The World Economy Hit by the Storm Called the Northeaster

Acts 27:18-25, NIV
“18 We took such a violent battering from the storm that the next day they began to throw the cargo overboard. 19 On the third day, they threw the ship's tackle overboard with their own hands. 20 When neither sun nor stars appeared for many days and the storm continued raging, we finally gave up all hope of being saved. 21 After the men had gone a long time without food, Paul stood up before them and said: "Men, you should have taken my advice not to sail from Crete; then you would have spared yourselves this damage and loss. 22 But now I urge you to keep up your courage, because not one of you will be lost; only the ship will be destroyed. 23 Last night an angel of the God whose I am and whom I serve stood beside me 24 and said, 'Do not be afraid, Paul. You must stand trial before Caesar; and God has graciously given you the lives of all who sail with you.' 25 So keep up your courage, men, for I have faith in God that it will happen just as he told me.”

Introduction: The tragedy and salvation of an Alexandrian ship which sailed for Rome from Crete to a place called Fair Havens.

1. Throw away greed and selfish desires, and make your life lighter.
　　1) The American economy hit by storms.
① Government is offering low interest rates on a loan. Government decreased domestic interest rates to 1% in order to decrease the load on national debt interest which they sold to China and other countries.
② A policy to provide houses for low income people. The bank provides 90-95% of the loan and charges low interest. People who have no house bought a house through a bank loan.
③ People are not able to pay interest and monthly installments because of a dramatic decline in housing prices. The bank offers houses, but no one is willing to buy them.
④ Banks and insurance companies have become unreliable, and their financial products have become a mere scrap of paper.
⑤ Due to poor domestic consumption, factories went bankrupt and caused mass unemployment.
　　⑥ Many people suffered heavy losses from the stock market crisis.

2. How to calm the economic storms.
　　1) Dismiss your greed (Jas 1:15).
① The more we get, the more greedy we become?more clothes, shoes, bags, houses, real estate. Endless greed causes stress, dissatisfaction, and insecurity.
2) Comparison with others makes us feel poor and miserable. Vanuatu reached the highest level of happiness. The more we expect, the more disappointed we become. Throw away everything except things you really need (Heb 13:5).
　　3) Fervent repentance and prayer.
　　① Repentance (Ac 27:21).
　　② Establish identity (Ac 27:23).
　　③ Proclaim hope (Ac 27:22, 24-25).
　　④ Restore peace of mind (Ac 27:33-36).

3. United we live, divided we die.
　　1) Family must be united (Ecc 4:12; 1Th 5:13-14).
　　2) Employees must be united (1Co 1:10).
　　3) Public opinion must be united and politics should be stable (Am 5:24).
　　4) A nation’s leader should impart a clear hope and dream to the people in order to reassure them
　　(Job 11:18).

Conclusion: A wind of hurricane force called the "northeaster" may overturn our lives. However, when we overcome it, we can build a new life again.