The Christian journey does not spare us from troubles, pains or physical death. It’s still very much part of our daily lives.
When life becomes complicated, we are reminded not to cast blame on God but to remember the choice made by Adam. He was given all he needed: a place to live, foods, and a suitable partner for life, along with a single command under a bilateral covenant:
> “And the LORD God commanded the man, saying, ‘You may surely eat of every tree of the garden, but of the tree of the knowledge of good and evil you shall not eat, for in the day that you eat of it you shall surely die.’” (Genesis 2:16-17)
God is wholly good. Nothing evil can come from Him, which means that even the tree of the knowledge of good and evil was not bad. It was a test of obedience, a way for man to freely acknowledge the Lord’s glory, honour, and power. Scripture states: “Worthy are you, our Lord and God, to receive glory and honor and power, for You created all things, and by Your will they existed and were created.” (Revelation 4:11)
Notice in the New Creation (2 Corinthians 5:17), the New Heaven and New Earth, there was no mention of the tree of knowledge of good and evil, but only the tree of life, in the Garden of Eden (Revelation 22:1–5). Because only those in Christ Jesus can enter God’s kingdom (John 3:3,5)
Through Christ Jesus, salvation is given to us by faith in His name. While we still live in fragile, human bodies, we face troubles, doubts, and pains—but we are never truly destroyed because we have eternal life (2 Corinthians 4:7-10).
Suffering and physical death are inevitable in the flesh, but they cannot conquer a true believer. Scripture declares that through faith in Christ, death is swallowed up in victory (1 Corinthians 15:55–57).
In all seasons, we are to rely on God’s grace through Jesus Christ. The Bible states: “God did not spare His own Son but gave Him up for us all, how will He not also with Him graciously give us all things?” (Romans 8:32)
Jesus reminds us: “If you have faith like a grain of mustard seed, you will say to this mountain, ‘Move from here to there,’ and it will move, and nothing will be impossible for you.” (Matthew 17:20)
His message is simple yet profound—keep your faith and place your hope in Him. For believers, no experience or trial is wasted; all things work toward our salvation (Romans 8:28). Jesus says, “With man this is impossible, but with God all things are possible” (Matthew 19:26).
This statement, spoken to the Rich Young Ruler, affirms that eternal life cannot be earned by deeds or wealth. Salvation is by faith alone, as Ephesians 2:8-9 teaches.
Against all odds, hold on to faith, for God’s grace in Christ is sufficient for every trial, and His promises secure our eternal victory.
The Bible declares: “For We Walk By Faith, Not By Sight.” (2Co 5:7)
Recently, a friend from afar came to visit us. She inquired about my journey to becoming a pastor. To summarize my experience, I explained that I spent six years in an organized church, where I received a salary. However, for close to twelve years now, I have been serving independently, conducting Bible studies without a salary. Instead, I trust in God for voluntary contributions. She was amazed by God’s goodness and grace.
Is it permissible for a pastor to engage in money-making ventures or be employed in secular work while also serving God? Paul addressed this question in 1 Corinthians 9:7-14.
“Who serves as a soldier at his own expense? Who plants a vineyard without eating any of its fruit? Or who tends a flock without getting some of the milk? Do I say these things on human authority? Does not the Law say the same? For it is written in the Law of Moses, “You shall not muzzle an ox when it treads out the grain.” Is it for oxen that God is concerned? Does He not certainly speak for our sake? It was written for our sake, because the plowman should plow in hope and the thresher thresh in hope of sharing in the crop. If we have sown spiritual things among you, is it too much if we reap material things from you? If others share this rightful claim on you, do not we even more? Nevertheless, we have not made use of this right, but we endure anything rather than put an obstacle in the way of the gospel of Christ. Do you not know that those who are employed in the temple service get their food from the temple, and those who serve at the altar share in the sacrificial offerings? In the same way, the Lord commanded that those who proclaim the gospel should get their living by the gospel.” (1 Corinthians 9:7-14)
Jesus told a person who wanted to follow Him, “Foxes have holes, and birds of the air have nests, but the Son of Man has nowhere to lay His head.” (Luke 9:58)
We do not follow Jesus for material gains, but rather for forgiveness, restoration to God, and the gift of eternal life. This principle applies to everyone, including both pastors and disciples of Christ.
