Sometimes you just need to emote.

And who better to help than Paco De Lucia.

It's a humbling thing, listening to him, because all I ultimately can do is get caught up in the emotion of the music, because to be honest I find that the subtleties of his style are hard to track with.

[for simple instance, what's with the clapping? it's like the singers prearranged it totally at a tangent from the music just to mess with my head.]

If you don't like it, well then, Your mother was a hamster and your father smelt of elderberries. Thpppppt!

God's Sovereignty - Not if, but How.

A friend and I were discussing the issue of whether the fact that God is sovereign over all things means that he actively orchestrates every single event in history, from the dropping of a piece of chalk to our acts of sin.

[We both reject Open Theism. This is just a discussion about the fact of God's sovereign control over all things and specifically HOW it works]

Briefly, these were the thoughts that emerged:

1. We are limited in our ability to understand the infinite. Therefore tread lightly.

2. God's sovereignty is not hands-off : free will is a loaded concept. Any will is always subsidiary and subject to God's purpose.

3. But (and Biblical examples are clear) God's sovereignty is not micro-management. He does allow sin. He does give Satan room to function (Job's case for example).

4. But does it need to be micromanagement? God is omnipotent... in that he has created laws and decrees, both Physical and Spiritual, which will come to pass whatever may try to interfere. Even in the micro, we CAN be out of his WILL (Sin) but never out of his sovereignly ordained PLAN. Can we disobey him? Obviously. But can we defeat his purpose for our lives? Consequently, just because we do something that goes against his command/will, it doesn't necessitate that we are also acting against his sovereignty.

Maybe the issue is that we need to separate the terms Sovereignty and Will. Does God do/force to happen everything he desires? ("he desires all men to be saved") No. But does God accomplish everything according to his purpose? (Eph 1) Clearly.

It boggles the mind. God's power is such that even when in the present all actions are turned against his will, ultimately looking back from a future date [nay, even in the rebellious now!], we can conclude that even though those actions may not have been according to his will; they were according to His intricately plotted out purpose.

Words of comfort to 'some of us' who are prone to wander.

[Now I realise this isn't an in depth study, so please feel free to use scripture to enhance /enlighten this discussion.]

Prayer

Let me be the evidence of what Your grace can do
To a generation struggling to find themselves in You
May they come to know the love of God,
May their eyes be made to see-
Give me the opportunity to share the truth
that sets them free
And may unity in all things
Be the banner of Your church,
And let revival's fire begin to burn:

This is my prayer,
Lifted to You
Knowing You care so much more than I do
This is my prayer,
In Jesus' name
Your will be done, I humbly pray.

[Bob Hartman - 1990]

Funny of the Day

Sometimes you just need to smile.