Happy Anniversary, Charlie Brown

Almost everyone is familiar with the classic seasonal program, "A Charlie Brown Christmas". The beloved animated show has been a favorite seemingly forever and never seems to get old despite its age. This year marks the 50th anniversary since Charles Schultz’s adorable characters entered the homes of millions across the land. I’m trying to think if a holiday ever went by that I did not see at least some portion of the program since its inception?

But those who know it well recall the theme as being quite basic – and yet very profound. Sad little Charlie Brown is struggling at Christmas time. He is frustrated and depressed that Christmas is seemingly but one big commercial venture and cannot quite grasp what it is all about. This plot makes for an entertaining show, but it also reveals how so many really do feel over the holidays. I did a quick search online and typed in the phrase "depression at Christmas". These were just a few the top article titles that appeared. And some of these were from significant sources like CNN,  Psychology Today, WebMD and Huffington Post.

Christmas Depression - Does Christmas Get You Down?
Why People Get Depressed at Christmas
Coping with Depression During the Holidays
Hurting Over the Holidays...Christmas Depression or Joy?
6 causes of Christmas stress and depression
A depressive's guide to Christmas
Holiday Depression: Statistics & How to Deal

Fictitious Charlie Brown felt like millions of real people today who may be down around Christmas. And who can forget when his level of frustration came to a head on the small stage where he was trying to direct a rather distracted and oblivious cast of child actors and musicians?  It is then that he loses control and yells out his painful and famous question. "Does anyone really know what Christmas is all about?"
And in response, little Linus positions himself alone on the stage, calls for a spotlight, and calmly quotes from Luke 2:8-14:

"And there were in the same country shepherds abiding in the field, keeping watch over their flock by night. And, lo, the angel of the Lord came upon them, and the glory of the Lord shone round about them: and they were sore afraid. And the angel said unto them, Fear not; for, behold, I bring you tidings of great joy, which shall be to all people. For unto you is born this day in the city of David a Savior, which is Christ the Lord. And this shall be a sign unto you: Ye shall find the babe wrapped in swaddling clothes, lying in a manger. And suddenly there was with the angel a multitude of the heavenly host praising God, and saying, Glory to God in the highest, and on earth peace and goodwill towards men."

Linus then ends his memorized quotation of Scripture by telling his friend, and much of the world now for some 50 years, “That's what Christmas is all about, Charlie Brown."

America has come a long way in just one half century. Much of it is good, and some of it is not. On the negative side of the ledger is a huge and growing lack of Biblical knowledge and spiritual grounding. Some call modern America a post-Christian nation, and with good reason! And if culture back in the time when "A Charlie Brown Christmas" entered the scene needed to hear the news about the Savior’s birth, then how much more is that message needed today?

Yes, this short passage of Scripture, which the sponsors wanted removed because it was too religious, shares the true meaning of Christmas. It is about a Savior and the message of redemption for a lost and hurting world. And that why my favorite seasonal song is titled "Just a Cradle in the Shadow of a Cross". Christ came and lived in order to die! As Mark 10:45 puts it, “For even the Son of Man did not come to be served, but to serve, and to give His life a ransom for many."

Happy anniversary, Charlie Brown. Thank you, and thank you Linus, for showing the masses the significance and priority of the incarnation. And thank you Jesus for coming to into a sin-cursed world so long ago in order to be  Immanuel – God with us!

"Behold, the virgin shall be with child, and bear a Son, and they shall call His name Immanuel," which is translated, "God with us.” (Matthew 1:23)

Bill Breckenridge

'In Everything Give Thanks' ?

The Apostle Paul wrote in 1 Thessalonians  5:16-18, “Rejoice always,  pray without ceasing,  in everything give thanks; for this is the will of God  in Christ Jesus for you. “

This passage, and others like it, make known that giving proper thanks to God is His desire for all of those He has created. Obviously, we should give thanks for all of the many wonderful blessings that are ours in Christ.

But along with constant prayer, we are also told to give thanks even in the midst of those things that may be downright terrible and fearful to deal with. This aspect of praising God is revealed in Philippians 4:6-7. Again it is Paul who records, “Be anxious for nothing, but in everything by prayer and supplication, with thanksgiving, let your requests be made known to God;  and the peace of God, which surpasses all understanding, will guard your hearts and minds through Christ Jesus.”  Here, the context of thanking God even in hard times is made quite clear. But we are assured that doing so, along with fervent and specific prayer,  will protect our hearts and minds in the storms of life.

The Old Testament too reveals God’s deep desire to receive the praise that is due Him. Psalm 107 is a classic passage along these lines and is often read at Thanksgiving time.  It begins, "Oh, give thanks to the LORD, for He is good! For His mercy endures forever."  Then some fours times over, the writer repeats the phrase, "Oh, that men would give thanks to the LORD for His goodness, And for His wonderful works to the children of men!"