Jesus warns those who wish to follow Him that it won’t be easy. It’s not a bed of roses; life’s challenges will still arise. He further emphasized this by telling another potential follower, “No one who puts his hand to the plow and looks back is fit for the kingdom of God.” (Luke 9:62)
It’s ironic that many Christians often put Jesus or the Bible on the backseat when life’s troubles or even busyness arise. This is not a true way to follow Jesus Christ. Following Him can be summarized by the wedding vow: “I promise to be true to you in good times and in bad, in sickness and in health. I will love you and honor you all the days of my life.”
Oddly, Jesus even states, “Whoever loves father or mother more than Me is not worthy of Me, and whoever loves son or daughter more than Me is not worthy of Me.” (Matthew 10:37)
The journey of following Jesus is a narrow path with no other options. Hence, Jesus earlier in Luke 9 teaches: “If anyone would come after Me, let him deny himself and take up his cross daily and follow Me. For whoever would save his life will lose it, but whoever loses his life for My sake will save it.” (Luke 9:23-24)
Doesn’t seem to have options there, do we? It requires a strong commitment to follow Him, regardless of the consequences or obstacles. Jesus Christ invites us, saying, “Come, follow Me,” with no qualifications or exceptions.
During our Bible study, we often come across a passage in Scripture that leads to disagreement among some participants about its applicability to everyone. Consider Christ’s directive: “And Jesus, looking at him, loved him and said to him, ‘You lack one thing: go, sell all that you have and give to the poor, and you will have treasure in heaven; and come, follow Me.’” (Mark 10:21).
Is this an isolated teaching in Scripture? It is not. Jesus, in Luke 12:33-34, teaches something similar that applies to all who wish to be His disciples: “Sell your possessions and give to the needy. Provide yourselves with moneybags that do not grow old, with a treasure in the heavens that does not fail, where no thief approaches and no moth destroys. For where your treasure is, there will your heart be also.” (Luke 12:33-34)
The central message of Christ Jesus is not to demand that we sell all our possessions, but rather to emphasize that we should not love material wealth more than we love God. We need to place our hearts in the right position, as stated in Matthew 6:19-21. Jesus further explains, “No one can serve two masters; either he will hate the one and love the other, or he will be devoted to one and despise the other. You cannot serve God and money.” (Matthew 6:24)
We should follow Jesus with full conviction and trust. Take some time to reflect on whether you can endure the journey of following Him. The cost may be high, but the reward is priceless—eternal entry into God’s kingdom. Remember that when we decide to follow Jesus Christ, we are bound by a sacred commitment, like a wedding vow.
Peter, in the words of Acts 3:6, declared, “I possess neither silver nor gold, but in the name of Jesus Christ, I offer you what I have.” Share this article freely, for you freely receive. Take note, underlines and highlights are clickable links for definitions or Bible references. Stay updated by heading to our about page and subscribe directly to receive notifications in your inbox. Blessing!
The night after our family cat passed away, I was reminded by a Christian song titled “It is well with my soul” that even in the midst of loss, we should trust in God. This might seem superficial to some, but my wife and daughter had prayed that Lanky would recover enough to return home. Unfortunately, that didn’t happen, and we had to let him go on October 12th.
Today, as I reflect on the song, I remembered having a devotional book titled “The One Year Christian History” in my possession. Browsing through its pages, I came to a story that aptly applies to our circumstance. So, I am posting it here verbatim.
Can God be Trusted with our Children?
The early years on the mission field were very difficult for Jonathan and Rose Goforth. Four of their eight children died in their first twelve years in China. During the Boxer Rebellion of 1900, the family barely escaped with their lives. They traveled home to Canada for a brief furlough and then returned to China with a new addition to their family, little Constance, who was born during their furlough.
