Preparing the Ark

Joseph Herrin (06-24-09)

Some people have asked me to keep them updated on the physical aspects of the preparations the Father has been leading me to attend to. I would not argue against any who would suggest that spiritual preparation is more important than physical. Yet, if we simply obey the Spirit of Christ in all aspects of our lives (spiritual and physical), we will find ourselves in readiness to follow Him wherever He should direct us in the days ahead.

I have no doubt that the Spirit has been directing me to pay attention to physical preparations of late. He has greatly helped me to perform all things to which He has directed me. At times I wrestle with a desire to be writing more, and truly there is much to write about, but I am seeking that place of rest where I am led of the Spirit in all things.

The Scriptures declare to us that Noah was a righteous man, and he was a preacher of righteousness.

II Peter 2:4-5
For if God did not spare... the ancient world, but preserved Noah, a preacher of righteousness , with seven others, when He brought a flood upon the world of the ungodly...

Preaching righteousness is a very important occupation, and I am sure Noah sought to warn the inhabitants of the world of the judgment that was coming. I can imagine Noah urging the people to put aside their carnal pursuits and to repent of sin, but to no avail. As important as this preaching was, Noah would have erred had he neglected to make the physical preparations the Spirit of Christ was directing him to perform. His physical preparations resulted in the continued life of all types of animals as well as mankind. Even so, we should not discount the importance of the physical activities that Yahweh directs us to. I will share with you here some of mine.

I have been working on a number of preparations for not only myself, but others. Let me begin by telling you about the camper/van Yahweh provided for me several years ago. I have a 1986 Xplorer XtraVan model 222. I purchased it for $800, and have been making repairs to it as the Lord directs and as He has manifested His provision to do so.





















As you can see, I recently added an awning to the side of the van. Having done a good deal of camping, I can tell you that an awning is a great benefit. It gives you a place to sit out of the sun and rain, and a place to even set-up a camp stove and a picnic table. Awnings can be fairly expensive to purchase, so I constructed this one from a good quality tarp, a couple of poles and tent pegs, and some tarp clips that fasten it to the roof of my van. It only takes about 5 minutes to set-up, and I am pleased with the result.

The van has a 20 gallon water tank for drinking water, but I had never used it. The manual said that it should be flushed out with a bleach/water solution if it had not been used in a while. When I began to get it ready I found that the water pump that delivers water to the sink inside was no longer functioning. I purchased a replacement pump and also replaced some hoses, and the system now works wonderfully. Being able to carry 20 gallons of drinking water may not sound like much, but I can attest to the fact that it is a precious commodity when one is living in a primitive setting, as I once did when I spent two 40 day periods camping in the Oconee Forest of Georgia. 20 gallons of water will last me several weeks.

People learn quickly to conserve when needed resources are no longer abundantly available. When I stayed with Randy and Kathy Furman in the Arizona desert, where they must have water trucked in, I found an entirely different regard for the value of water than most Americans possess. When a person camps for extended periods of time they learn new ways of performing common tasks.

I have found that bathing as most do in the towns and cities, with full baths of water or running showers, is not practical while camping. I have purchased a plastic bottle with a spray top on it which can be filled with water. Add a wash cloth and a towel and you have all that is needed to bathe and feel refreshed. For those who dislike cold water, the bottle can be left in the vehicle’s window to allow the sun to warm it.

My van came equipped with a 40 pound propane cylinder that runs a two burner stove, a five gallon water heater, a furnace to heat the camper in winter, and can also be used to run the small refrigerator. I had never used the propane system since purchasing the van, so I tested it out, and made sure it was filled up (80% is the recommended level). I have found all to be in working order.

At times I have found myself camping off the grid where water and electrical is not available. The van has two DC batteries, one for the interior devices and one to run the engine. I added four 12 volt fans to the van. Two of them are up front to cool the driver and passenger (I have never used the dash air conditioner, and have not sensed a direction from the Father to get it working - it has some problems). I also added two small 12 volt fans over the sleeping area at the rear of the van. Having some air blowing makes a tremendous difference when trying to sleep at night in a hot climate such as we have in Georgia.

I anticipate using the fans and lights while off grid, so I have contemplated for some time a way to be able to charge the batteries. About a week ago I received a solar array that I have set-up to charge the vehicle's battery. This renewable energy source will allow me to have continuous energy available day and night to run lights, fans, a laptop, and to power or charge other small appliances. Below is a picture of the solar battery charger I purchased.


























This model is the Sunforce 50044, and can be purchased from Amazon’s website for approximately $285.00. I think it will be quite adequate for my needs. Electricity is another thing people learn to conserve when it is in limited supply. It is not practical to run air conditioning off of a 12 volt RV system, so one adjusts to using fans instead. I have a couple of DC to AC inverters so I can even run a microwave oven for short periods if I desire. However, I am making preparation to cook with a different type of solar power.


















The above picture is of a solar cooker made from an automotive window shade. The cooker will reach temperatures around 350 degrees. A black pot, a small bake grill and an oven cooking bag complete this very simple, yet functional outdoor cooker. There is no need for wood, charcoal, gas, or electricity. All one needs is sunshine. Food can be cooked and water purified with the use of this, or any other solar cooker. Following is a link to a page that contains many do-it-yourself plans to build a wide variety of solar cookers.

http://www.solarcooking.org/plans/

I like the solar cooker pictured above because it takes up so little space when being transported. Space is very limited in my camper/van, so I prefer designs that are space efficient. The solar panels I purchased to power my battery come with about 50 feet of electrical cord. This is ideal in that it allows me to park in the shade and set the panels up in the sun. I could mount the solar panels on the van roof, but then I would have to park in the Sun. Doing so would not be practical as the van heats up quickly.

