The Impossible Exam

“There is therefore now no condemnation to those who are in Christ Jesus, who don’t walk according to the flesh, but according to the Spirit. For the law of the Spirit of life in Christ Jesus made me free from the law of sin and of death. For what the law couldn’t do, in that it was weak through the flesh, God did, sending his own Son in the likeness of sinful flesh and for sin, he condemned sin in the flesh; that the ordinance of the law might be fulfilled in us, who walk not after the flesh, but after the Spirit.” (Romans‬ ‭8:1-4‬ ‭WEB‬‬)

There was once a teacher who punished his badly-behaved class of students by giving them an examination full of the world’s hardest questions spanning across all subjects and disciplines.

“Class, if any of you want to be dismissed from class, you must get full marks in this exam. If not, you will have to stay back for detention every day. To give you all an advantage, you may discuss the questions with your fellow classmates.”

Everyone in the class attempted the exam, but even the smartest students had many mistakes. It seemed impossible.

The classmates were all frantically flipping through all the textbooks in the classroom, but it was no use. The questions were just way out of their level.

Just when it seemed that all hope was lost, the teacher said, “Class, I see that you are all trying your very best to work together to do well on the exam. Tell you what—I cannot cancel the exam, but I will join your class as a student and attempt the exam with you. There is no rule against me joining as a student in your class.”

Since the teacher had set the exam based on the knowledge he had, he easily answered all the questions correctly. To whoever wanted to refer to his answers, the teacher allowed them to see and write the same answers.

The students were all overjoyed. One by one, they copied the answers, and handed in their exam papers, scoring full marks. They were finally able to go home. They had learnt their lesson, and decided to be more studious in the future.

——

God gave the children of Israel the Ten Commandments—an impossible exam for mankind. The Law is perfect, holy, and good, but it was weak through man’s sinful flesh.

Whoever wants to be justified through the Law must keep the Ten Commandments perfectly in both word and deed. Anything short of perfection is considered unrighteous. Everyone fails this exam.

Then, God revealed His master plan: Yahweh the Son became a man to take the impossible exam on our behalf.

He lived a sinless life for thirty-three and a half years, and offered up Himself as our atoning sacrifice for sins. The blood He shed at the cross and His death perfectly fulfilled the Law for everyone.

Whoever wants to refer to His answers can just take His answers as their own and get full marks on their exam. When we place our faith in Jesus as Lord, we share in Jesus’ death, resurrection, and become a new creation in Christ. We are finally eligible to go home to our Abba God in Heaven!

It takes humility for a person to admit that he is a sinner that has no hope of deserving salvation by his own works. God is so holy that even one sinful thought can make you unrighteous. Perfection is needed. The way to be saved is by grace through faith in Jesus Christ as Lord!

If you are blessed by the daily teachings/devotionals I share freely on this page, you can become a “God Every Morning” tier or above patron on Patreon if you want to receive an additional daily Bible Study teaching, as well as all my eBooks! Your patronage supports this ministry and enables us to “reach more and teach more” in the body of Christ: http://Patreon.com/miltongohblog

Live Free from the Curse

“Yahweh says: “Cursed is the man who trusts in man, and makes flesh his arm, and whose heart departs from Yahweh. For he shall be like a bush in the desert, and shall not see when good comes, but shall inhabit the parched places in the wilderness, a salt land and not inhabited. “Blessed is the man who trusts in Yahweh, and whose confidence is in Yahweh. For he shall be as a tree planted by the waters, who spreads out its roots by the river, and shall not fear when heat comes, but its leaf shall be green; and shall not be careful in the year of drought, neither shall cease from yielding fruit.” (Jeremiah‬ ‭17:5-8‬ ‭WEB‬‬)

When you trust in your arm of flesh, you are unable to receive God’s grace in your circumstances. You make Christ of no effect to you when you operate by the flesh instead of by the Spirit.

The cursed way is to be like Adam after the fall, cursed to eat bread by the sweat of his brow. The ground would sprout forth thorns and thistles, hindering the fruitfulness of what is sown.