Back in China, Jonathan’s new responsibility was to evangelize one-third of the Changte region. On their way to the mission station, Jonathan told Rose about the plan he felt God had given him to reach this goal. He would send one of his assistants ahead to rent a place for the family to live for a month. Once there, Jonathan would preach in the streets or villages during the day, while Rose would preach to women in their courtyard. Each evening, they would hold a service in their home with Jonathan preaching and Rose playing the organ. At the end of the month, they would move to another town, leaving behind an evangelist to teach the new believers.
Rose thought it sounded like a wonderful plan, but as they had five little ones, she was adamantly against it. She would remain at their home at Changte mission station, and that was that. Having already buried four children in China, she couldn’t bear the thought of losing another, and she was convinced Jonathan’s plan would put the children’s lives at risk.
As they made the long river journey to Changte, Jonathan continued to plead with Rose. He also loved their children dearly and couldn’t bear the thought of losing another, yet God had given him an inexplicable peace that they would be safe if they followed this plan.
Finally, Jonathan said to her, “Rose, I am so sure this plan is of God that I fear for the children if you disobey His call. The safest place for the children is the path of duty. You think you can keep your children safe in your comfortable home in Changte, but God may show you you cannot. But He can and will keep the children if you trust Him and step out in faith!”
The Goforths reached their home at Changte on a Saturday evening. On Sunday morning, Rose left the children with their faithful servant. Two hours later, Rose returned to find their son Wallace ill. The doctor called, and he diagnosed it as one of the worst cases of dysentery he had ever seen.
For two weeks, Jonathan and Rose struggled for the child’s life. Finally, Wallace began to recover. When Jonathan felt confident that his son would survive, he left to begin his first evangelistic tour alone.
The day after Jonathan left, baby Constance began suddenly ill, just as Wallace had, only much worse. By the time Jonathan arrived, Constance was dying. As the two parents knelt beside her, Rose suddenly experienced a revelation of God’s love in a way she hadn’t experienced before – as a Father. All of a sudden she was filled with the realization that her heavenly Father could be trusted to keep her children. It so overwhelmed her that she could only bow her head and pray, “O God, it is too late for Constance, but I will trust. I will go where you want me to go. But keep my children!”
Such a peace came over Rose that when Jonathan turned to her and sorrowfully said, “Constance is gone,” she was comforted knowing that her baby’s life had not been in vain.
Little Constance was buried next to two of her sisters on October 13, 1902, her first birthday. Armed with her renewed trust in God’s faithfulness, Rose had two more children while they served as missionaries, but no more died in China.
Life consists of many surprises. Good or bad, we ought to trust in God. The Bible said, “Jesus Christ is the same yesterday and today and forever.” (Hebrews 13:8) Unlike man and circumstances, He changes not. His faithfulness endures forever.
Similar to our experience before embracing faith, it was the loss of our only son that compelled my wife and me to trust in God. Unexpectedly, we faced numerous challenges and betrayals from those we believed were fellow believers in Christ Jesus. Yet, our faith remained steadfast throughout these trials.
We can see a similar story reflected in the life of Joseph. He was betrayed and nearly killed, then sold into slavery by his own brothers. Despite being in slavery, Joseph trusted God. He later suffered false accusations from his master’s wife and ended up in jail. However, after God had prepared him to save Israel, it was through his jailmate that Pharaoh learned of Joseph’s ability to interpret his troubling dream.
To summarize, God used Joseph to save both Israel and Egypt from a seven-year famine. It is only when we learn to let go of our own agendas and follow God’s guidance that He can use us powerfully for His purposes. After Jacob’s death, Joseph’s brothers feared he would seek revenge against them. However, Joseph, having been shaped by God, reassured his brothers by saying, “As for you, you meant evil against me, but God meant it for good, to bring it about that many people should be kept alive, as they are today” (Genesis 50:20).
