dictionary.com defines the word "fate" in the following manner: "something that unavoidably befalls a person; fortune; lot". Many, many folks believe that fate is a real thing. I find this interesting as most of these same people are ones who feel like they are in control of everything, including the climate...oops did I just say that out loud? And we're just getting started!!!
Anyway, welcome to Tuesday. Were you destined to be here today or did you decide that you would click on the link? I know, I know, this is a bit of a brain tester early in the week, so well...Welcome to Tuesday!!! 
We all would like to know what our destiny holds. Some think we have no choice in the matter, but here at The Notes, we choose to believe we get to determine the outcome of our lives. We wake in the morning, begin making decisions about the minute and the major, and chalk up the good and bad experiences we may have during that day due to those choices. We have occurrences throughout our lives that assist in providing the input we need to inform said decisions, but ultimately we do get to choose. Again, here in Notesland, we think there is no "set" life we will live. There are way too many variables at least in my life to believe that everything is a strange twist of fate...
In 1983 a very different movie about a thief, a bank teller, and the end of the world was released. It starred the dynamic duo that brought a comeback to movie musicals and made the 50s look all the rage back in 1978. In 1983, Olivia Newton-John and John Travolta paired again to make what Wikipedia describes as a "romantic fantasy crime comedy-drama film". (Two Of A Kind - Wikipedia article) Ummm what other genre is left...oh yeah horror, which is how some of the critics describe this 2nd outing of the team that brought you the songs "Summer Nights" and "You're The One That I Want". Two Of A Kind received 5, count'em 5, Razzies (awards honoring the worst in cinema). Read the reviews for yourself in the previous link...if you dare!
Regardless of the reception of the film, the soundtrack was a commercial success. It was certified Platinum (sales above 1 million units) on the strength of three singles by Olivia Newton-John, "Twist of Fate" (peaked at #5 on Billboard's Hot 100), "Take a Chance" (duet with John Travolta)(peaked at #3 on the Adult Contemporary chart), and "Livin' In Desperate Times" (peaked at #31 on the Hot 100). The soundtrack also included 80's radio icons, Patti Austin (Tuesday's Musical Notes - "We Are The World" (USA For Africa), "We Are The World 25 for Haiti"), Boz Scaggs, Journey (Tuesday's Musical Notes - "Separate Ways (World's Apart)" (Journey), Tuesday's Musical Notes - "Signs Of Life" (Journey), Tuesday's Musical Notes - "Wheel In The Sky" (Journey)), and Chicago (here's a starting point, Tuesday's Musical Notes archive search - Chicago or when you have a moment, check out the month by month archives to the left to find songs by Chicago) as well as an instrumental by the producer of the decade David Foster (Tuesday's Musical Notes archive search - David Foster).
"Twist Of Fate" has fast become the song associated with Two Of A Kind. It was the first single released and the highest charting from the album. The song was written by Peter Beckett ("Baby Come Back" (Player)) and Steve Kipner ("Physical" (Olivia Newton-John)). Produced by the aforementioned David Foster, it would be Newton-John's 15th top-10 single and proved to be her last. The song was listed at #42 for 1984.
The video that supported the single was nominated for a Best Video, Short Form Grammy but lost to David Bowie's "Jazzin' for Blue Jean" once again showing that the academy has no idea what they are doing.
Fast forward to 2017 when "Twist Of Fate" was also featured in the second season of Netflix's Stranger Things. The subsequent soundtrack that resulted from the show was also nominated for a Grammy (Best Compilation Soundtrack for Visual Media, 2018) It lost that year to The Greatest Showman. Well, maybe the Academy doesn't always miss it... (for more on The Greatest Showman soundtrack please see Tuesday's Musical Notes beginning January 9 - March 6, 2018, yup over in the archives.)
Two Of A Kind is one of many films that proves that just because you have great stars and a groovy soundtrack, your film is not predestined to be successful. Such is life...but is it?
