How's your vision?

I'm not saying there isn't a devil. I don't mean that sickness is not a result of the fall. Both are a reality. And it's not wrong if that's the level at which you see. But I believe God wants a group of people who can get beyond that. Yes, on one level we have to deal with the devil, but on another level we get beyond that.— The Rest of the Gospel: When the partial Gospel has worn you out, page 134

But we need to take the nasty, the ugly, the afflictions, the trials, and the tribulations, and identify them as part of Gods domain. They, too, are His arena of operation. We're not debating now who caused something. We're talking about who is going to use it.

I love something my pastor said once: “What the Christian needs is 50/20 vision.” He was referring to Genesis 50:20, where Joseph said of his brothers' actions against him: “You meant evil against me, but God meant it for good.” We need 50/20 vision. Most people just have the vision of, “It looks bad, it feels bad, so it is bad, and that's all it is.” Then that's all they get. They get angry. They get bitter, because all they see is the external circumstance, which looks bad. But 50/20 vision says, “God means it for good.”— The Rest of the Gospel: When the partial Gospel has worn you out, pages 135-136

<idle musing>
To hear some people talk, you would think God was at the mercy of the enemy. Guess what? He isn't! He already won, so stop feeling sorry for yourself and getting all depressed about the "bad stuff" in your life! God is at work, if you will just let him.
</idle musing>