They Have No Wine

Wine of Life

They have no wine.

Something is lacking at the feast of life.

I only can supply that wonderful Life element that the world lacks. The Joy, the sparkle is Mine to give.

Yours to feel the lack, the soullessness. Yours to say -- "They have no wine."

"Whatsoever He saith unto you, do it."

Your task to fill the water-pots with water.

Taken from God at Eventide, November 5th.

Shelter

Some times in our daily life we need a little peace. Phones are ringing, horns are honking, and people are shouting. We have trials and struggles in daily life. We are fighting sickness and disease. We need a shelter from the storm.

When I was younger I would go out behind our garden to a large clump of trees. These trees had long, drooping branches. You were hidden there, safe and warm from wind or prying eyes. The branches covered you, and no one could see you. It felt like a cocoon, a whole different world.

David was probably attacked as much as anyone in the Scriptures. He was on the run from the Philistines, Saul, and even his own child. The Psalms are full of verses where he asks God to protect him or spare him. In Psalm 17:8 , David uses a similar illustration to my trees. He asks God to cover him with His wings. This brings to me a visual of a great hawk or eagle, hiding her chicks from the storm. In Psalm 91:4, he says "He will cover you with His feathers, and under His wings you will find refuge."

A favorite scripture is Psalms 32:7- "You are my hiding place; you will protect me from trouble and surround me with songs of deliverance" .

Jesus told the disciples that He gives us peace, and His peace is different that the worlds. It’s permanent and fulfilling. What worldly peace can claim that?

Do not be troubled, and do not be afraid. Tuck in under His wings.

After God's Heart

David was called in Acts a man after God's own heart. Why was he called this? Because he followed God with all his heart. In Psalm 37 David gave us a road map of how we are to live a Godly life.

Trust in the Lord and do good, dwell in the land and enjoy safe pasture(verse 3). Do we really trust God enough? Do we trust Him with everything? The land and safe pasture reflect the peace we get from actually trusting in Him.

Delight yourself in the Lord, and he will give you the desires of your heart(verse 4). David spoke several times about our delight being in God. Being with Him, learning about Him, that's where our heart should be. We can delight in a relationship or a child, and a hobby or even career. But do we with God? Where is our delight?

Commit your way to the Lord, trust in Him and He will do this:He will make your righteousness shine like the dawn., the justice of your cause like the noonday sun(verse 5). Commit does not mean a single decision here. It means to be totally committed to Him. Not half way, but totally.

Be still before the Lord and wait patiently for Him; do not fret when men succeed in their ways, when they carry out their wicked schemes. In our society, our cell phone, remote control, and high speed internet world, we have forgotten how to be still, let alone wait. We need this, our spirit yearns for this, and God expects and wants this from us.

What we would give to be a man or woman after God's own heart? Give these.

Will We Be Sodom?

I am moving away from my traditional devotionals today with a few questions on our nation and the church.

I was sitting in my room in a hostel in Peru. A pastor friend who was on the trip with me asked if I thought that God had taken His hand off of the United States. What an interesting question. His question stemmed from things like 9/11 and natural disasters, but mostly from the moral decline in the country. We talked into the night about it, and my thoughts turned to Sodom.

Everyone knows the story of Sodom. God destroyed it with fire and brimstone because its sin. The Bible says that the stench of sin has risen to heaven. The perverse nature of life there needed judgment. But what was the sin that made it so bad?

Ezekiel 16:49 tells us that the sin of Sodom was being arrogant, overfed and unconcerned. Sound familiar? It says they did not help the poor and needy. They were haughty and did detestable things. Their depravity was the result of their sin, and their depravity a result of God turning them over as described in Romans 1.

Please don't misunderstand. I believe we live in the greatest nation on the planet. We do so much more than most countries, and God has blessed us greatly. But in Luke 12:48 it says that everyone who has been given much, much will be demanded. And arrogant, overfed and unconcerned. I feel that can not only describe our country, but sometimes the church as well.

Look at the moral decline in the country. In some areas, a slow fade. A gradual decline of compromise. In other areas, a swift change. Are these symptoms of a turning over? The same goes in the church. Who would have thought the divorce rate in the church would be over 25%.

I think the church needs more than ever to stand strong as righteous before God. As He spared Sodom for as little as ten people, so He will continue to spare our country if the church stays righteous. If my people, who are called by my name.........

Thomas Jefferson, while not exactly noted as a theologian, said, " I tremble for my country when I reflect that God is just, that His justice cannot sleep forever".