And Psalm 107:22 expands on the subject. ‘"Let them sacrifice the sacrifices of thanksgiving,   And declare His works with rejoicing." This same thought is echoed in Hebrews 13:15.  “Therefore by Him let us continually offer the sacrifice of praise to God, that is, the fruit of our lips, giving thanks to His name.” These verses reveal that the proper giving of thanks to God is a literal act sacrifice – something not always associated with this activity.

At this Thanksgiving season, let us not allow food, football, friends, and even family to interfere with what is Biblically good and right! So let us pause and intentionally focus in on what really matters and on the countless blessings that are ours as Christians. And lets us begin by starting with the two at the top of the lengthy list. We have been given ‘Peace with God’ in salvation and the promised ‘Peace of God’ by having our hearts and minds fully guarded even in the midst of a sometimes dark and difficult world.

“And whatever you do in word or deed, do all in the name of the Lord Jesus, giving thanks to God the Father through Him.”  (Colossians 3:17)

Bill Breckenridge

What Do We Fear Most?

It was Franklin D. Roosevelt, in his first inaugural address who said, in the midst of a terrible economic depression, "So, first of all, let me assert my firm belief that the only thing we have to fear is fear itself". Was he right, and is fear the greatest thing we can worry about?

Fear and worry are common aspects of the human condition. Everyone has things, logical or not, that plague them in one way or another - whether they be rich or poor, or old or young. And because of this reality, Chapman University has initiated the first comprehensive nationwide study on what strikes fear most in Americans. The survey included 1,500 participants from across the nation and from all walks of life.

The study revealed the top five things Americans fear the most as, walking alone at night, becoming the victim of identity theft, safety on the internet, being the victim of a mass or random shooting, and public speaking. Then too, the University study included another category to consider. This one had to do with the top five most feared natural disasters that Americans fear. They are, again in order, tornadoes or hurricanes, earthquakes, floods, pandemic or major epidemics and power outages.

Factors looked at included: age, gender, race, work status, education, income, region of the country, urban vs. rural, political preference, religion, TV viewing, and gun ownership. Through their analysis, two key factors emerged as causing fear the most. These were having a lower level of education and also a higher frequency of television viewing. Interesting!

And of course there are numerous other areas that cause worry and panic. Also listed in the various studies were things like; crime, romantic rejection, ridicule, talking to strangers overpopulation, pollution, Obamacare, gun control, immigration, ridicule, stalking, kidnapping, hate crimes, terrorism, civil unrest, police brutality, aging, loneliness, dying, illness, running out of money and unemployment. And we should not leave out the 8% who actually stated a serious worry about facing Zombies - a stat that seems to play into fears coming from too much of, and the wrong kind, of TV watching. This is just a small sampling of what people can have as logical or illogical fears and worries. If you want to really see how pervasive this issue is, take a brief look online at Phobialist .com.

The dictionary defines fear as being afraid of something or someone or to expect or worry about something bad or unpleasant. The word worry comes from an old English term that means to kill, choke or strangle by squeezing the throat. It means to stop something from growing or developing. That is precisely what fearing and worrying about the wrong things, and for too long, will do in the life of an individual.

Granted, life has more frightful things than can even be listed out. That is what living in a fallen and sin-cursed world can do. And that is exactly why God addressed this debilitating issue in His word. First, we must acknowledge that fear can be valuable at times. For example, there should be an element of healthy fear of being spiritually lost and entering into eternal judgment because of lacking a saving relationship with God's Son. And this is something to be feared above all else. Hebrews 10:31 puts it very directly. "It is a fearful thing to fall into the hands of the living God'  That is true if one is not fully and properly prepared to meet Him at life's end. Jesus said in Matthew 10:28. "And do not fear those who kill the body but cannot kill the soul. But rather fear Him who is able to destroy both soul and body in hell."

But what about dealing with post-salvation fear? What about the kind of worry that does not deal with where one will spend eternity, but the kind of everyday stress that God's people are exposed to in a broken and evil world? Scripture has more than addressed that issue and question as well. There are many passages that are pertinent, but just one of the most familiar ones can suffice for starters.

A classic passage on this subject is found in Phil 4:6-7. Paul the apostle writes, "Be anxious for nothing, but in everything by prayer and supplication, with thanksgiving, let your requests be made known to God; and the peace of God, which surpasses all understanding, will guard your hearts and minds through Christ Jesus." It is significant that the passage states to not be anxious, or worry about, "anything". Can this be taken literally and seriously? That's a pretty tall order in a badly fallen world! Is that really possible when considering the vast array of serious trials and temptations that can and do arise in this life?

