Dr Paul Allen

This was long thought to be the only portrait of William Shakespeare that had any claim to have been painted from life, until another possible life portrait, the Cobbe portrait, was revealed in 2009. The portrait is known as the 'Chandos portrait' after a previous owner, James Brydges, 1st Duke of Chandos. It was the first portrait to be acquired by the National Portrait Gallery in 1856. (Photo credit: Wikipedia ) To be or not to be -- that is the question." "My words go up, my thoughts remain below Words without thoughts ne'er to Heaven go." uotes and phrases of William Shakespeare, the greatest of all English writers have become part and parcel of our culture and speech, but much about the man's life and beliefs remains mysterious. Even the date of his death is not certain, although it is generally thought that he died  on this date, April 23, 1616 . This would have been almost on Shakespeare's 52nd birthday (he was baptized the 26th of Ap...

Image via Wikipedia If God is sovereign, how do we determine the significant from the insignificant? I often hear people testify how God's hand saved them from the flood, or cyclone, and their house was not damaged. But the problem is another Christian loses her home and or child from the cyclone. Others can only took about "luck"  as if luck had some independent power. People seem somewhat selective in their testimonies.  If something good happens, God is often referenced.  When something bad happens there is also the desire to find God in the matter.  But what about the seemingly insignificant things?  What about the rolling stone? Are we to see God's hand in absolutely everything, if His hand is in fact in absolutely everything?  Of course the first thing we have to address is those two little letters at the beginning. There is no “if” about God’s sovereignty . He is absolutely sovereign over all things. He ordains whatsoever comes to pass, fr...