I have finished all the things I have desired to do in making my own van ready, and I have been working on other people’s arks as well. The bus that was purchased for the sister in Christ who lives in another state is parked here in Georgia, and I have been doing a few things to get it ready for occupancy. It appears to be in good shape mechanically. It will crank right up and drive down the road. It needed a major cleaning, as well as some sanding and painting of rusty spots. Below are two pictures of the bus roof, before and after I painted it.





















I love the luggage carrier on the roof. A lot of material could be stowed away up there. As you can see, it needed some paint.





















More recently I have been working on a pop-up tent trailer for my daughter. The roof lift system needed some work, and I have added a propane cylinder to run the stove, and have made some other repairs and modifications. There are a few more things I would like to do to it, but it is livable at present and was a very good purchase by my daughter Kristin.





















This is a picture of it on the property of the gentleman who has invited me to stay at his house when I am in the Macon area. It is a very beautiful setting, as he has 24 acres with a pond that is full of fish, and a very attractive yard. Below is an interior view of the camper.





















I can see the Father ordering my steps to lead me to make these various preparations for myself and others. I do not know the precise character of coming days, what events will transpire, where people will live, or what their daily lives will be like. I try to stick to what I am confident of, and the Spirit has been testifying that great judgment is coming to the nation. The economy will soon collapse. The dollar will be worthless. There will be civil unrest, and the country will be divided. The Spirit is testifying that the horsemen of famine, plague, the sword and death have been loosed and will soon be found everywhere throughout the land of America, and in the nations of the world.

The arks that Yahweh is directing many of His children to prepare are similar in some ways to the ark of Noah, and different in others. These arks don’t float, for the judgment at hand is not a flood which will destroy the world. Yet the Spirit has been speaking through some that America will soon be a country of refugees, of the homeless and the dispossessed.

The things I have written of here and shown through pictures, reveal some of the preparations the Spirit has directed me to make. My friend Randy Simmons, who lives on the same property belonging to his grandfather, has also been making preparations. The Spirit of Christ directed him some weeks back to purchase a 32 foot motorhome. It is a 1982 model and needed a lot of work. Randy has made significant progress in getting it ready, seeking each day to do what he is able.





















Randy’s Motorhome

Randy has had the gas tanks cleaned and sealed as they were rusty and the trash in the tanks was clogging the fuel lines. He has replaced the starter, spark plugs and wires, replaced the exhaust manifold gaskets, cleaned it inside and out, patched the roof, repaired the awning, gotten the generator in running shape, etc.. He still has much work to do, but if we simply do what we are able to do each day, Yahweh will have us ready for those things that lie ahead.

Randy and I have talked about why God has chosen this particular path for us. Since Yahweh is omnipotent and has all the wealth of the Universe, He could simply have provided new motorhomes for all of His children. Yet He has not chosen to do so. The challenges and tasks we face are perfectly designed for each one of God’s children. He seeks to perfect us, forming in us His character. We need patience, self-control, peace, hope, perseverance, and a host of other things which are of great value in our Father’s sight.

Yahweh could make our way easier, but our comfort is not what is foremost in His mind. America and the church in it provide ample evidence that material abundance, ease and comfort do not produce sons and daughters in the image of Christ. If the Son of God learned obedience by the things He suffered, then so must we. Our Father in heaven chose to have His firstborn Son live as a homeless wanderer upon the earth. Many days He knew hunger, thirst and fatigue. These things tried Him even as they do us, yet He always walked in victory. He never gave into complaint, or murmuring about the life conditions His Father had chosen for Him.

Certainly God could have done better than having His son born in a manger, living as a homeless man, crucified between two thieves, and buried in another man’s tomb. Yahweh could have done better for the Israelites in the wilderness. They complained at the trials they had to face. The wilderness was barren and bleak. Their food was monotonous, manna and water day after day. They remembered the green Nile delta and the fertile ground. They missed the leeks, onions, garlic, melons, fish and quail. Their focus was upon self rather than upon fulfilling the pleasure of God, and they gave themselves to complaint. Their response was not acceptable in the sight of Yahweh, therefore an entire generation died in the wilderness.

What response will Yahweh find in our hearts as we face similar trials? Will we respond as Christ, or as those who perished? Will we be more concerned with our comfort and satisfying our flesh, or with pleasing our Father in heaven.

You can be sure that all of God’s people will be tried in many ways in the days ahead. It is the Father’s desire that He have many sons and daughters who share the character of Christ. He is ever laboring until Christ be fully formed in us. This character is only tested and perfected through trials. The days ahead are therefore a manifestation of the mercy and kind intention of our Father. He will subject His children to trials that they might be purged, purified and refined. In the end He will have a people for His praise.

Heart4God Website: http://www.heart4god.ws
Parables Blog: http://www.parablesblog.blogspot.com

Mailing Address:
Joseph Herrin
P.O. Box 804
Montezuma, GA 31063