But the giving of that direct command is not isolated from the solution. The order is immediately followed by how to victoriously carry it out. "But in everything by prayer and supplication, with thanksgiving, let your requests be made known to God."  When really analyzing this part of the equation, we see that the key element to dealing with fear and worry is prayer. And this is not some limited, shallow or occasional prayer. The prayer spoken of here is comprehensive.  The prayer spoken of first here refers to earnest prayer that is addressed to God and in the spirit of true worship. The supplication spoken of secondly refers to addressing or petitioning Him for a very specific need. Both are part of the solution.

And we cannot forget that giving thanks, even while facing struggles, is included as part of the equation of dealing with anxiety - all anxiety. God is worthy of praise before, during and after those things in our lives that cause untold stress. Those who have peace WITH God (that is salvation) are promised here to also have available to them the peace OF God. That is part of their personal redemption benefit package. That particular peace encompasses things like tranquility, harmony, safety, security quietness and rest. It is so special and unique that it is said to surpass all human logic and understanding. And this comes through the supernatural 'guarding' of the heart as seen in verse 7. It is a term that refers to how someone in the military guards, protects and prevents invasion by a hostile enemy. That is God's offer to His redeemed people. And in a life and world that brings such frequent storms, how could anything imaginable be more valuable?

Much more could be said about the reality of fear and worry as opposed to the God-given ability to successfully conquer it in the life of a child of God. But what He has said in His word here should bring total joy and confidence in the words of Jesus in John 16:33.

"These things I have spoken to you, that in Me you may have peace. In the world you will have tribulation; but be of good cheer, I have overcome the world."  

Bill Breckenridge

A Trick or A Treat?

It arrives at the end of every October and the evidence of that reality is seen almost everywhere in the culture. And although it was once celebrated mostly by younger kids, it  has shifted into a full blown event for adults and countless millions who seek a  reason to dress up, party and just escape  from the daily routines and stresses of everyday life. And of course we refer to Halloween.

This seemingly minor holiday is currently anything but. In fact, it has grown exponentially.  Retail stores begin hiring additional help for the entire holiday season beginning with this bizarre event. In the last few decades temporary specialty stores have risen up just to meet its demands. And what are those demands? That can be seen by the fact that Halloween is today the second-largest commercial holiday, with only Christmas being ahead of it. Americans will spend an average of $24.00 per person on costumes this year alone. 

In addition to costumes, home decorations are a major part of the season and consumers are expected to spend around a billion and a half dollars this time around. Just about seventy-five feet from where I sit stands a black, air-filled black cat, about the size of a large SUV, complete with lighted eyes that glow after dark. This is typical of countless displays nationwide that are today common throughout the month of October.

The growth of the Halloween industry in these days is being fueled greatly by young adults. In recent years, the young adult age group is most likely to celebrate Halloween. Over half of those in the 18-24 year-old age group are likely to throw or attend a party while about 40% of people plan to wear a costume of some sort.

Without question, Halloween has become a very big deal in America. But is that good, bad or simply neutral when all things are considered? And does the phrase 'Treat or Treat' have a more significant meaning than most might know? Also, considering the darker subject matter that makes up a great portion of the entire scene, what should be the reaction of those who are spiritually-minded Christians to it all?

These are good questions that I could wade into here. But that has been already done by this ministry through David Virkler who was its founder and director. So to gain a biblical perspective on this hugely popular, but very strange celebration, please click here on our ministry website to read his commentary. And please contact us for a printed copy if you desire one for your self, church or group. 

“Finally, brethren, whatever things are true, whatever things are noble, whatever things are just, whatever things are pure, whatever things are lovely, whatever things are of good report, if there is any virtue and if there is anything praiseworthy — meditate on these things.” (Philippians 4:8)

 Bill Breckenridge

 

Tragedy In Oregon - Triumph In Christ

Just about a week ago, the nation was staggered as news surfaced out of a small town in southwest Oregon. It was an all too familiar story of horror and indescribable pain after a lone gunman opened fire on a local community college killing  9 students before apparently killing himself as police arrived. Again it is a scenario that has become all too common in America and a terrible reminder of past atrocities now synonymous with names like Columbine High, Sandy Hook Elementary and Virginia Tech. 

This time the target was at Umpqua  Community College, a school with a total enrollment of about 5,000 located  in Roseberg Oregon. The deadly rampage began approximately 10:40 a.m. Pacific time. The details of exactly what occurred were a bit slow in coming since so many surviving witnesses were in shock. But the perpetrator was 26-year-old Christopher Harper Mercer reported to have been born in Los Angeles County in 1989.  

