This is so true. I would like to say one thing though. In regards to Pharaoh and Egypt. The scriptures tell us that God hardened their hearts. Now I am not saying that God is doing that to any one of us. If it serves his plan then he will. But, there are signs all over the place about the love of your God and savior Jesus Christ. All we have to do is take the time to notice. Take the time to think about what we are seeing everyday and giving thanks for so many blessings.

We are here again today! It is a day the Lord has made! Let us rejoice and be glad in it.

Miracles abound for those who would see. Praise God for His everlasting goodness.

One of the powerful witnesses of Tony Dungy in his book is his faith that, when changes came, God was still in control and working things for his good. He didn't always see it or like it at the time, but he never lost faith. I have always said that I believe that too, but I have been inspired to seek that peace more assuredly.

"Signs" are not always clear to us at the time. Hindsight has taught me that they were there though. I know so many people who are in challenging situations now and these lessons are more important than ever. "Trust God and do your best" was my pastor's advice 8 years ago when the challenges began for my wife and me. It's been very good advice.

" Praise God for His everlasting goodness."

What do we say to God regarding the everlasting bad stuff (I know I can't use the other S word here) that happens in the world?

Isn't HE responsible for all the bad as well? I know, I know...you guys have invented the Devil to worm your way out of that one...

The greatest miracle of all is our gift of salvation that changes our hearts and makes us new creatures in Christ. I marvel at my transformation every time I think about that night when God saved me from my life of depravity and sin. I also remember that what I am today is what God has made me through a relationship with Jesus Christ. We should never forget the miracle of new birth and how we really desire others to know the truth as well. Thank you RFTH for taking the time to post these devotions to reach the inner man.

So Gail, explain these statements. Try to be as specific as possible, and avoid vague, unclear, hazy woolly language referencing relationships you can't possibly have had, things you can not have possibly seen, things you could not possibly know, things you could not possibly have heard, etc.

"I marvel at my transformation every time I think about that night when God saved me from my life of depravity and sin."

What happened that night? Did someone talk to you?

"I also remember that what I am today is what God has made me through a relationship with Jesus Christ."

What is this relationship that you have? Do you talk? Chat? Does he talk back?

The Christians with whom I am interacting on this devotional site know what I am saying and do not see anything as hazy or wooly. The truth of God's word is foolishness to the natural (unsaved) man.
But I will answer your questions. That night I passed from death to life as the Lord took away the veil from my eyes. It is all described in 2 Corinthians if you want the specific details. Ephesians 2:8-9 explain that we are saved by grace through faith and the faith to believe is a gift from God. No one talks in an audible way, but God speaks to your inner man through His word, His creation, and prayer.
Oh, the relationship is really wondrous. Again there is no audible voice, but a discernment of the heart, peace, and a dialogue through prayer and God's Word. And no one can take that relationship away from me. They can take away all worldly possessions, family members, and even my very life. But my relationship with Jesus Christ will be for eternity. When you come to know the Lord Jesus Christ as your Savior then there will be clarity for you as you will have a relationship of your own. God is definitely drawing you to Himself and I am already rejoicing.

Beautifully said, Gail and so true. God bless

"That night I passed from death to life as the Lord took away the veil from my eyes."

Whatever that means... I was asking for something concrete, not hairy fairy language, which is what I expected.

Thanks, that's all I need to know.

Unsaved man.

Jonathan, I know you're looking for specifics, but it's so hard to give you those. It's such a personal experience and different for everyone. When you accept Christ, truly accept Him, there is an undeniable joy in your heart. He has changed your heart. He changes your priorities of what's important. He changes the desires of your heart. You have a desire to put Him 1st in your life. You have a desire to please Him. Until you experience His saving grace, you will never understand. Know that God loves you and so do all that post here.

You know FCE, a lot of psychologist and neuroscientists have done research in this kind of thinking, and there is no question that humans do have spiritual needs and spiritual experiences, but the bottom line is:

It's all in your head, and not real.

Other scientists believe that certain humans (like myself maybe) don't have a certain gene that allows them to have a variety spiritual experiences, maybe like the ones described here, and if that is the case, all your left with is the silliness of scripture. Therefore, religions appear to be crazy concepts to the person without this gene.

Either way, gene or no gene, it's only in your head, not real, man-made. Jesus Christ potentially someone who lived a long time ago, and is now dead. Gone. He doesn’t talk to you and you don’t talk to him, because dead people don’t talk. If you are having some kind of “relationship” with a dead person, it’s only a misfiring of nerves in your cerebral cortex.

