SELF RELIANCE

Self reliance is a term used to describe living in a manner where all of your needs are provided for without accessing any external resources.  Total self reliance includes having enough land for on site crop & livestock production, a self contained power source (usually solar or wide powered), and well water.  It is also called:  the agrarian lifestyle, living “off the grid”, and is best exemplified by the Amish lifestyle in the Midwest and Eastern U.S, where they still use a horse and buggy for transportation, and oxen for tilling the ground.

Self reliance is a lifestyle choice that will become increasingly important as the future unfolds.  In the near term, moving towards a self reliant lifestyle will help those who have developed on site crop and livestock resources to comfortably weather any long term disruptions to the local food supply caused by increasingly frequent natural or man made calamities.  More importantly in the long term, self reliance will be essential to enduring the 7 year tribulation period without having to succumb to the Antichrist’s evil financial empire and his “Mark of the Beast”. (For more about this critical concern, view the “Mark of the Beast” drop down menu in the “TRIBULATON” tab).

Living the self reliant, agrarian lifestyle may appear to be a radical departure from our push button society and fairly daunting to implement; however it is well worth noting that from the beginning of time until the industrial revolution began in the late 1700’s virtually everyone on the planet lived the self reliant, agrarian lifestyle.  If our ancestors could do it then, we can do it now!

What is “radical” from a historical perspective is our current manner of living where we are so completely interdependent on so many external utility service providers, stores, restaurants and financial services for our daily needs to be met.

There are some great resources for in depth exploration of the self reliant lifestyle.  Instead of repeating the information here, we encourage you to visit the websites under the SELF RELIANCE tab in the LINKS menu.

In particular, we encourage you to become familiar with the various movements that are listed in the three main areas below.

VISIT OUR PREPARATION TAB & SUBMENUS

Also visit our preparation tab and review the content there in all 3 sub menus.  There is a basic survival food list in the physical preparation tab that is a good place to start to take concrete steps to protect yourself in case of an emergency. 

PERMACULTURE

The first is the Permaculture Movement which started by Austrian farmer Sepp Holzer in the 1960’s, but was scientifically developed by Australians Bill Mollison and David Holmgren and their associates during the 1970s in a series of publications.  The word permaculture is play on words of permanent agriculture, and permanent culture.  The intent is that, by training individuals in a core set of design principles, those individuals can design their own environments and build increasingly self-sufficient human settlements; ones that reduce society's reliance on industrial systems of production and distribution that Mollison identified as fundamentally and systematically destroying Earth's ecosystems. (from Wikipedia)

TRANSITION TOWNS

The second area to explore is the Transition Towns phenomenon (AKA Transition Movement) which grew out of the Permaculture movement and was developed in Totnes, England where Rob Hopkins and Naresh Giangrande developed the concept during 2005 and 2006.  This movement focuses on a local area developing a highly organized self reliant community to combat the effects of peak oil, climate change and to prepare for possible long term disruptions to commerce and food distribution.  One of the key components of a Transition Town is developing a local “barter currency” for conducting business transactions.  In Totnes, England, they have developed the Totnes Pound which is accepted by all the businesses in the town.

INTENTIONAL LIVING

A third area worth exploring is the Intentional Living concept which is going to be pivotal someday for Christians to locate and migrate to the end times “transition village” of their preference.  Intentional living is a term used in a variety of contexts including religious, ethical and values-oriented contexts.  “Intentional” is defined as “done with intention or on purpose; intended” and “living” as “a manner or style of life.”  As we approach the 7 year tribulation period as prophesized in the Holy Bible; sincere Christians all over the world will be looking for a place to live free of the Antichrist’s financial empire and “Mark of the Beast”.  For those whom think they will be “raptured” before the tribulation period begins, please visit the “RAPTURE” tab and see if information presented does not thoroughly refute the popular but flawed idea of a pre-tribulational rapture.

The tribulation period is explored in depth in the “TRIBULATION” tab.  One of the key things to be concerned about is the warning in Revelation 13:16-17 16 He also forced everyone, small and great, rich and poor, free and slave, to receive a mark on his right hand or on his forehead, 17 so that no one could buy or sell unless he had the mark, which is the name of the beast or the number of his name.   (He = the Antichrist)

Revelation 14:9-11 

9 If anyone worships the beast and his image, and receives a mark on his forehead or upon his hand, 10 He, too will drink of the wine of God’s fury, which has been poured full strength into the cup of his wrath. He will be tormented with burning sulfur in the presence of the holy angels and of the Lamb. 11 And the smoke of their torment rises for ever and ever. There is no rest day or night for those who worship the beast and his image, or for anyone who receives the mark of his name."

The best, if not the only way to survive the 7 year tribulation period, and in particular the 3 ½ year great tribulation period is to migrate towards living a totally self reliant lifestyle, ideally in a “Transition Village” (not to be confused with Transition Towns), which is a community of like minded Christians.  During the time of the tribulation, it will likely be far more risky to be on your own than in a supportive village of hard working Christians praying together and working together towards the common goal of living a totally fearless faith in our Lord Jesus Christ.