What are some other thoughts out there? Do you think we are arrogant, overfed and unconcerned? If so, how do we change those? Do we see this in the church as well? Thanks for letting me change up things a little today.

Faith AND Deeds

All of us have faith, to varying degrees. Some Christians are very faithful about building their faith. We pray every day, without ceasing. We read and study their Bible. We do a daily quiet time with our King. These are the things we should do to build our faith, and many do. Some are ready to share their faith at the drop of the hat. We attend church regularly. We go to conferences to learn and hear from others. Our faith is strong. We know what we believe, we know who sits on the throne.

But that's only part of the equation. We are called to do so much more. There are commandments in the Bible like "Go" , or "Do this". These are verbs, action words. Deeds won't save you- that's' a gift. But because we are saved, we are told to take action. Yet many of us are content to stay wrapped us in our own little world.

Our walk with God, our beliefs, should be about two relationships. One is vertical, and one is horizontal. Talking and walking with God, building our faith, is vertical. It is us to God, and God to us. But we also have horizontal relationships- us to others. That relationship is about doing. Jesus's two great commandments were love the Lord with all your heart, soul, and mind and love your neighbor as yourself. One vertical, one horizontal. Sometimes we do good with the first, not so much with the second. That takes action.

In James 2:18, James say I will show you my faith by what I do. Later in verse 26 he concludes the chapter by summarizing that faith without deeds is dead. Who wants their faith to be dead- show of hands? No one does; but we need to take action.

We all need to have deeds. And three times a week in church isn't ministry.

Feeding Leaves

Alan Chadwick, an Englishman, was a brilliant master gardener, and a leading innovator of organic farming. Chadwick was famous for having said “Roots are leaves in the ground, and leaves are roots in the air”. He was a proponent of foliar feeding, actually fertilizing the leaves with a sprayer so that nutrients could be soaked in. The feeding of the leaves feeds the whole plant down to the roots.

Sometimes we need to feed our brother’s and sister’s leaves. A seed of faith can be planted and spout, with roots developing from prayer and bible study. We need to shower that person with encouragement to help them to grow. Mature Christians need fed, too. They may be weary of particular trials or battles. Let them know they are not in the war alone.

The Word tells us to encourage each other, and build each other up (1 Thes. 5:11). Not all of us seem to be comfortable here. We don't see ourselves as being "outgoing enough" to be encouragers. But many times it's the little card, or word, or call that can mean so much. Some people have the gift of encouragement, and Romans 12:6 tells them to use it. The greatest gifts bestowed are for the edification of the church, so that makes the gift of encouragement pretty important. Ask the Lord to lead you to those who need it.

We also need to receptive when someone tries to encourage us. Receive it, and soak it in. It'll go all the way to the roots.

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Pouring Out of Storage

I have a friend who farms for a living. He has several grain storage bins on his farm, the steel glistening in the sun. He stores his grain there, saving it up for the right time. If prices rise, he can get a better price for his grain. He is very careful as to when he takes any grain out. It’s all about storing and saving.

I think Christians have our own storage bins. In one we might keep some encouragement. In another we might keep our witness and testimonies. Over in a third one is our work for the poor. Another is where we keep our money. We too are very tight with what we give out. We don’t want to give out too much encouragement. We should save up on our work to the poor, or mostly, our time.

I think we should open the doors to our bins and let them pour out. Pour out encouragement. Pour out our love. What are we saving and hoarding for? Do we lack the faith that God will replenish what we have.

Rich Mullins, before he died, was asked at a concert why he looked so tired. He said shame on me if I don't, I should look tired. Rich knew that we need to pour ourselves out for God. Oswald Chambers, in My Utmost for His Highest, used a great phrase. He said we Christians need to be "broken bread and poured out wine".

Open your bins and pour out.

Turf Wars

A nation threatens another nation, saying it will be wiped off the face of the earth. A different nation wants to keep its money sovereign, even though it's committed to a group of other nations. A major power is thinking of building a long fence, to keep other people from coming in. In our country, two men spend hundreds of millions of dollars to try to become president. Everyone has their own little "turf", or kingdom, to keep and protect.

Larger than all these can imagine, is God's kingdom. Six times in Matthew 13 Jesus tells us what the kingdom of heaven is like. Like bad fish and weeds being separated and thrown away. Like yeast working its way through the dough. Selling out, giving up everything to possess. God tells us that His kingdom is attainable to all who believe. None of these man-made kingdoms can keep us from being part of God's kingdom. But there is one kingdom that can keep us out.

