sluggard; consider its ways and be wise! Being unwise is 'not wise'. And we all know what the beginning of wisdom is. So be wise, but do not worry or run after. Be prepared in order to meet other folks needs. Does that work for you?

As a long time BA Christian who believes that it is God who is in charge of all developments. That does not mean that we stand still and do nothing. Scripture says that Noah worked for 120 years building the Ark, then the flood came and took away those that did not believe or prepare.
It is our responsibility to prepare and be ready.

Doc,
I'm with CaptAmerica on this one, we're not supposed to stand and wait for God to do things for us. I've always felt like that verse had MUCH more to do with SEEKING those things ahead of God, or INSTEAD of God.

God does graciously provide us with our abilities. The same abilities that allow us to get jobs, make money, provide and PREPARE for our families. But none of the working, money, preparing stuff should get to the top position. I'll go so far as to admit that I struggle with that part of this. The, "...I can do this on my own", mindset is very easy for me to fall into.

Having said that, and on this kind of a tack about how or what do WE do, balanced against those verses.

I wanted to get some chickens so I need build some kind of a house / coop. I've got an unlimited source of free pallets. BUT money is tight for other lumber I need. Prices keep going up, and our money isn't following. I kept saying, "..OK God, people keep saying chickens, chickens, chickens around me...but HOW do I get there.?"

There's a small African-American church around the corner from me. I drove by there on the way to the dump this morning, and I see a guy with a hard hat hauling lumber OUT of the church and putting it in a construction dumpster. Long story short. the contractor says I can have ALL the wood they pitch out. These are 10' and 12' 2 x 4's AND 4 X4'S.

doc, I didn't toil or weave or work or worry. But I did take it to God and he provided what I needed. Given that providence, I'm expecting to have to toil mightily to get that stuff home, cleaned up and get the coop built. I can't imagine that God wants me to now wait for that stuff to build itself into a coop, having placed it in my hands. He's given me the ability to build the coop, and I'm thankful for the toil it will bring.

'Free' eggs won't be bad either.

Years ago, I told my other half that I believe this. I quoted this passage to her and told her not to worry so much. (She was a worrier.) I told her that God would provide enough for us. And sure enough, we have always had just enough. Now let me explain and say that sometimes that meant that we had put away food for later that we needed to use to get by. She now believes what I said, because she has seen many times when just as we were wondering how we would get by, unexpected jobs, money, or opportunities appeared just in the nick of time.
Let me say, that we do not go to church. We pray daily, read the Bible, and try to live our lives like Jesus would want us to. We also try not to waste the money that we have been blessed with. I personally try not to pray for selfish needs and wants. But God takes care of us and gives us our daily needs. It is my belief that God wants to take care of everyone. But you must believe in Him, and trust Him and invite Jesus into your heart and your life.


The devil tries to sneak into your heart, but you must invite Jesus into your house.

God I love Pulp Fiction

Ezekiel 25:17. "The path of the righteous man is beset on all sides by the inequities of the selfish and the
tyranny of evil men. Blessed is he who, in the name of charity and good will, shepherds the weak through
the valley of darkness, for he is truly his brother's keeper and the finder of lost children. And I will strike
down upon thee with great vengeance and furious anger those who attempt to poison and destroy my brothers. And you will know my name is the Lord when I lay my vengeance upon you!

The Bible is full of praise for industrious and frugal people who work hard, put away for a rainy day and make wise plans. Gleaning the fields, building a strong shelter, preparing are all virtues.
Sitting and doing nothing because God will take care of you is not, I believe, the intent of that verse.

Well said Herbal! The Bible is filled with passages where God tells man to take care of his family. Isn't that what we are all doing by prepping? I know that I prepare by learning new skills, gardening, food storage and just becoming more self sufficiant I am increasing my chances of being able to help others is something were to happen. To me it is important to be able to provide charity to those less fortunate, but that are willing, but due to circumstances weren't able to prepare as well.

After reading what the folks after me wrote (good points all) I had another thought.

As Christians we tend sometime to 'dwell' in the word of the New Testament. Right now my church is reading Mark. Our worship pastor has it split up to read a few chapter a day so that it can be completed in a month. Here an example of where I'm headed with this.
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Mark: 14 - 19

Again Jesus called the crowd to him and said, “Listen to me, everyone, and understand this. Nothing outside a person can defile them by going into them. Rather, it is what comes out of a person that defiles them.”

After he had left the crowd and entered the house, his disciples asked him about this parable. “Are you so dull?” he asked. “Don’t you see that nothing that enters a person from the outside can defile them? For it doesn’t go into their heart but into their stomach, and then out of the body.” (In saying this, Jesus declared all foods clean.)
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There's a lot that Christ said that un-dose the Kosher rules or other rules the Jews live(d) by. That's an example. I do NOT remember ever reading where He said NOT to save for the seven years of famine scenarios that exist throughout the ancient times and the Old Testament.

war tide, great comment, simply great. been there, seen that, lived that, grateful for ALL that God puts in my path. I deserve none of it, except through being saved.

(might I add, it's great to have a good, non-SHTF centered conversation. thanks to all who are in here on this)

Lots of good discussion here. I find personally it's a matter of priority. Put the Creator F I R S T in A L L things and you will be "provided" for. Wether that provision is knowledge for future use, an instinctive urge to set aside for a "rainy day" or having "the ravens bring you food" is between you and the Creator.