Life Capsule for Today Date 11th June, 2024
Theme: Appreciating wilderness experiences (3)
Memory Verse: Isa 43:2 When you go through the waters, I will be with you; and through the rivers, they will not go over you: when you go through the fire, you will not be burned; and the flame will have no power over you.
Topic: Why God is silent in the wilderness
Today’s Reading: Joh 11:41-42
41 Then they took away the stone from the place where the dead was laid. And Jesus lifted up his eyes, and said, Father, I thank thee that thou hast heard me.
42 And I knew that thou hearest me always: but because of the people which stand by I said it, that they may believe that thou hast sent me.
Mat 27:46 And about the ninth hour Jesus cried with a loud voice, saying, Eli, Eli, lama sabachthani? that is to say, My God, my God, why hast thou forsaken me?
Words of the Ministry:
This week, we have been looking at the matter of wilderness experiences and what our attitude must be towards it. We have taken some time to establish that when the saint faces these situations during their spiritual progress, it is not because God hates them rather his love pushes us into such situations. Today I like to answer the question why God is silent in our wilderness. As I attempt to do that, may I also emphasize that by wilderness experience, I mean a negative situation which would only last for a specific period as allowed by God or our attitude towards it. I don’t mean a lifelong oppression of Satan that may even push the believer to denying Christ or death as the goal of such trial is to make us further conformed to Christ as against the goal of Satan’s temptation which is to make us lose our salvation and deny Christ.
From today’s reading we see the Lord saying he know the father always hear him, this occurred at the tomb of Lazarus, Jesus prayed and God raised Lazarus from the dead but from the second reading, we see Jesus that raised Lazarus from the dead about to die, he was in great agony, bleeding heavily on the cross and he asked why has God the father who always hear him has now forsaken him. I believe many of us can relate with this, we find ourselves in such situations where it seems the scriptures is broken, we have sown good deeds to others but when in a similar situation, it seems God is far, we are not reaping our good deeds, our prayers are limited to the sky, nothing is working, prayer and fasting seems not to work, we make prayers of enquiry and God is silent. We involve other saints and it seems our condition is too difficult to be handled. At times we compare our situation to those around us and it seems ours is unusually difficult for God to fix.
Dear saints, the answer is not farfetched. When the situation is a wilderness phase, it is because God has a greater glory set ahead of you. It is because God trust you to pull through with the Holy Spirit within you, he believes you have what it takes to overcome. It is a time to trust the scripture that says I would never leave you nor forsake you (Deut 31.8), such period is the time to stretch our faith as the word says God won’t permit trials beyond what we can bear(1 Cor 10.13) . As it was with Jesus, after 40 days, the bible says his fame went viral and his ministry became very impactful and so did he purchase salvation for mankind after that period of pain, suffering and neglect on the cross. what makes God overlook our situations at such times is because the fire we pass through is to further glorify us, like Gold, flames bring out the best in us, it is to conform us to Jesus and to improve our Character, Check with you experience, how did you learn humility, submission, patience, long prayers, fasting and perseverance? It must have been as a result of one wilderness experience or the other and only bible reading. May God grant us light.
Bible in one year: Nehemiah 13. or further fellowship send us an email on godmanvideos@gmail.comor visit our youtube channel: @godmanmedia. You can also interact with us by dropping your comments on our facebook page. Our physical meeting, Word feast comes up every Wednesday by 5pm and Prayer Gym every Saturday by 7am while PENIEL comes up once a month, every last Sunday of the month from 4pm to 6.30pm at Suite A10, Ahser Office Complex, beside Living Faith Church, Opposite Hassan Stores, Arab Road, Kubwa Abuja.