To answer my wife’s and daughter’s query about unanswered prayers, I believe they both know that they cannot question God’s sovereignty. But for people reading this blog, let me first give you the right perspective. Scripture said, “Your steadfast love, O LORD, extends to the heavens, your faithfulness to the clouds. Your righteousness is like the mountains of God; your judgments are like the great deep; man and beast you save, O LORD.” (Psalm 36:5-6)
God cares deeply for the lives of both humans and animals and takes no pleasure in death, especially that of little children. Scripture affirms this in Psalm 116:15, which states, “Precious in the sight of the LORD is the death of His saints.” Contrary to the beliefs of some Christians, God does not condemn innocent children. In fact, Jesus emphasized, “Let the children come to Me, and do not hinder them, for to such belongs the kingdom of God” (Luke 18:16). Therefore, the death of a child is also precious in the eyes of the LORD, as they are safely cradled in the embrace of Christ Jesus.
This has been a profound question for me for many years, especially after losing a child who was barely nine. I give thanks for God’s word, and after many years of studying and walking with the Lord Jesus Christ, I finally found His answer to my question.
When it comes to seemingly unanswered prayers, it’s important to remember that God always listens to the prayers of His people. He even hears the prayers of repentant sinners. However, God does not have to respond according to our wishes. Instead, our prayers, like those of Rose, should be offered in submission to God’s sovereignty and grace. Only then can we be of good use to God for His greater purpose. Glory be to God and Him alone!
Peter, in the words of Acts 3:6, declared, “I possess neither silver nor gold, but in the name of Jesus Christ, I offer you what I have.” Share this article freely, for you freely receive. Take note, underlines and highlights are clickable links for definitions or Bible references. Stay updated by heading to our about page and subscribe directly to receive notifications in your inbox. Blessing!
I went into a writing hiatus due to a circumstance my sibling was facing. I was greatly affected by it because he is thousands of miles away from me, and his wife is going through a health condition. If you have read my blog posting entitled “Regarding Wilmer,” he was the one who offered and asked me about the Christian service for my departed son.
I’m not going to divulge private details concerning the health status, but the doctor categorized it as a critical condition. My brother has been with me each time I was in trouble. Now that he is in a difficult situation, I can’t even be with him, all because of this pandemic. I believe a lot of people can relate to the same predicament nowadays. I wanted to be comforted by the Lord, so that I can comfort my brother, so as I always do, I turned to the Scripture. And Psalm 34 came to me, and I hope my reflection on this psalm would also be a comfort to anyone reading this blog who perhaps is in a similar circumstance.
The 150 Psalms of the Old Testament Bible must first be recognized as Jewish in nature. It is Jewish literature of songs and hymns written from the time of Moses to those of Ezra and Nehemiah. This history spans from Mount Sinai, where Moses received God’s Covenant with Israel, to the time of Ezra and Nehemiah and the rebuilding of the Second Temple, which was ultimately renovated by King Herod during the Roman era. Psalms therefore impart prophecies of God in relation to His Covenant with Israel, reflections of the psalmist, and truths about the nature of God. Psalm 34 is one of the psalms written by David.
In order for us to truthfully understand the meaning and beauty of Psalm 34, we ought to first identify the occasion of this psalm. See Psalm 34:1.
Of David, when he changed his behavior before Abimelech, so that he drove him out, and he went away. I will bless the LORD at all times; His praise shall continually be in my mouth. My soul makes its boast in the LORD; let the humble hear and be glad. Oh, magnify the LORD with me, and let us exalt His name together!
The title of this psalm provides a hint; only one narrative fits the description of Psalm 34:1: the story of David in 1 Samuel 21:10-15.
And David rose and fled that day from Saul and went to Achish the king of Gath. And the servants of Achish said to him, “Is not this David the king of the land? Did they not sing to one another of him in dances, ‘Saul has struck down his thousands, and David his ten thousands?’”
And David took these words to heart and was much afraid of Achish the king of Gath. So he changed his behavior before them and pretended to be insane in their hands and made marks on the doors of the gate and let his spittle run down his beard. Then Achish said to his servants, “Behold, you see the man is mad. Why then have you brought him to me? Do I lack madmen, that you have brought this fellow to behave as a madman in my presence? Shall this fellow come into my house?”