Mercer had enlisted in the U.S. Army back in  2008. But officials said he was discharged for "failing to meet the minimum administrative standards to serve”. Others have stated that he recently wrote that he was in a bad way, depressed and sullen. He also supposedly lamented that he did not have a girlfriend and felt he had no life. A note found by law enforcement at the scene said the deceased gunman  felt the world was against him.  Is was also reported that he studied other mass shooters before becoming one himself and had left a note that he’d be “welcomed in hell and embraced by the devil” after committing the brutal event.

After the shootings we heard about tightening the current gun laws, making new ones and how these weapons must be removed from citizens if this kind of thing is ever to be controlled. We heard about putting armed guards in schools nationwide to protect the innocent. We heard about the need for preventive counseling and dealing with the survivors of unthinkable traumas. We heard all manner of external reasons for why someone might be driven to do such a thing. 

But there are a few things, unfortunately,  that we are heard much less about. First and foremost, that these kinds of vile acts are typically a result of good old fashioned sin. When did you hear that word or concept discussed in all of the media coverage? Author and evangelist Alex McFarland said,  "There is a spiritual lesson to be learned and that America needs God. All people, as we know, need a relationship with the Lord Jesus Christ, but our nation needs to reacquaint itself with the God of our founders and with the Ten Commandments.This is about good and evil and more than it has to do with gun control. This killer would have chosen any means to carry out his motive. The point is, without the God of the Bible, there is no hope.”

With Christ, we have everything we will ever need – hope, purpose, a clear compass of right and wrong along with the restraining influence available in God’s Holy Spirit. And yet, this is the kind of logic and wisdom that seems totally missing from the political debate or the media’s discussions on this entire subject. I guess that would be just far too religious to tolerate?

There is also something else that quickly surfaced from the massacre, but that has not gotten nearly the attention it deserves. It has to do with some survivors reporting that the shooter was questioning and targeting Christians. Those who answered yes to being Christians were immediately shot in the head. Those who said they were not,  were often shot in a lesser fatal part of the body  If that indeed was true, at least a good part of why this occurred was religious persecution - particularly against followers of Jesus Christ - something happening more and more in a variety of venues in America. 

Could someone be mentally off enough to do this only because they are that  ill? Of course that is possible. But the impact of human sin cannot be ruled out, especially when considering all the factors here. Far more often than not, crime involves human depravity and a heart that is under the domination of sin. James 1:13-15 reads as follows: “But each one is tempted when he is drawn away by his own desires and enticed. Then, when desire has conceived, it gives birth to sin; and sin , when it is full-grown, brings forth death.” And Jeremiah 17:9 declares, "The heart is deceitful above all things, And desperately wicked; Who can know it?"  To ignore the reality, influence,  and consequences of human sin is to fully miss the major point when something like the mass murder in Oregon occurs.

 So in the light of yet another shocking mass shooting on an American campus, exactly what are we to think and react as Christians? Our initial reaction should be compassion for the suffering and fervent prayer for the families of the victims, the shooter’s family and everyone close who will be going through some very dark days ahead.

Then, as Christians, we must be ready to give an answer for the faith and hope we have. The evidencing of that hope to those who are hopeless without Christ. This is spelled out in 1 Peter 3:15. “But sanctify the Lord God in your hearts, and always be ready to give a defense to everyone who asks you a reason for the hope that is in you, with meekness and fear.” Our hope, even in the darkest times, should cause others to see it clearly enough to ask us of source of the light shining within  us.

We must also  forgive others despite how difficult that may be at times. Colossians 3:13 declares this in no uncertain terms stating, “If anyone has a complaint against another; even as Christ forgave you , so you also must do.”  Must does not mean maybe. Christianity is based on forgiveness and, for those who have been forgiven all, there must be the full attempt and willingness on their part to forgive others.

 And then too,  must trust God’ even when things are beyond bleak knowing the reality of  Ephesians 1:11. Paul writes and declares that our Creator all-powerful and all-knowing ‘works all things according to the counsel of His will.’  

Finally, we must resist the temptation for vengeance. This is spelled out in Romans 12 where we read, "Beloved, do not avenge yourselves, but rather give place to wrath; for it is written, "Vengeance is Mine, I will repay," says the Lord.'"  This too can be very difficult when gross evil is committed and great suffering inflicted. But it is a direct commandment none the less and it must therefore  be possible for those who are in Christ and walking closely with Him.

Pray for the family and friends of those who just lost loved ones in Oregon. Pray for healing and an attitude of forgiveness. Pray that good will  rise from the ashes of evil in Roseberg. And especially pray that many will find Christ as Savior in the coming days there because some near the crisis “sanctified the Lord God in their hearts, and were ready to give an answer to everyone who asked them a reason for that blessed hope that is in and shines forth from them.

 "I am the resurrection and the life. He who believes in Me, though he may die, he shall live.  And whoever lives and believes in Me shall never die."  (John 11:25-26)

 

Bill Breckenridge