It's our kingdom, the kingdom of ourselves. If we want to be the king, if we want it to be about me, that can keep us out. If we spend our time, our talent and our resources expanding or defending our turf, we have no time for Him. We are too busy with our own pursuits to pursue Him.

The band Mercy Me put this into words rather profoundly in "In A Blink of An Eye"-

You put me here for a reason
You have a mission for me
You knew my name and You called it
Long before I learned to breathe
Sometimes I feel disappointed
By the way I spend my time
How can I further Your kingdom When I'm so wrapped up in mine.

How true. How can we further His kingdom when we're so wrapped up in ours. All the nations and kingdoms on this earth can't stand up to His. What kingdom do we want to be a part of?

No Roots- No Fruits

If you have ever planted flowers or a garden or a tree, you know that the roots are the most important part of the plant. They need the right amount of water; too much or too little will kill the plant. They need planted in the best soil. The roots won't have room to grow well in hard clay or soils with little topsoil. They need the right minerals, either in the ground or added to the plant. The plants need cultivated so the roots of weeds won't compete for water or minerals. Without a good root system, you won't have much of a harvest.

It's very similar with our Christian walk. We need to be planted in a fertile soil of fellowship so we can be fed and watered. We need the daily quiet time, the bible study and prayer time with God to build our roots. Without that intimate time with Him, we'll have weak roots and won't survive the heat of the world. We can't let the weeds steal our time or focus from what is His. Yet sometimes it’s hard to hoe the rows of our lives. If our roots aren't deep and strong, the fruits that we bring forth will be meager and puny.

We need to be planted like a tree by streams of water (Psalms 1:3), giving our fruit in season. Matthew 13:21 says if a man has no roots, he will last only a short time.

We all should know this. We all don't do this. Build your roots.

Living Face Down

Matt Redman wrote a beautiful worship song a few years ago, "Face Down". It tells of being ushered in to the King's presence. He praises and worships while God's glory shines all around. We all know we need to be face down before our King more than what we are.

I taught my oldest son when he first learned to drive, that in addition to looking in front of you, you also need to glance ahead to see what is happening further down the road. Whenever you drive or walk, we look straight ahead- raise your hand if you don't do this.

But that's the thing about being face down. You can't look ahead. You have to trust Him, rely on Him for everything. Face down is a position of ultimate vulnerability and trust. It is all about laying prone in front of Him in awe and admiration, in fear and trembling. It's about saying "You are King, I am your servant".

But we also have to keep an attitude of face down while we're living our lives. A face down position (or attitude) is a position of ultimate vulnerability and trust. You can't see what's coming. When you're face down, you can't puff your chest or be distracted by what's around us.
It's about that blind trust and reliance on Him for guidance and provision.

Spend some time prostrate before your King.

The Greatest Sin?

I'm curious as to what your thoughts were when you read the title. What do you think the greatest sin is? Murder? Adultery? Homosexuality? Could one sin be the cause of the others

Personally, I think pride is the greatest sin, and the root of all the other sins. Pride means "me first, God next". Or, as John Piper says, "When I go up, God goes down". We wouldn't say that out loud, but our actions and words to others indicate that those are our thoughts. Look at the other sins; isn't our love of self the start to the others? Especially in the church, pride is most subtle and most dangerous. Sometimes Christians can look down at other sinners and their sins when their pride is just as blatant and arrogant to God. Pride has caused more division in the Body than anything else.

I am currently reading Humility by CJ Mahaney, an excellent book. Mahaney talks about pride being the first sin(Satan's fall) and the essence of all sin. Theologian John Stott said "At every stage of our Christian development and in every sphere of our Christian discipleship, pride is our greatest enemy and humility our greatest friend." John Piper says that the root of all the other dangers is pride, "doing it our way". Piper goes own to say that he is his biggest danger to himself.

Proverbs 3:34 is so important that it is echoed by both James (4:5) and Peter (1 Pet 5:5). Proverbs 16:5 says God detests the proud of heart, and then gives a warning. They will not go unpunished. God wants our heart to be His, not ours.

I have always visualized pride as us taking God off the throne and putting us on it. Or, as John Piper says, "When I go up, God goes down". What a sad, scary and pious thought. It's all about Him, not about us.

Plowing Along

I spoke about harvest time on Tuesday, and as it continues, it stays on my mind. There are so many analogies between farming and Christianity. Jesus used many in His parables.