From the English translation, it might appear to be two different occasions, because Psalm 34 referred to a person named “Abimelech,” while in 1 Samuel 21:10, “Achish king of Gath” was the one confronting David. The Lexicon Brown-Driver-Briggs’ Hebrew Definitions however, among other things, defined Abimelech, as “the king of Gath in David’s time; perhaps a title of Philistine kings.” Therefore, Psalm 34:1 and the narrative of 1 Samuel 21:12-13 are linked together, referring to one and the same incident in David’s life.
Now, having settled the issue of relevance, between Psalm 34 and 1 Samuel 21:10, let us move on to other details of both writings. In 1 Samuel 21:12, the Bible said, “David took these words to heart and was much afraid of Achish the king of Gath.” Perhaps David was afraid that Achish now having recognized him might turn him over to Saul, who obviously was deviously jealous of David’s more prominent status. See 1 Samuel 21:11.
And the servants of Achish said to him, “Is not this David king of the land? Did they not sing to one another in dances, ‘Saul has struck down his thousands, and david his ten thousands?’”
In reality Saul still reigned as king over Israel, not David, but obviously the Jews have considered David as the standby king waiting to be enthroned. This was the reason for Saul’s envy and insecurity, hence he pursued David and wanted him dead. More importantly, because Saul had broken the commandment of the LORD, the prophet Samuel told him that:
The LORD has torn the kingdom of Israel from you this day and has given it to a neighbor of yours, who is better than you. And also the Glory of Israel will not lie or have regret, for He is not a man, that he should have regret. (1 Samuel 15:28-29)
One of the highlights of David’s stories should be that of his battle with Goliath. David was a lad when all Israel was challenged by Goliath to a man-to-man fight (1 Samuel 17:10). Not one person from the mighty army of Saul dared to fight with Goliath (1 Samuel 17:11). Nobody would venture to do so because Goliath was a giant champion warrior from the Philistines. In this context, it was well understood that the inability of Israel to stand before Goliath’s challenge was an insult to the name of YHWH, the LORD God of Israel. Such an understanding may be seen clearly through the words of the lad David as he sought the approval of Saul to face Goliath in the battle. See 1 Samuel 17:36-37.
Your servant has struck down both lion and bears, and this uncircumcised Philistine shall be like one of them, for he has defiled the armies of the Living God.” And David said, “The LORD who delivered me from the paw of the lion and from the paw of the bear will deliver me from the hand of this Philistine.” And Saul said to David, “Go, and the LORD be with you!
I guess we all knew the conclusion of that encounter. Goliath was defeated by the lad David in the name of the LORD of hosts with a sling and a stone in his hand (1 Samuel 17:45,49). Fast forward now to 1 Samuel 21:10-15, David was no longer the young lad but was now an experienced commander of Israel’s armies. When he encountered Achish king of Gath, out of fear, he acted insane. Surely it was a decline from being a brave young lad who faced and defeated Goliath, to man reduced to humiliation.
Many of us are like that. I also fell to the same temptation. If you have read my blogpost entitled “Regarding Wilmer,” you would see how boldly I embraced and sought the Gospel of Jesus Christ right at the wake of my only son and after. The fears and questions that I faced then may be considered my Goliath which I had encountered and overcome by the grace of God. As we walk the journey of faith, sometimes we become too trusting of ourselves, our achievements, our status, our resources, or people around us. So we begin to live our lives, perhaps unconsciously forgetting God’s moment-by-moment’s divine providence. Then when moments of difficulty or trials are upon us, our faith would be challenged.
I may say my brother’s predicament became a challenge to me. No, I never doubted God. I felt burdened and sorrowed by my inability to be with my brother, forgetting that although I am thousands of miles away from him, the Lord is forever present. That may have been the experience of David. He forgot that God has already anointed him to be King over Israel so there was no way that Achish king of Gath could have him killed without being King of Israel first. See 1 Samuel 16:1, 7, 11-13.
The LORD said to Samuel, “How long will you grieve over Saul, since I have rejected him from being king over Israel? Fill your horn with oil, and go. I will send you to Jesse the Bethlehemite, for I have provided for Myself a King among his sons.”
But the LORD said to Samuel, “Do not look on his appearance or on the height of his stature, because I have rejected him. For the LORD sees not as man sees: man looks on the outward appearance, but the LORD look on the heart.”
