Scott Jordan is chief executive of a small Company clothing company. In addition to owning his own business, Jordan has flown a small plane, bungee jumped, and skied on glaciers. He even drove his sports car on a public highway at 152 miles an hour. Jordan says terrorism and severe acute respiratory syndrome worry him so he will likely cancel a planned business trip to South Korea next month. Jordan says, “ If I go… and some crazy person decides to bomb the Hyatt, I’m dead.”

Though statistically, Jordan is more likely to be killed on the highway, he is part of a growing group of people who are fearful because of the current world situation. Research has shown that Americans have dramatically reduced their risk in virtually every area of life, resulting in longer life spans over the past one hundred years. Many deadly diseases have been virtually eliminated, food and water have been purified, and new drugs and surgery techniques have helped forestall heart disease. Even on the highway, new safety devices like air bags are saving many lives.

Reports from research studies, court cases, and media hype hint that danger is waiting behind every corner. We are told everything has a hidden danger, from a cup of hot coffee or second-hand smoke, to anthrax or SARS. Despite the fact that contemporary America is one of the safest societies in recorded history, many people feel like they have never been more at risk.

Before people learned to control their surroundings, they relied more on things like prayer for protection from natural disasters or plagues. Karim Nader, professor of neuroscience in the psychology department at McGill University in Montreal says, “In our current environment, our fear system is almost too powerful because it’s trying to protect us against threats that don’t really exist.”

—Wall Street Journal, by Staff Writers Jane Spencer and Cynthia Crossen, April 24, 2003 Illustration by Jim L. Wilson and Jim Sandell.

There is a healthy fear—we should be afraid of hungry lions on the loose—but there is also an irrational fear. God does not want us to live in fear, but in peace.

John 14:27 NASB “Peace I leave with you; My peace I give to you; not as the world gives, do I give to you. Let not your heart be troubled, not let it be fearful.”

Though India and Pakistan have fought three wars over the region of Kashmir, the recent devastating earthquake has lead the rival nations to bridge political differences in order to help victims of the quake. The nations have agreed to open the border dividing the region for the first time in decades. Phone lines have been unblocked, allowing Kashmiris across the militarized frontier to speak to relatives for the first time in 16 years. Both countries are considering opening routes that would allow help to pour across and give relatives the opportunity to meet for the first time in decades.

The nations started a peace process to resolve all issues in 2004, including the core dispute over Kashmir, which both nations claim. Though progress has been made, the distrust between the nations is still evident. Pakistan is accepting aid from India, but will not allow Indian troops to join the rescue work on their soil. Pakistan has asked for more helicopters to drop aid and rescue causalities, but New Delhi will not provide helicopters without the crews. One local official says when the border is opened it will be very important for the Kashmiri people. He said, "It would be a fantastic thing." Thousands remain stranded in the uplands without food or shelter, and harsh winter weather is approaching.

—Reuters, India, Pakistan restore phone links to open border, October 19, 2005. Illustration by Jim L. Wilson and Jim Sandell.

Though the events in this area are a real tragedy, they give people opportunity to work together peacefully to help those in need.

Though the sights and sounds of war have filled newspapers and television for years, new research suggests war itself is declining. Though current activities in Iraq and Afghanistan have put war in the headlines, Swedish and Canadian non-governmental groups tracking armed conflict around the world say they are finding a general decline in number of conflicts from peaks in the 1990s.

The new report by the Stockholm International Peace Research Institute says 19 major armed conflicts were underway worldwide in 2003.

The report says the number killed in battle has fallen to its lowest point in the post-World War II period.

Scholars attribute the decline to a crosscurrent of global events. The end of the Cold War and the breakup of the Soviet Union ignited many wars in the 1990s. Many of those conflicts have ended in the past several years.

They note that the change in U.S. and Russian relations has also worked against war by removing superpower support in "proxy wars," which lead warring parties to seek peace.

The United Nations and regional bodies are now mobilizing for effective peacemaking worldwide. American scholar Monty Marshall says, "Not only are the numbers declining, but the intensity is declining."

Fewer people are being killed in the conflicts that continue. Marshall adds, "There's been an enormous amount of activity to try and end these conflicts."

—http://news.yahoo.com, War Making Headlines, But Peace Breaks Out, August 29, 2004. Illustration by Jim L. Wilson and Jim Sandell.