After the beans are cut on some fields, the farmers start plowing the ground to plant winter wheat or just turn it for next year. Fields aren't plowed as often anymore, with the no-till planters farmers have today. When it is plowed, the plowblades turn the dark soils over, exposing what's underneath. There is a moist, earthy aroma that follows the plow.

I did some plowing on my family's Midwest farm when I was young. When you plow, you have to pick a point at the other end of the field and drive to that point. You then follow that first furrow, still looking forward and not looking back so your furrows are straight. You can't keep looking back at what you've done or where you've been. For those who have never plowed, it's similar to mowing with a rider.

Jesus says in Luke 9:62 that no one who puts his hand to the plow and looks back is not fit for service in the kingdom of God. Once you begin God's work, which starts when you decide to follow Him, you can't look back. If you look back to the world and all it's temptations, you can be drawn back. And your rows of service to Him, your walk with Him,won't be straight and true.

Stay focused on what lays ahead. Don't look back.

No Promises Broken

We are getting flooded with promises these days, with it being Fall of an even year. One candidate promises one thing, and the other something different. Some of those promises will be "withdrawn" once that candidate takes office. Other promises will be "amended" so it's not even the original statement. It is a season full of empty promises.

Television offers a whole new slate of promises. This product will remove stains, and this other product will make you look better, make you skinnier or make your hair shinier. Advertisers know how to push our buttons. They make promises without actually making promises.

But there are some promises I know won't be broken. We were promised a new heaven and new earth(2Peter 3:13); eternal life was promised before the beginning of time(Titus 1:2); He has promised a crown of life to those who believe(James 1:12); He said He would leave leave us or forsake us(Hebrews 13:5); and Jesus said, Surely I am with you always, even to the end of the age(Matthew 28:20).

These promises won't be broken.

What's Your Pattern?

Do not conform any longer to the pattern of this world, but be transformed by the renewing of your mind. Romans 12:2

Erin is blond and blue-eyed, the tender age of 26. She was born in Canada, and grew up in Minnesota and Kansas City, the All-American girl. She was accepted at the only two colleges she wanted to attend, Stanford and Duke. She had always loved Duke, but felt God wanted her to go to Stanford. She played soccer for Stanford, and graduated with a biology degree. She had thought about medicine, and with a degree from Stanford, she was set. She could write her own ticket anywhere.

Paul says we shouldn't conform to the pattern of this world. Some of that is obvious; it's about how we act. But Paul is also talking about how we live. Do we spend as much time with God and His work as we do surfing the net, on our favorite team or hobby? Is the rat race of work, hobby, work, vacation, retirement what God wants for each of us? If the narrow path is traveled by few, why are so many taking the wide road.

Erin, armed with a biology degree from one of the most prestigious universities in the world, decided to teach Spanish at a Christian school. There she could impact kid's lives for God. Mostly, it allowed her to spend the summers on the missions field, ministering to children , leading trips, and showing people God's love.

The world thought she could have had it all. She knew she already did.

Kamikaze Christian

In World War II, after the US had started to decimate the Japanese forces, the Japanese decided to use suicide attacks on American ships. Pilots were willing to sacrifice their lives for the greater good of the country. These attacks were coined "kamikaze" attacks. The word kamikaze translated actually means "God-wind". It originated when two major typhoons helped disperse Mongolian invasion forces in 1274 and 1281.

This phrase actually came to mind in relation to our faith many years ago. When DC Talk's "Jesus Freak" came out, it spoke of "kamikaze, my death is gain". It echoes Paul in Philippians 1:21, to live is Christ, but to do die is gain. We need to die daily as Christians. Die to sin and die to self. We need to have the same mindset that our life is nothing compared to the greater good(of God).

When Jim Elliot, Nate Saint and the others were killed in the jungles of Ecuador in 1956, they didn't know that they would die. But they were willing to, for the Lord's work to be accomplished. Through their deaths, who knows how many thousands were saved. The locals including the ones who attacked these men were saved, and as a result of their story hundreds who became missionaries have led so many thousand to the Lord. Elliot's quote was, "He is no fool who gives what he cannot keep to gain what he cannot lose".

Sometimes We're Like Dogs

I love to take walks with my Golden Retriever. Ten years old now, she still acts like a pup. Sometimes we'll walk down our long lane, over the creek and through the woods. She loves this time with me, bounding ahead, then back to me. She has to check out every hole and rotten log, occasionally dashing off with a yip, only to return all wet from the creek.

