I am asking all who are of born of God, and are included in His birth, Spirit and ministry to consider a concern, that has been developing in my prayers of late. It regards this present time of 'preparation'. All throughout Bible history, we see God saving his people, delivering them from slavery and destruction. I believe each and every one of the Biblical exodus stories, where God calls for some degree of preparation from us, are each a part of the all inclusive exodus that God is planning for His Body. This will culminate in the rapture in the days ahead and see its complete fulfilment at the the final judgement.

Because each is truly apart of the same salvation story and event, in a sense, to talk of pre-trib, mid-trib and post-trib is a misnomer because there has only ever been one rapture....that of Jesus at the ascension. Just as there is one Body, one faith, one baptism, I believe there is but one rapture, that of Jesus at his ascension, and as in all these we will share in His lifting up' from this world into the heaven-lies.

I am sure many are enjoying a time of 'quickening' in there spirits, as we move closer and seeing the Divine hand of God shaping these end days. I am looking with interest at how God called his children to prepare for their salvation dung these times. Unfortunately not all were without hitches.

My concern is this. I see significant numbers of believers in an imminent apocalypse telling other believers to prepare for the dark times ahead. They talk of protecting themselves from the encroaching evil by arming themselves, stashing food, water and other necessities. To hunker down and ride out these evil days until the Lord comes to save us. While this seems reasonable on the surface, I am not sure that it does not reveal a lack of faith. Is this just a reliance on taking our old pagan gods with us for a bit of backup just in-case needed. Is this yet another 'way that seems right to a man but this way leads to death.'

I see such advocates argue 'Noah was physically protected by the Arc he made, he didn't just believe God to save him without making something real to hide in.'

I do see Noah being told to 'physically' prepare for the flood that would come by building an arc. Salvation would be experienced in this physical realm for which he had to make preparations. Noah trusted God to save him but rather that just wait for God to telephoto him to a place of safety, he made very real provision for himself, his family, and the the animals he was given stewardship over. He built an Arc and stocked it with provisions to see them through their tribulation.

But each and every physical element of this Arc was dictated by God's design. I am not sure that stockpiling food and water and turning our homes into a bunkers is.

Similarly in the story of Moses, the Hebrews spent time preparing for their exodus. This preparation required physical realities as they needed to organize for their herds of cattle and agricultural and spiritual needs when in the wilderness.

In the story of Jacob and his family when they leave Laban and head for the promised land they likewise gather and protect all their physical possessions, recognising that these will be needed to ensure their survival while they journey.

Then we have the story of Lot and his family exodus from Sodom. Here the command to vacate is given by the angels with immediate effect, leaving Lot and his family with next to no time to prepare.

Referring to a future exodus Jesus says “In that day, he who is on the housetop, and his goods are in the house, let him not come down to take them away. And likewise the one who is in the field, let him not turn back. Remember Lot’s wife. Whoever seeks to save his life will lose it, and whoever loses his life will preserve it. Whether Jesus is referring to Roman attack on Jerusalem in 70 A.D. or the end times I think makes no difference, as the principle holds firm in either case. Single-minded determination to follow God and not look back.

With regards to Lot's wife, http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Lot_wife I believe makes a salient point with regards our response to being led out of destruction.

'In Judaism one common view of Lot's wife turning to salt was as punishment for disobeying the angels' warning. By looking back at the "evil cities" she betrayed her secret longing for that way of life. She was deemed unworthy to be saved and thus turned to a pillar of salt.'

It might also be that she was looking to see if her son-in-laws were following after them...but to look back under any circumstances was disobedient, especially since the son-in-laws thought the warning was a joke.

This truth I think is farther enhanced by revealing two other significant times that God wants us to question our human responses to his plans for salvation. The first is conjecture on my part but I believe this in principle. At the time Moses led the Hebrews out of Egypt, the Hebrews did something that delivered possibly an unneeded act of destruction by God. When preparing for their departure the Bible states they 'plundered' the Egyptians for their gold, silver  and valuables. This might have been the deciding factor in convincing the Egyptians to pursue the Hebrews as they left. To allow the Hebrews to leave was one thing but surely not with their most prized possessions. The Egyptians were determined to cut off their escape to reclaim their idols. I wonder if this played some part in Moses not entering the promised land.

An even clearer warning is given in the story Of Jacob and his family as they leave Laban and head to the promised land. Rachel I believe makes a grave misjudgement. This is very worrisome because I believe Rachel's is the flock to come into salvation before the remnant in the last days. Whether it was because she thought Laban owed her inheritance or she wanted some back up, she stole her father's idols of power made from gold and silver before she left. She took her father's pagan gods with her.

Laban and his men sped after Jacob just like Pharaoh did Moses, to get his property,..... his idols back

Not knowing that the idols were in his wife's possession, Jacob pronounced a curse on whoever had them: "With whoever you will find your gods, he will not live" (Genesis 31:32). Rachel made a massive error of judgement which was to cost her her life. On entering the promised land just like Moses she died. In a way it is a repeat of the story of Lot's wife. She looked back at her old life and things she trusted in.

To desire said Jesus is as guilty as actually possessing.

Therefore God says to 'be careful what you pack.' as you prepare for the rapture, it might cost you a lot.