Though our best efforts may decrease the number of wars, we will never be able to bring them to an end on our own. Only the intervention of the Lord in human history will bring wars to an end.

Psalm 46:9-10 (NIV) "He makes wars cease to the ends of the earth; he breaks the bow and shatters the spear, he burns the shields with fire. [10] Be still, and know that I am God; I will be exalted among the nations, I will be exalted in the earth."

92 years after the fighting ended, the First World War finally came to a close. The War officially ended when the nation of Germany paid off the final chunk of war reparations imposed by the Treaty of Versailles which was signed in 1919. The treaty forced the German nation to pay compensation to Belgium and France, and to pay the allied forces some of the costs of waging the war, which was the bloodiest conflict in history at that time.

Initially, a sum of 226 billion Reichmarks was stipulated by the Treaty, although the amount was reduced to 132 billion later. France, which had been ravaged by the war, pushed hardest for the strongest possible punishment at the time. The bill would have been settled earlier , but Adolf Hitler refused to pay the reparations after he took power. German newspaper, Bild, said reported, “…the last bill is due and the First World War finally, financially at least, terminates for Germany.”

--First World War officially ends, http://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/worldnews/europe/germany/8029948/First-World-War-officially-ends.html ; September 28, 2010, Illustration by Jim L. Wilson and Jim Sandell.

Matthew 5:23-26 (GW)“So if you are offering your gift at the altar and remember there that another believer has something against you, 24 leave your gift at the altar. First go away and make peace with that person. Then come back and offer your gift. 25 “Make peace quickly with your opponent while you are on the way to court with him. Otherwise, he will hand you over to the judge. Then the judge will hand you over to an officer, who will throw you into prison. 26 I can guarantee this truth: You will never get out until you pay every penny of your fine.

The annual “Peace Bowl” in Avondale Ohio, uses football to promote peace and community in the Cincinnati suburb. Since 2007, the Pee Wee football game invites residents to sit down and enjoy a game together in a world filled with violence and crime. Organizers say the game gives local kids the opportunity to show off their talents and teaches them lessons for life. They believe teaching and reinforcing these lessons from an early age will strengthen the community and benefit everyone in the long run.

Rev. Peterson Mingo is the founder of the Peace Bowl. He says the players learn to work together as a team and they learn sportsmanship. He says the added benefit is that they get values and a strong set of morals from the coaches, referees, and others who dedicate themselves to the event. The pastor is pleased with the community response and the way the event has continued to grow. He hopes the underlying message continues to resonate across the generations. Mingo says,” (Football) teaches them self-discipline and awareness, It’s good for the (children) both physically and spiritually. And it’s just a great big thing for everyone in the community.”

--Avondale Group Fights Violence Through Peewee Football, http://www.wlwt.com/r/28792811/detail.html ; August 8, 2011, Illustration by Jim L. Wilson and Jim Sandell

Hebrews 12:14 (CEV) Try to live at peace with everyone! Live a clean life. If you don't, you will never see the Lord.

J. D. Drew, major league outfielder for the Boston Red Sox is a professing Christian. He finds living out his Christian faith in the public eye to be a challenge at times. He mentioned “the unique opportunities as a professional athlete to get in trouble, especially when you’re on the road.” He says that his way of dealing with ‘fans screaming at you’ is to sing hymns to himself, as he’s standing all alone in right field.

Singing hymns in times of trouble and conflict is a time-tested method of calming a troubling situation.

Philippians 4:8-9 (HCSB) “Finally brothers, whatever is true, whatever is honorable, whatever is just, whatever is pure, whatever is lovely, whatever is commendable—if there is any moral excellence and if there is any praise—dwell on these things. (9) Do what you have learned and received and heard and seen in me, and the God of peace will be with you.”

Church Administrator Bruce MacNair and local banker Bryan Studier were both seeking a seat on the city council in Wolfforth, Texas. When all the ballots were counted, both men had exactly 118 votes. A special election would have cost the small community over $10,000, so the two men decided to use a more cost effective method of resolving the conflict. They flipped a coin.

