BiblicalInsights.net

     I am a regular reader of Kiplinger magazine which provides finanical information to the average consumer.  In August of 2009, an article appeared in Kiplinger written by Andrew Feinberg titled, “A Prescrption for Panic.”  In this article, Feinberg warned against panic in the financial markets and in the average investor.  He references Paul Krugman’s The Return of Depression Economics and the Crisis of 2008, and remarks, “But Krugman also noted that panic can become self-fulfilling and that the “expectations, even the prejudices, of investors become economic fundamentals.”  Panic can drive markets!  Whenever panic becomes a predominent force, the markets generally suffer.  Feinberg goes on to say that governments have an uncanny ability to throw gasoline on almost any economic fire.  He states, “Conclusion: Blind trust in government is not a wise investment strategy” (p. 43).  Feinberg lists the enemies of investing: incompetent government officials, executives, monumental greedheads and misguided investors.  He then remarks, “But the biggest enemy of all may be heedless panic” (p. 43).  Human folly generates panic that is detrimental to investing. 
     Human folly generates panic that is detrimental to life!  When facing any crisis we have two choices:  panic or peace!  Consider for a moment the alternative to panic–peace.  God is the “God of Peace.”  This phrase is found in the New Testament seven times (Rom. 15:33, 16:20; I Cor. 14:33; II Cor. 13:11; Phil. 4:9; I Thess. 5:23 and Heb. 13:20).  God gives men peace. Peace is “a conception distinctly peculiar to Christianity, the tranquil state of the soul assured of its salvation through Christ, and so fearing nothing from God and content with its earthly lot, of whatever sort that is” (Thayer, Greek-English Lexicon, 182). The peace God gives is inner peace that is not dependent upon or affected by external circumstances.  It is the result of salvation through Jesus Christ.  It is peace through conquest.  “And the God of peace shall bruise Satan under your feet shortly” (Rom. 16:20).  God’s power destroys the works of the devil (I John 3:8).  Sin creates enmity between man and God.  Remove sin and peace results!  Christ’s blood removes all iniquity and brings us into full reconciliation with God (Rom. 5:8-10). 
     God’s power brings us into His presence!  Consider these words from Scripture: “Finally, brethren, be perfect, be of good comfort, be of one mind, live in peace, and the God of love and peace shall be with you” (II Cor. 13:11).  The Christian lives with this promise–God will never fail nor forsake him (Heb. 13:5).  Brethren should live in peace.  Five things rob of peace:  avarice, ambition, envy, anger and pride.  These enemies of peace must be banished!  I might add one more: unbelief in the living God.  Peter experienced panic whenever he stopped trusting in the Lord (Matthew 14:25-31). 
     When faced with a real crisis (even a financial crisis), we can either panic (the result of unbelief or misplaced trust) or have peace (the state of tranquility of the soul that fully trusts in God).  God’s power brings us into His presence where we have great peace!

     The Greek word for peace is eirene.  This word appears 92 times in the New Testament.  It refers to a state of spiritual tranquility of the soul that finds its refuge in Jesus Christ. Peace results from salvation from sin.  James states that war is the result of man’s lusts, “From whence come wars and fightings among you? come they not hence, even of your lusts that war in your members? (James 4:1).  Peace results only when the old man of sin is crucified.
     “According to the Canadian Army Journal, a former president of the Norwegian Academy of Sciences, aided by historians from England, Egypt, Germany, and India, came up with some startling facts and figures.  Since 3600 B.C., the world has known only 292 years of peace.  During that period, there have been 14,531 wars, large and small, in which 3,640,000,000 peple have been killed.  The monetary value of the destruction would pay for a golden belt around the world 97.2 miles in width and about thirty-three feet thick.  Why can’t man ever achieve peace outside of Christ?  Because there isn’t any peace outside of Christ!” (J. D. Watson, A Word A Day, 11).
     We will never have world peace until we make inner peace with God by reconciling to Him through Jesus Christ. “But now in Christ Jesus ye who sometimes were far off are made nigh by the blood of Christ.  For he is our peace, who hath made both one, and hath broken down the middle wall of partition between us; Having abolished in his flesh the enmity, even the law of commandments contained in ordinances; for to make in himself of twain one new man, so making peace” (Eph. 2:13-15). By obeying the terms and conditions of the new covenant (New Testament), we can be reconciled to God and be at peace.  If all accountable persons in the world would do this, we could enjoy peace within and without.  We must first bring peace to the soul before we can bring peace to the world!