We in the USA have been taught that nothing bad can happen to Christians here because the rapture will take place first. I can’t find that promise for American Christians in the Bible. Do you think American Christians are spiritually unprepared for whatever may be coming that we have no promise we will be able to evade?
I have no idea exactly what is coming but there is a feeling in the air that is not good. Would you have any practical advice other than drawing closer to the Lord in these times?
Regardless of what you’ve been taught, the only promise offered to Christians no matter where we live is that we will be rescued from the coming wrath. (1 Thes. 1:10) The Greek wording that Paul used requires that we be taken out of the time, place, or any relation to God’s wrath.
I believe that Rev. 6:17 tells us that the time of God’s wrath will begin with the Seal Judgments described earlier in the chapter.
Prior to that, there’s no specific promise. However, He is the Good Shepherd (John 10:11), He did promise that our Father in Heaven will provide for our needs, if we will promise to seek first His kingdom (Matt. 6:31-33), and God Himself has accepted responsibility for keeping us Spiritually fit (2 Cor. 1:21-22).
While I think that it’s a matter of good stewardship that we live beneath our means and avoid debt that isn’t self liquidating (such as a house that can easily be sold for enough to retire the mortgage) I’m not among those who are starting to hoard food and other things. Getting and/or keeping our eyes on the Kingdom is the very best protection against difficult times, and the second best is lowering our cost of living by eliminating as much debt as possible.