The men reached an agreement and signed a three page paper outlining the rules of the toss. The agreement called for a $1 U.S. coin to be “tossed into the air in the manner used by officials prior to a football game.” Each man drew a slip of paper before the toss, with MacNair drawing heads, and Studer, tails. Then, City Manager Darrell Newsom flipped the coin. It came up heads, and MacNair was declared the winner. Studer took the loss in stride, shook MacNair’s hand and wished him the best in his new position. After the toss, Newsom said, “These two guys have to be commended for settling this in a civic-minded and painless fashion.” He added, “These are west Texas guys. That’s the way we do things here.”

--Texas Town settles council election with coin flip, http://www.reuters.com/article/2012/05/18/us-usa-election-texas-idUSBRE84H1A120120518 ; May 18, 2012, Illustration by Jim L. Wilson and Jim Sandell.

Romans 12:16-18 (CEV) Be friendly with everyone. Don't be proud and feel that you are smarter than others. Make friends with ordinary people. Don't mistreat someone who has mistreated you. But try to earn the respect of others, and do your best to live at peace with everyone.

Where do you seek peace? Researchers writing in the Journal of Social Psychology say the place to find it is in freshly baked bread. Their findings reveal “the aroma of baking bread triggers a rising sense of altruism, increased happiness and other beneficial effects”

Baking bread may trigger a sense of peace, but real peace—lasting peace, can only be found in Jesus Christ. --Jim L. Wilson and Rodger Russell

Philippians 4:7 (HCSB) And the peace of God, which surpasses every thought, will guard your hearts and minds in Christ Jesus.

A special letter written by an Oklahoma police officer helped to calm the fears of two sisters. The girls, aged 11 and 9 were so afraid of what might happen that they slept with a golf club and baseball bat nearby. Their mother believed that her daughters’ fears stemmed from the violence they saw on television, As a result, the two girls were afraid of everything and needed constant reassurance that every safety measure possible had been taken before they went to bed each night. The officer, Lieutenant Paul Barbour, heard about the girls concerns through his wife, who works with the girls’ mother. He decided that since he regularly patrolled the area anyway, he would help. On one of his patrols, he wrote a note to the girls reassuring them that they were indeed very safe. Barbour taped a note to the family’s front door saying that he worked nights to keep people safe and help them rest in peace. He said that when he drove through their neighborhood everything looked good, and he wanted them to know. Barbour said, “It was nice to be able to write it down and tell somebody that I am out here watching and that we do care about you.”—Jim L. Wilson and Jim Sandell

Police officer’s kind note eases fears of sleepless girls, By Charlene Sakoda,
https://news.yahoo.com/blogs/oddnews/police-officer%E2%80%99s-kind-note-eases-fears-of-sleepless-girls-201533044.html, Accessed March 7, 2014.

Psalm 4:8 (HCSB) I will both lie down and sleep in peace, for You alone, LORD, make me live in safety.

Researchers say a 14-year-old boy in Mexico is possibly the first reported child in the word to be diagnosed with an extreme fear of aging known as gerascophoia. The boy’s fear was reportedly so intense that he cut his food intake and learning that nutrients in food promote growth. As a result he lost 26 pounds. The boy would also walked with a stoop to hide how tall he was and even spoke in a higher pitch to make himself sound younger. The researchers investigating the case say the boy was abused at a young age and his mother provided “excessive care.” The boy received treatment and medication, and has since regained 13 pounds, stands straight, and uses his regular voice. The researchers note that there have only been two other reported cases of gerascophobia and both of them were in adults.—Jim L. Wilson & Jim Sandell.

Teen boy suffers extreme fear of aging, By Elizabeth Armstrong, http://www.usatoday.com/story/news/world/2015/02/05/teen-boy-fear-of-aging-gerascophobia/22920045, Accessed February 5, 2015.

John 14:27 (TLB) "I am leaving you with a gift—peace of mind and heart! And the peace I give isn’t fragile like the peace the world gives. So don’t be troubled or afraid.”

A California company is offering clients interested in space travel, the opportunity to rest in peace on the moon. For a fee of $12,000, Elysium Space will privately transport a person’s cremated remains to the moon. They are currently taking orders, and the first batch of ashes will travel to the moon on a spacecraft in 2017. Thomas Civeit, founder of Elysiu, said their service is very unique because it brings space and funeral experts together. In a press release the company said, “Families now have the historic opportunity to commemorate their departed loved ones every night through the everlasting splendor, and soft illumination of the Earth’s closest companion: the moon.”—Jim L. Wilson and Jim Sandell.