Although she loves the time with me, her attention wanders and she gets distracted. While I enjoy watching her explore her world, I like it best when she's by my side. When she's digging a hole or chasing a rabbit, she's too preoccupied to hear me call.

Isn't that how we are with God sometimes? We bounce off after this thing or that...careers, new "must-have' toys, hobbies. Jesus called these weeds. Rich Mullins sang that the stuff of earth competes for the allegiance we owe our King. We forget what the walk is about.

This walk is about drawing closer to Him. But many people's lives are too busy to walk with Him or hear His call. We need to hear His voice.

Lock Your Wings

I read in some long ago book this illustration and have never forgotten it. Eagles, in flight over the Sinai Desert, will ride the hot thermal winds up over a large storm front. They can go as high as 10,000 feet. He doesn't fly that high by flapping his wings. He locks his wings at his shoulders, to ride the wind over the storm, coming down on the other side. He can stay aloft for hours. He will get so high that ice will start to form on his wings, melting as he descends.

In the Old Testament, the Hebrew word "ruach" means spirit or wind, the breath of God. David used it in one of my favorite verses, Psalm 51:10-11, "Create in me a clean heart, O God..........take not your ruach from me". The New Testament Greek for Holy Spirit is "pneuma", wind, to lift up.

When Isaiah says in 40:31 "we should soar with wings as eagles", this is what he means. He used this illustration as he talked about the tired and weary relying on the strength of God. Not to flap and struggle against the storms of life...illness, family responsibilities, failed relationships or financial problems...but to lock our wings, and ride the breath of God. That doesn't mean we have don't have to deal with these things; we do. It's about relying on God to not only take us over these things, but to also give us a new prespective- a view from above the storm. We need to get ice on our wings.

Like Little Children

And He said: “I tell you the truth, unless you change and become like little children, you will never enter the kingdom of heaven”. Matthew 18:3

As you ride the bus up the dirt roads of the shantytowns of Pachacutec, Peru, you pass shacks that serve as homes. The adults you see along the road look at you, but only a few smile. But as the bus pulls up to the building that serves as the church, the children are there, smiling, waving, waiting on us. This is the best time of the day for them, spending time with you. They might have balloons or small gifts for you. During the day they hang on you, holding your hand, wanting you to carry them or take them for a ride. When you leave, they walk you down to the bus. Crowding around the bus, some wave, some cry, some run along the bus as it drives away.

This is how it should be when we spend time with God. Jesus says in Matthew that we should change and become like little children. In verse 4 He says “whoever humbles himself”, so we can have a childlike faith. We all know the verse and meaning, because we all are so sophisticated and mature. But He wants us to change. He was talking to His disciples when he said this, towards the end of His ministry. With that humbling and childlike faith, He also wants us to have some of those childlike actions- waiting for Him, letting Him take us for a ride, giving Him gifts, not wanting our time to end.

Face to Face

Imagine the eyes of a child.... with a look of joy, playing with a puppy or opening presents. Bright eyes, wide smile. Or those same eyes, pained or scared.

Imagine the eyes of a parent, or a spouse..... eyes twinkling with laughter, or sharing a knowing glance. Or those same eyes when hurt or disappointed. Sometimes an expression and eyes can say so much, and cut to a person’s core.

Several years ago two men I knew passed away within weeks of each other. Both were Christians. One man had lived a hard life, full of struggles and pain, including burying one of his children. He was a common laborer by trade, and was a man of faith. His eyes could smile, but often they showed wear and pain through his strength. He passed away in his late 70s. The other man was in the ministry, and though his life knew pain and loss, he led a blessed life. His eyes had cried, but more often they had twinkled. He loved the Lord , and lived to his mid 90s.

After both had died I thought about them meeting Jesus for the first time in heaven, and being “face-to-face” with their Savior. What His eyes must have said. What His face must have reflected to each. Both loved God more than anything, and I’m sure His eyes reflected His pride in their faithfulness.

Sometimes we think of heaven as a distant place, and things are unclear. But we will stand “face-to-face” with Jesus. I wonder what we will see in His eyes when we stand in front of Him. Will we see pride in His eyes for our faithfulness? Or will we see a glimpse of how much more there could have been? As the things we did on this earth are put to fire, will we see disappointment over how we wasted our time, money and vision? Or His pleasure with the results?

Imagine the eyes of your Savior.....

A Role Model for Fighting Giants

“But because my servant Caleb has a different spirit and follows me wholeheartedly, I will bring him into the land he went to, and his descendants will inherit it.” Numbers 14:24.

