PEGGY LEE IS SPOT ON TARGET

Most may not remember Peggy Lee. Most may not like spot on or spot on target. Some 'splaining.

Scripture tells us to choose today whom we shall serve or follow. In fact, one of our favorite verses is on a plaque just above our doorbell. Isaiah 24:15 "As for me and my house, we will serve the Lord." Just in any case there might be some confusion.

But Peggy Lee had a 60's song "Is That All There Is?" It may not have appeared as a biblically based song or hymn, but as Randy Jackson would say, "Check it out."

"If that's all there is, my friend, then let's keep dancing/ Let's bring out the booze and have a ball/ If that's all there is."

Now, you see, she's right. Of course, thankfully, many do not believe that's all there is. They are the ones who follow Christ. Who strive for obedience as the connector between God and man. Who know there is punishment for sin. Who know that only through the shed blood of Jesus have sinners been justified, ie., (just as if I never sinned). And through Jesus is the only way to receive that forgiveness.

But if one cannot commit, chooses poorly and rejects Jesus as Lord and Savior, then yes, "that's all there is." Oh, yow, I forgot about eternal damnation. You see, there's a lot that awaits both.

EASY AS PIE

"thank you for the birds that sing,

thank you, God, for everything."

There's much in the Bible about little children. Much about their leading adults. Much about their faith.

I didn't go to kindergarten. I went to a private school just around the corner from where I lived. I went half a day. When we ate our milk and cookies, we always said the little prayer I started today's entry with. But is it a little prayer?

The last line,"thank you, God, for everything," is huge. In context, it might be about creation. If I recall, the sky and the moon were also mentioned in the little prayer. And that concept, which easy as pie, has passed so many by in today's secular, humanist society.

But the part that I struggle with is thanking God for everything. Not that I have trouble giving Him thanks for the wonderful things in my life. I do that often. But everything? Even the really unpleasant things? Although we're told to give thanks a la Job for all things, not just the good, well, it's difficult. At least for me.

In our Tuesday morning Bible study, we are looking at Patrick Morley's The Man in the Mirror. He simplified yesterday's lesson by saying the only way to be truly happy is to be happy in Jesus. Of course I continued the hymn in my head with "is to trust and obey". Again, pretty basic. Easy as pie.

Well, it should be. But see, we live in the flesh. And sometimes that makes the pie an upside down cake.

HE NEVER SAID, "I AM FINISHED"

Jesus said, "It is finished." (John 19:30) And for good reason.

It was all finished. Down the drain. No more death. The world had its substitutionary atonement. Jesus had sacrificed His life for ours. The penalty for every sin we ever committed or will commit was paid for us. By His shed blood.

His pain, of course, was finished, too. Because in God's perfect plan, He sent Jesus from Heaven to earth to live as man, as the Son of Man. To fully experience our temptations, to fully understand our failures, our shortcomings. And, ultimately, to die perhaps the most excruciating death known to man. Crucifixion.

Satan's finished, too. No longer would there be a final death. Not for Jesus followers. There is only eternal life. Oh, rest assured there's eternal life for non-followers of Jesus, too. But it's not the kind anyone would want. The lake of fire. Forever being separated from God. Maybe that's more excruciating than what Jesus endured. I certainly think it is.

Today is Easter Sunday. The best day of the year. The original Easter Sunday was the best day in history. Or should I have spelled it His story. For that's what it is. That's what it will always be. Have a blessed Easter, for He is risen. He is risen indeed!

FIGHTING IT

"The Holy Bible was not written for information. It was written for transformation." I'm not at all sure who said it, but it wasn't I, though I agree. And as my title suggests, I fight it all the time.

I find the Bible so fascinating. I love to study it. Maybe that's why I'm in 4 Bible studies. Often I pray that the Holy Spirit will lead me to what I am supposed to glean from The Word.

If not, then I fall into the student trap of studying and learning because of the content. The Bible must change people. It must charge people to act in a godly, holy way. If not, it's not the fault of the Bible which is God-breathed. It's the fault of the reader who hasn't entered into the reading in the right frame of mind.

I've asked God to reveal to me what He wants me to focus on, what His plan for me that day is. It's with that kind of purpose that the Bible can change us. To be filled with the Spirit, not just filled with the knowledge.

JUST A MILD ROAR

He's always done it. God, that is. Put someone smack in the middle of my path. I know it's no accident.

On our recent trip to South America, we were returning from an excursion in Monti Christi, Ecuador. We were very tired having endured a longer than scheduled tour that took us past our normal lunch time. As we were preparing to go through security to re-board our ship, I was delegated to hold a large bag filled with souvenirs. I had to hold the bottom to ensure no breakage. It was like holding a pig.

The timing was very bad. Several other tours were ending at the same time which meant a very long line. After 15 minutes in the line, we approached the gangway. Out of the corner of my eye I could see him. Yep, he cut in line. In front of several people who had been waiting patiently.

"If I were just a little closer to where he cut, I would have had some words with that guy," I announced to my wife and a couple we had met earlier in the week from North Carolina.

"Now, don't let him ruin your day," Finley said.

"Of course, you're right," I replied. "But some people," I trailed off.

And I was reminded of Numbers 11:1 where we are told not to grumble."Now the people complained about their hardships...and when He heard them His anger was aroused." He was so angry that fire consumed some of their camp until Moses prayed to the Lord for the Israelites.

When we grumble, it means we are grumbling against God Himself. We are showing our arrogance, feeling that we know what's better for us than God. That was me with the line-cutter. It took a new friend whom God placed there for me to teach me.

As I said, He's always done that. Sometimes I learn, sometimes I recognize,and unfortunately sometimes I don't see it, much like the pagan prophet Balaam in a later chapter from the same book.

A work in progress--that's me.