Rest in peace on the moon for $12,000, http://www.komonews.com/news/offbeat/Rest-in-peace-on-the-moon-for-12000-326856661.html, September 13, 2015.

2 Corinthians 1:3-4 (HCSB) Praise the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, the Father of mercies and the God of all comfort. (4) He comforts us in all our affliction, so that we may be able to comfort those who are in any kind of affliction, through the comfort we ourselves receive from God.

Peace

Amur, Siberian tiger and Timur, a goat have are co-existing even though the Animal keepers placed the goat in the cage to be lunch, not a companion. Instead of becoming part of the food chain, Timur chased the big cat out of his sleeping place and claimed it for his own. The tiger seemed confused, but did not confront the goat. Since then, the tiger has been sleeping on top of the enclosure while the goat sleeps inside. Authorities say despite the unusual arrangements, there does not seem to be any animosity between the pair. Timur has even begun following Amur around. They say, they are not sure how long the arrangement will last, but for now, both animals seem content with it. —Jim L. Wilson and Jim Sandell.

Isaiah 11:6 (HCSB)“The wolf will live with the lamb, and the leopard will lie down with the goat. The calf, the young lion, and the fatling will be together, and a child will lead them.”

The country of Israel is a spot on the Earth where enemies live in close contact with one another. One restaurant in that troubled country is trying to do something about it. They have offered a 50 percent discount to Arab and Jewish customers who sit and eat together. Kobie Tzafrir, the manager of the hummus restaurant says, “If there’s anything that can bring these people together, it’s hummus.” -- Jim L. Wilson and Rodger Russell

Psalm 34:14 (HCSB)“Turn away from evil and do what is good; seek peace and pursue it.”

Chad Saylor ran into a local jail seeking protection, but didn’t find what he was looking for. Authorities said he climbed a pipe and then got stuck. Saylor called 911 and asked the police to help free him. Authorities said that after they helped Saylor get out of his predicament, they discovered that he had outstanding warrants and they took him into custody. They said he was not seriously injured, and would be safe in their facility for a few days. —Jim L. Wilson and Jim Sandell.

Authorities: Man broke into Ohio jail for protection, https://www.yahoo.com/news/authorities-man-broke-ohio-jail-protection-193708426.html, Accessed September 13, 2016.

Proverbs 18:10 (HCSB)“The name of Yahweh is a strong tower; the righteous run to it and are protected.”

I’d like to read to you some posts that were daily updates from a family whose daughter, Kayleigh, was fighting brain tumors. They were made while they were waiting for their 7-year-old daughter to die. These are the words of Kayleigh’s mother, ‘Carrow.

“Being human is a difficult thing. Kayleigh's distress brought me to my knees quickly. Even once the storm passed for her I found myself lost in my own storm. Grief and fear. Kayleigh suffering, Kayleigh afraid - those are my fears and oh how it tore out my heart. I've spent hours tonight battling my human desires to doubt and worry. Doubt and worry have no place here….but I know my God is good. As I sat and read His word I found rest. As I listened to music it brought me comfort. And the perfect devotion at the right moment helped me shake lose and grab hold of His peace again.

Learning to rest in the Lord is hard. But that is my choice. I am going to rest in Him and continue to trust that He knows what is best for all of us. And in all of that He grants me peace.” —Jim L. Wilson and James Whitten

Psalm 91:1–2 (HCSB) “The one who lives under the protection of the Most High dwells in the shadow of the Almighty. ² I will say to the Lord, ‘My refuge and my fortress, my God, in whom I trust.’”

Dwight Howard entered the NBA desiring to add the shadow of the cross to the NBA Logo. He wanted to glorify God and lift up Jesus Christ in his life. But getting away from home and into the world he quickly went astray. His lifestyle became one no Christian could be proud of. After a while, the new Dwight also found himself at odds with his coaches, his teammates, and his teams until he reached the point where no team wanted him. Reaching a low point, he reached into his childhood faith and out to Calvin Simmons, a pastor who began to counsel him.

“Dwight felt like he had fallen into something and he was not worthy of coming out of it.” Slowly but surely, he began to rebuild his life. He wrote down the names of his adversaries and allies and began to pray for both. He began to rebuild relationships. He is now hopeful that he can return to the prominence he once knew as one of the best player in the game. But even if he doesn’t, he has found his way back to life. He says he will not pray for 20 points and 14 rebounds a game, for all star votes and endorsement deals. He will pray for what he needs most, “confidence and peace.” –Jim L. Wilson and Rodger Russell.