"... And I, if I am lifted up from the earth, will draw all people to Myself.” - The Gospel of Jesus as recorded by John, a fisherman, chapter 12, verse 32 NASB/AMP/ESV/KJV
"...Turn to Me and be saved, all the ends of the earth; For I am God, and there is no other." - Isaiah 45:22 NASB/AMP/ESV/KJV
"...This is good and acceptable in the sight of God our Savior, who wants all people to be saved and to come to the knowledge of the truth." - 1 Timothy 2:3-4 NASB/AMP/ESV/KJV
"...The Lord is not slow to fulfill his promise as some count slowness, but is patient toward you, not wishing that any should perish, but that all should reach repentance." - 2 Peter 3:9 NASB/AMP/ESV/KJV
"...For the grace of God has appeared, bringing salvation for all people," - Titus 2:11 NASB/AMP/ESV/KJV
"...He who did not spare his own Son but gave him up for us all, how will he not also with him graciously give us all things?" - Romans 8:32 NASB/AMP/ESV/KJV
Today's Scripture comes from one of 4 letters Paul wrote while imprisoned in Rome. They are Colossians, Philemon, Ephesian
Today we begin the letter to the Ephesian church. Paul had visited this church and ministered to the believers there in Acts of the Apostles as recorded by Luke, a physician, chapter 19 NASB/AMP/ESV/KJV
Paul uses his traditional greetings as an opening to this letter. Grace and peace from God are his well wishes to the church in Ephesus. He then begins his praise to God who had enabled him to be a part of this church during his journeys as a missionary to the Gentiles. Paul then launches into a description of the believers in the church. In recent years the modern church has focused on specific portions of Ephesians causing a great deal of controversy. "...How did we fall into this circumstance..."
Just as the enemy used Scripture in his attempts to sway Jesus, The Gospel of Jesus as recorded by Luke, a physician, chapter 4, verses 1-13 NASB/AMP/ESV/KJV, Tuesday's Musical Notes - "Devil's Dance" (Metallica), he has attempted to use Paul's letter to the Ephesians to distract today's believers from their goal of telling the Gospel and help them to argue about fate.
The topic is predestination. The sides are Calvinists and Arminianism. Calvinists are adherents to the teaching of John Calvin (a theologian around the time of Martin Luther) who suggested that God chooses (predetermined or predestines) those who will be saved. Arminianism came as a response to Calvin's teaching and suggests that man chooses God and has the free will to do so. I confess that I have not studied enough to debate the topic. I do however have some very strong feelings that God chose ALL men from the beginning of time and in that light, EVERYONE is predestined to be with Him forever. Because of the rebellion in the garden, that original relationship and predetermination were severed resulting in God sending Jesus as a sacrifice for sin and thus providing a means of salvation through Him. Again, these are very general terms, but ones based on the Scriptures above with ALL being emphasized, are the conclusions to which I have come. Please do your research and determine what you believe. Here is an interesting article that does a better job of explaining the history and theology behind both interpretations. What Is the Difference Between Arminianism and Calvinism? christianity.com written by Glory D, July 26, 2021
These conversations are stimulating, however, the problem is that far too much time is spent debating this issue when folks, regardless of whether they are predestined or not, are not hearing the Gospel due to well-intentioned Jesus followers arguing and not being ministers of the Gospel. We mention this topic because it weighs heavily in Paul's letter to the church at Ephesus. "...A higher voice has called the tune..." "In Him we have redemption through His blood, the forgiveness of our wrongdoings, according to the riches of His grace which He lavished on us." - Ephesians 1:7-8 NASB/AMP/ESV/KJV "...The gift of life extension by divine intervention..."
Paul continues his letter by extolling the wonderful salvation that exists for those who believe. He also goes on to compliment the church on its faithfulness which he celebrates. Paul does this in a way that I wish more believers would embrace as they encounter brothers and sisters in Christ. "For this reason I too, having heard of the faith in the Lord Jesus which exists among you and your love for all the saints, do not cease giving thanks for you, while making mention of you in my prayers;" Ephesians 1:15-16 NASB/AMP/ESV/KJV "...Life doesn't mean a thing without the love you bring..."
Paul continues this letter with the magnificence of Jesus as He is the Lord of all. "...And He put all things in subjection under His feet, and made Him head over all things to the church, which is His body, the fullness of Him who fills all in all." Ephesians 1:22-23 NASB/AMP/ESV/KJV You see friend, Jesus is the head of the church. As a believer, you are a part of that church. You are His subject and fall under His authority as does all of creation. Since we fall under his authority as believers, we must remember that Jesus found it important to go to the synagogue as often as he could. If you aren't currently consistent with a local body of believers, perhaps you should find a local church to partner with in our journey to tell the world about Him. "... This is a new beginning I'm back in the land of the living..."
The opening of Paul's letter to the church at Ephesus can be very encouraging to those believers who do not wish to get caught up in the minutiae of language and a debate that has been going on for centuries AND has not been resolved. What matters as Paul begins his letter is that Jesus is glorified as Lord, He is recognized as the Savior of the world and is designated as the Leader of all of those who believe in Him as the Head of the church. Can we just exist in a world where believers wish peace and grace to their brothers and sisters and not leave our interactions up to a strange twist of fate? We gotta get it right this time...
'Til Tuesday
Loving HIM by loving You,
randy
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