Then Samuel said to Jesse, “Are all your sons here?” And he said, “There remains yet the youngest, but behold, he is keeping the sheep.” Samuel said to Jesse, “Send and get him, for we will not sit down till he comes here.” And he sent and brought him in. Now he was ruddy and had beautiful eyes and was handsome. And the LORD said, “Arise, anoint him, for this is he. Then Samuel took the horn of oil and anointed him in the midst of his brothers. And the Spirit of the LORD rushed upon David from that day forward. And Samuel rose up and went to Ramah.
Take note then that David was God’s anointed King over Israel before he fought Goliath. The victory of David over Goliath therefore occurred in accordance with God’s divine providence making him King of Israel. In essence, David was sent by God, not Saul, to fight Goliath. Many times in our journey with the Lord we fail to remember that we are a child of God, precious in His sight. Therefore, there is no coincidence or chance encounter but only divine appointment or providence. There should be no fear whatever comes before us because Jesus is Immanuel – God with us.
True enough, God’s mysterious working in David’s life came to light in 1 Samuel 22:1-2,5.
David departed from there and escaped to the cave of Adullam. And when his brothers and all his father’s house heard it, they went down there to him. And everyone who was in distress, and everyone who was in debt, and everyone who was bitter in soul, gathered to him. And he became commander over them. And there were with him about four hundred men.
Then the prophet of God said to David, “Do not remain in the stronghold; depart, and go into the land of Judah.” So David departed and went into the forest of Hereth.
After these twin divine workings of God, David, no longer alone, now had an army of four hundred men. Also David was timely aided by the prophet of God, thereby avoiding a massacre by Saul’s men (1 Samuel 22:18-19). Henceforth, David began to seek God’s guidance and was spiritually restored. That I believe was the background for David’s utterance in Psalm 34.
Our walk with Jesus is not a guarantee that we will always be shielded from life’s challenges. Life’s troubles will always be part of our daily living because man was formed from dust so to dust our mortal body will return. Therefore, mankind is not immune to decay. The apostle Paul, in 1 Corinthians 15:45,47-49, states,
Thus it is written, “The first man Adam became a living being”; the Last Adam became a life-giving spirit … The first man was from the earth, a man of dust; the Second Man is from heaven. As was the man of dust, so also are those who are of the dust, and as is the Man of heaven, so also are those who are of heaven. Just as we have borne the image of the man of dust, we shall also bear the image of the Man of heaven.
But the Good News is, Jesus Christ came. He fulfilled all the prophecies and requirements of the Mosaic Law. Subsequently, the promised salvation of God is now a reality. Our present existence, therefore, should make no difference— for Christ Jesus reigns then and forevermore. Jesus Christ is Immanuel: God with us (Matthew 1:23). We then should live with full conviction that “neither death nor life, nor things present nor things to come, nor anything else in all creation, will be able to separate us from the love of God in Christ Jesus our Lord.” (Romans 8:38–39)
In normal times we are quick to fall into complacency, disregarding God’s daily presence and guidance. We tend to make decisions as if we are masters of our lives. The Bible states “You are not your own, for you were bought with a price. So glorify God in your body” (1 Corinthians 6:19b-20). As Christians purchased by the blood of our Lord Christ Jesus who now reigns, so He alone is the Master of our lives, not us.
The proclamation of the Gospel should be done through our daily living. We live by the truths and promises of the Word of God every day. We need not be sent out, as missionaries, that the Eternal Gospel of Jesus Christ be made known to the rest of mankind. Rather, the true Christian living should reflect the truth of the Gospel.
P.S. I will ponder more on the thoughts, thanksgiving and confidence of David as expressed in Psalm 34 in my next blog posting.
Peter, in the words of Acts 3:6, declared, “I possess neither silver nor gold, but in the name of Jesus Christ, I offer you what I have.” Share this article freely, for you freely receive. Take note, underlines and highlights are clickable links for definitions or Bible references. Stay updated by heading to our about page and subscribe directly to receive notifications in your inbox. Blessings!