Lee Jenkins, What Happened to Superman, Sports Illustrated, September 25, 2017, pp.46-54.

If we confess our sins, he is faithful and righteous to forgive us our sins and to cleanse us from all unrighteousness. If we say, “We have not sinned,” we make him a liar, and his word is not in us.

During the heated rhetoric, protests, and counter demonstrations on their University Campus, the University of California at Berkeley set up a tent for the two sides to communicate and find common ground. During one session, passions began to run high until a fistfight broke out and almost knocked over the tent.

God has called us to be peacemakers, but it is not always easy. Edwin Fulch, whose idea the tent was in the first place, said, “It’s tough, but we do what we can to foster dialogue.” —Jim L. Wilson and Rodger Russell

Everything is from God, who has reconciled us to himself through Christ and has given us the ministry of reconciliation. That is, in Christ, God was reconciling the world to himself, not counting their trespasses against them, and he has committed the message of reconciliation to us.

With every new administration, there is hope that change will make a difference, even if it simply means trying out a new strategy. At the beginning of this year as President Trump took office, he had great hope that his son-in-law Jared Kushner, himself a Jew, would be able broker peace in the Middle East where all others had failed. In January on the eve of his inauguration the President-elect said, “All my life, I’ve been hearing it’s the toughest deal in the world to make… If [Jared] can’t produce peace in the Middle East, nobody can.”

Peace in the Middle East, as worldwide peace, can seem like an elusive dream. —Jim L. Wilson and David (DJ) Jenkins

Peace in the world will not fully come until Jesus finally returns a second time.

In the same region, shepherds were staying out in the fields and keeping watch at night over their flock. Then an angel of the Lord stood before them, and the glory of the Lord shone around them, and they were terrified. But the angel said to them, “Don’t be afraid, for look, I proclaim to you good news of great joy that will be for all the people: Today in the city of David a Savior was born for you, who is the Messiah, the Lord. This will be the sign for you: You will find a baby wrapped tightly in cloth and lying in a manger.”

Suddenly there was a multitude of the heavenly host with the angel, praising God and saying:

The music director of the Philadelphia Orchestra has put together a playlist to help animals at a local shelter. Yannick Nezet-Seguin said he was inspired watching the reactions of his cats, and wanted to use music to create a soothing atmosphere for the animals at the Pennsylvania Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals. Research has shown that classical music is beneficial for a wide range or animals, including dogs and cats. Nezet-Seguin’s suggestions are primarily nocturnes written by Chopin, and he has made the list available on Apple Music and Spotify. He said the music is beneficial for animals and are ideal for afternoon cat-naps.—Jim L. Wilson and Jim Sandell

John 14:27 (CSB) “Peace I leave with you. My peace I give to you. I do not give to you as the world gives. Don’t let your heart be troubled or fearful.”

As America struggled with political turmoil, a pandemic, and division, the response of Lean Brinker brought peace and hope to her neighbors. Brinker said she had experienced the loss of both grandparents and she wanted to show her neighbors that they did not need to live in fear. The prayer march in the nation’s capital, inspired Brinker so she organized “Prayer Walk 2020” in her community. 80 people joined her to walk two and a half miles and used the time rejoicing and offering praise to the Lord. Brinker said the event lasted about an hour and participants were grateful for the opportunity to get together. Brinker said she hoped people took something away for the event that would help them through the rest of the year. She said, “There is something bigger than all the earthly stuff. It was important to show that God is working…it might not always show, but He definitely is.”—Jim L. Wilson and Jim Sandell.

A Gallup poll reports that most Americans assessed their overall mental health as worse during the coronavirus pandemic. Only 34 percent of respondents reported their emotional health as “excellent,” which indicated a nine percent drop from the survey in 2019. While the overall numbers were not encouraging, there was a sharp contrast between two groups of people. Respondents who reported attending religious services weekly in person or through online services rated their emotional health as excellent 46 percent of the time, which represented a 4 percent increase from the previous year. In contrast, those who said they seldom or never attended religious services reported a decrease in overall emotional health from 42 to 29 percent.—Jim L. Wilson and Jim Sandell

“Peace I leave with you. My peace I give to you. I do not give to you as the world gives. Don’t let your heart be troubled or fearful.