“There is no fear in love. But perfect love drives out fear, because fear has to do with punishment. The one who fears is not made perfect in love.” 1 John 4:18

If you read the morning paper, or watch television news, or surf the internet, you know about the worldwide financial crisis that is unfolding all around us. It is complicated, disheartening, confusing and down right scary. In fact, even when some of the actions of different political and financial leaders seem to be helping matters things did not improve. Why?

It can be summed up in one word, fear! Fear has gripped people’s hearts and minds and drained them of almost all hope. And that fear has kept, hope from blooming in the hearts of people all over the world.

Black Bart was a professional thief whose very name struck fear as he terrorized the Wells Fargo stage line. From San Francisco to New York, his name became synonymous with the danger of the frontier. Between 1875 and 1883 he robbed 29 different stagecoach crews. Amazingly, Bart did it all without firing a shot. Because a hood hid his face, no victim ever saw his face. He never took a hostage and was never trailed by a sheriff. Instead, Black Bart used fear to paralyze his victims. His sinister presence was enough to overwhelm the toughest stagecoach guard.

Fear always paralyzes people. It is a tool of the enemy that can keep us from the hope that is ours in the gospel. The scripture reminds us that the perfect love of God drives out fear. In fact the apostle Paul said that we are to worry or be anxious about nothing, even 401ks, a diving stock market, world wide banking and credit problems, and a terrible housing market; but instead we are to pray about everything. The promise is that our fear when it is driven out of our spirits will be replaced by the Holy Spirit and by peace that overcomes even the headlines of our day.

So let me encourage you that, God is in control of our lives, and we need not fear. God is never the one who sends fear into our lives. God stands ready to help us overcome all fear.

In His Peace,

Richard A. Young