What better role model can you ask for than Caleb. He was a warrior for God. We first see Caleb as a young man of forty. He is chosen to be sent as one of the spies into the Promised Land. Returning, he goes against conventional wisdom, arguing to move into the promised land. He’s ready to fight the giants. We all know the story, Israel is disobedient and only Caleb and Joshua will get to enter the Promised Land. God promises Caleb the land on which he walked.

So what does Caleb do now? He perseveres. He wanders the wilderness watching his generation die off, watches the continued disobedience of Israel, shaking his head, knowing- hey, we should already be there! Many Christians today don’t know what persevere means- can we pray and prepare for something, for four days or 4 weeks or 4 months- let alone 40 years! But God made Caleb a promise, and Caleb persevered.

Forty five years go by. It’s time to enter the Holy Land. Caleb, now 85 years old, is still as strong as when he was 40. Why? He continued to train and prepare. He knew he would have to stay ready, to be prepared when the time came. God had made him a promise- and he was still, 45 years later, ready to fight the giants! Joshua grants him the hill country he walked as the Lord promised, and he drives out the descendants of Anak.

Do we step out on faith, sometimes speaking out and defying current trends, like Caleb ? Do we persevere for what God has promised? Do we stay trained and prepared, always ready to fight giants?

A Map

David was called in Acts a man after God's own heart. Why was he called this? Because he followed God with all his heart. In Psalm 37 David gave us a road map of how we are to live a Godly life.

Trust in the Lord and do good, dwell in the land and enjoy safe pasture(verse 3). Do we really trust God enough? Do we trust Him with everything? The land and safe pasture reflect the peace we get from actually trusting in Him.

Delight yourself in the Lord, and he will give you the desires of your heart(verse 4). David spoke several times about our delight being in God. Being with Him, learning about Him, that's where our heart should be. We can delight in a relationship or a child, and a hobby or even career. But do we with God? Where is our delight?

Commit your way to the Lord, trust in Him and He will do this:He will make your righteousness shine like the dawn., the justice of your cause like the noonday sun(verse 5). Commit does not mean a single decision here. It means to be totally committed to Him. Not half way, but totally.

Be still before the Lord and wait patiently for Him; do not fret when men succeed in their ways, when they carry out their wicked schemes. In our society, our cell phone, remote control, and high speed internet world, we have forgotten how to be still, let alone wait. We need this, our spirit yearns for this, and God expects and wants this from us.

What we would give to be a man or woman after God's own heart? Give these.

Sold Out

What's the price to follow Jesus? It should cost us everything. We should be sold out for Jesus. He doesn't want just a little of what we have. He wants our all.

We need to offer our time, our talent and our resources to our King. Many of us might offer our resources or money, but we really don't have any extra time to give. We may give time, but hold back some talents that could further the kingdom. We should give what little we can in our fleeting lives for the value of eternal benefits.

The kingdom of God is like treasure hidden in a field. When a man found it, he hid it again, and then in his joy went and sold all he had and bought that field. Again, the kingdom of heaven is like a merchant looking for fine pearls. When he found one of great value, he went away and sold everything he had and bought it. Matthew 13: 44,45.

God's kingdom is of such great value we should be able to give everything up for Him.
Are you in half way? Or are you sold out?

Fear

It was so interesting Monday, as the bailout bill was failing and the market tanking, to watch the human drama. " We must do that" and "I am losing this much" was repeated throughout the day, along with "worst economic crisis since the depression". It was as if a spirit of fear was sweeping across the land.

Fear and worry should not be part of a Christian's vocabulary when it comes to this world. This is easier said than done. The drop in the market affected people's retirement accounts, and may affect how and if businesses get loans. We all have concerns about family and health, concerns that can give birth to worry or fear. David talked about God delivering him from his fears, and Paul spoke with of his conflicts outside and fears within.But there is difference in dealing with a problem and the fear and worry that problem might cause. I recently read a great quote, that "worry is us saying God isn't big enough" for my problem.

There are times when it's OK to fear. "Fear the Lord" is mentioned in some form 38 times in the Bible. Philippians 2:12 says work out your salvation with fear and trembling. This is a holy fear of God and who he is, of his sovereignty.

The fear I saw Monday wasn't that type of fear. That type of fear comes from Satan.
How to deal with that type of fear? Leaning on that peace that God is still in control, and that He is big enough for our problems . His peace is not what the world gives.