Did you ever consider this? That your experiences are not to be trusted?

Sometimes I feel a heartless prodding to anger and my natural self wants to strike out, but my God tells me to pray. I will follow Jesus.

Still praying with my brothers and sisters in Christ. Have a blessed day and consider it a miracle when people choose to pray instead of acting upon their first impulse. God is good!

JCO,
Did you read Second Corinthians chapter 2? You always want to go back to the source. Well that is the source of my comments. The Scripture relates back to Moses in the book of Exodus. Read it!

"Did you read Second Corinthians chapter 2?"

Yes I did, I didn't seem to get the same things out of it that you did.

Mose had to have the veil over his face so that the others would not see the Shekinah glory reflected on Moses' face from being exposed to God. When a person puts his faith in Jesus Christ as Lord the veil is lifted and we behold the glory of God. The Jews had to worship God in the temple and once a year the priest would go into the Holy of Holies to perform the sacrifices. They actually tied a rope to his ankle so if he died they could pull him out because no one else could go into the Holy of Holies (the innermost part of the temple). Now we have direct access to God through our relationship with Jesus Christ. And you don't see the same thing I do, because it is spiritually discerned when you become a believer. My heart goes out to you right now. I remember saying the same things you do. Now I know the truth and I continue to believe that God is drawing you to Himself through the RFTH ministry, this devotion, and all of us He has placed in the comment section. How awesome is the sovereign hand of God!!!!

Gail, when the veil (or whatever a person wants to call what ever it was that was blinding them from believing the Bible)is removed and we can see more clearly what the scriptures are telling us, then it really becomes easier to understand from a human's point of view. It was for me, and now when I am reading God's word I can understand it better. No JCO doesn't want to understand the Bible because then he would have to face the reality that he may have been wrong all of this time.
Also just a little correction, there was never a rope tied to the ankle of the High Priest. There was never any record of a Priest dying while doing this job either. I just wanted to present that to yiou. When I tell something in the scripture, I try to make sure that the scripture is correct when I write it. People like Jonathon will catch it and try to make a idiot out of you.

Jerry,
Good to see you posting again. Thank you for your comment. I did not mean to imply that the rope around the ankle was in the Scripture. It is a legend to explain how the priest might be taken out of the Holy of Holies on the Day of Atonement if he died. I was using this to make a point about the difference between one man going in to the innermost area of the Temple to make atonement for all sins compared to each one of us being able to go directly before God because of the finished work of Jesus Christ on our behalf. I did not mean for the rope to be a distraction. God bless you, Jerry.

Gail, I understood what you was saying, I have even preached that point but then I did a study on the Book of Exodus on our Wed night services and we discovered that we teach and preach alot of traditions and home-made scriptures. That is why I decided to go to college and learn the truth. When the Priest inspected the animal prior to sacrificing it he checked every spot on the animal because not only did the people need forgiveness, the priest's life depended on it being without blemish. Again we do not have any scripture that reports a priest being killed behind the veil. I was just trying to help you not to be made a mockery of from the dynamic duo on here. I still enjoy posting and have started to make some lately but the arguments had already started. I don't want to turn RFTH's devotion page into a "my opinion is better than your's is." I do however believe the same way that Paul did when he wrote the 22nd verse of the 16th chapter of I Corinthians.. If any man love not the Lord Jesus Christ, let him be An-ath'-e-ma Mar'ana'-tha, which means "Let him be acursed, The Lord is coming." I don't have time to waste on someone who has repeatedly said they will not believe, while there are others dying and on their way to hell and I need to wittness to them. Have a blessed evening.

Again, I say thank you, Jerry for your comments. God is so good to send us into the Word to answer our questions and ground us more in the truth. I still believe that God has drawn these two to the devotion site. I am praying for them as the Lord brings them to mind. I was once one of those who scoffed at God, the Bible, and the weakness of people who would depend on myths for a crutch. God drew me by His loving grace, opened up my eyes of understanding, and gave me the faith to believe. No one is beyond the reach of our sovereign Lord. Have a wonderful day in the day that the Lord has made.

I am still praying for both of them, I am just tired of arguing with them. I do enjoy the fellowship that the believers have with each other on this site and I read each comment everyday sometimes i read them each several times during the day.
You have a blessed day. Pray for our church, we are in revival with Rev Earl Partene, and I am looking for a great time this week.