A week ago I was watching voice on Revelation TV.Breda, read out an email from somebody saying they wanted to believe but if only they could see a sign. Well that stirred something in my heart because I thought I knew a scripture where Jesus said …This generation asks for a sign.
Matthew 12: 39 – 40 A wicked and adulterous generations asks for a miraculous sign! But none will be given it except the sign of the prophet Jonah, for as Jonah was three days and three nights in the belly of the fish so the son of man will be three days and three nights in the heart of the earth.
Matthew 16: 1: 4 The Pharisees and Sadducees came to Jesus and tested him by asking him to show them a sign from heaven.
4 a wicked and adulterous generation looks for miraculous sign, but none will be given it except the sign of Jonah.
So this Wednesday evening ( 18th Jan) I finally looked up that Scripture and for the first time (I have been a Christian 26 years) that scripture made sense to me. I have often pondered what Jesus meant when he said no sign will be given except the sign of Jonah, in Matthew 12 Jesus says that he will be three days and three nights in the depths of the earth!! My understanding: Jesus Christ is the sign for all generations; he died, rose again, and is alive and working in the world today. I have always believed that Jesus Christ is alive and working in the world today, however I have never believed and understood it as clearly as I did on Wednesday evening. Last week I was doing a quiz in my woman alive magazine a spiral keyword and the keyword turned out to be Nineveh
I was in the office in New Malden this Thursday (19th Jan ) and amazingly Rachelle on God morning gave a word all about JONAH. I feel stopped in my tracks; God holds my heart in the palms of his hands. I will do anything he asks of me.
So from all this I am concluding that Jesus Christ is the sign your email friend was asking for, he is alive and working in the world today. And here is my testimony why:
Hosea 1: 2 when the Lord began to speak through Hosea. The lord said to him, go take yourself an adulterous wife and children of unfaithfulness, because the land is guilty of the vilest adultery in departing from the Lord.
1Corinthians 7 10 – 12 to the married I give this command (not I but the Lord) a wife must not leave her husband, but if she does she must remain single …or else be reconciled to her husband.
Now in 1978 I left my husband and went to live with another man (my husband and I were not happy together) however my husband soon became angry and wanted us back, he says he prayed God send them back!! Neither of us were Christians had never read a Bible we did not go to church. I on the other hand was very happy ….in love and treated well in my new relationship. After three months Jesus Christ appeared to me in a dream. He was flying in the air with a dead relative of mine. ( she had been a lovely person a spinster who had lived a life of good works on earth, she taught us about God , and made us (my sisters and I ) say the lords prayer every night. They were both dressed in white rags. In the dream she looked at me and said “Angela this is Jesus go back home”
Well although I didn’t want to be reconciled with my husband that is what happened, I was compelled to return; six months later we tried to begin a new life together.
Luke 15: 4 suppose one of you has a 100 sheep and loses one of them. Does he not leave the ninety nine sheep in the open country and go after the lost sheep until he finds it. V: 7 I tell you that in the same way there will be rejoicing in heaven over one sinner who repents, than over 99 righteous persons who do not need to repent.
I had tasted love, now began 7 more years of complete misery. I started to go to church (I don’t know why) but I used to sit there holding back tears. On day I felt compelled to pick up a bible that sat on the pew and it literally fell open to Matthew 19. I had never read the Bible but this was good news and it had a picture of Jesus and a title Jesus teaches about divorce. Now that did get my attention because I was crying every Sunday I want a divorce I want a divorce.
Matthew 19: 3 – 7 some Pharisees came to Jesus to test him. They asked, 2 Is it lawful for a man to divorce his wife, for any and every reason.” Haven’t you read, He replied that at the beginning the creator made them male and female, and said for this reason a man will leave his father and mother and be united to his wife, and the two will become one flesh? So they are no longer two but one. Therefore what God has joined together, let man not separate.
Still my heart was too hard and too cold I did not believe and I was not looking for God.
Romans 10: 20 I was found by those who did not seek me; I revealed myself to those who did not ask for me.
So I was not looking for God, I was worldly, spoilt, selfish, cold hearted and ruthless for my own way.
John 15: 16-17 you did not choose me, but I chose you and appointed you to go and bear fruit….fruit that will last. Then the father will give you whatever you ask in my name. This is my command, love one another.
In 1985 I started to go to church again (this was purely to get my youngest daughter into the church school as it only took children of church goers) finally here Jesus Christ made contact. I read a book that lay on a shelf ‘Satan on the loose, by Nikki Cruz’ suddenly my eyes was opened, I actually understood and believed. That was 26 years ago.
We have had our fiery trials over the last 26 years but God has been faithful, it’s been 26 years of pure joy!! Jesus Christ helped me to overcome every fiery trial!! (or put another way has been with me in all those fiery trials.
Isaiah 43: 1-3 “Fear not, for I have redeemed you; I have summoned you by name; you are mine. When you pass through the waters I will be with you; and when you pass through the rivers they will not sweep over you; when you walk through the fire you will not be burned; the flames will not set you ablaze.
The bible says that if you seek God with all our heart, if you really want to believe in him then seek him and he will be found by you.
Matthew 7:7-8 Ask and it will be given to you; seek and you will find; knock and the door will be opened to you. For everyone who asks receives; he who seeks finds; and to him who knocks the door will be opened.
When I started to read the bible in 1985 it talked to me!! After living in a marriage with little or no communication the Bible was literal manna from heaven to me, and still is to this day, I open it and I am communicating with a trusted and valued friend, I believe every word it says. This is true I believe for every person who sincerely wants to know God.!! Read the Bible and seek God with all your heart and you will be found by Jesus Christ, remember he leaves the 99 sheep for the 1. And remember that Jesus said that no body can come to him unless the father draws him….so get reading and seeking!!!
John 6: 43 No one can come to me unless the father who sent me draws him.