Hard labor by the flesh and not by the anointing is the cursed way. “Nothing is going to happen if I don’t do it myself, so I will handle it on my own.” That is the mindset of one who trusts in his arm of flesh.

What is the difference between the “bush in the desert” and the “tree planted by the waters”? The answer is: the presence of water.

The cursed man does not care to receive and meditate on the water of God’s word, so he does not have the hope from God’s promises.

On the other hand, the blessed man is planted by the waters, constantly receiving and meditating on God’s word. He has strong faith and hope in God’s promises, and experiences fruitfulness, health, youth renewal, and provision.

“The farmer sows the word. The ones by the road are the ones where the word is sown; and when they have heard, immediately Satan comes, and takes away the word which has been sown in them. These in the same way are those who are sown on the rocky places, who, when they have heard the word, immediately receive it with joy. They have no root in themselves, but are short-lived. When oppression or persecution arises because of the word, immediately they stumble. Others are those who are sown among the thorns. These are those who have heard the word, and the cares of this age, and the deceitfulness of riches, and the lusts of other things entering in choke the word, and it becomes unfruitful. Those which were sown on the good ground are those who hear the word, and accept it, and bear fruit, some thirty times, some sixty times, and some one hundred times.”” (Mark‬ ‭4:14-20‬ ‭WEB‬‬)

Why do you think the devil puts in so much effort to snatch the seed of God’s word from your heart? He deceives, distracts, intimidates, and tempts, all so that he can convince you to give up on God’s word.

It is because a person who allows God’s word to grow in his heart is the biggest threat to the demonic kingdom. A person who prays, loves, and preaches the Gospel destroys Satanic strongholds, yokes, and bondages, setting captives free.

Such a person’s life flourishes through God’s word, and enjoys hundredfold harvests of God’s blessing.

If the enemy can steer you away from receiving God’s word, he can keep you living in defeat. Let us see through his evil strategies and do the exact opposite: every day, receive the Gospel and hear about the gift of righteousness and the abundance of grace available to you through our Lord Jesus Christ. Saturate your mind and heart with the Gospel. This is one way you can silence the serpent in your life!

“Silencing the Serpent” is my ebook about spiritual warfare and how Christians can emerge victorious in it. You will discover the mighty spiritual weapons you have in Christ, and learn about the enemy’s strategies as well as how to counter them with Biblical truths. Expect long-time addictions, bondages, and patterns of defeat to be broken when you meditate on the truths in this book: https://bit.ly/silence-the-serpent-now

A Kingdom Prepared for you

“Then the King will tell those on his right hand, ‘Come, blessed of my Father, inherit the Kingdom prepared for you from the foundation of the world; for I was hungry, and you gave me food to eat. I was thirsty, and you gave me drink. I was a stranger, and you took me in. I was naked, and you clothed me. I was sick, and you visited me. I was in prison, and you came to me.’” (Matthew‬ ‭25:34-36‬ ‭WEB‬‬)

Just pause and think about this: God prepared the Kingdom for us—His children, from the foundation of the world.

He did not even make it for Himself. It was made beautiful, spacious, and glorious for us who have placed our faith in the name of Yahweh (before Jesus appeared)/Jesus (Yeshua).

“The King will answer and say to them, ‘I assure you and most solemnly say to you, to the extent that you did it for one of these brothers of Mine, even the least of them, you did it for Me.’” (Matthew‬ ‭25:40‬ ‭AMP‬‬)

The righteous are instructed to do good to fellow believers who are Jesus’ brothers and sisters.

These are the ways of doing good to fellow believers that Jesus mentioned:
1. Feeding the hungry
2. Giving a drink to the thirsty
3. Showing hospitality by providing lodging
4. Clothing those who have no means to obtain basic necessities
5. Visiting and praying for the sick
6. Visiting those who are in prison and taking the Gospel to them

Every believer is a member of the body of Christ, so if you do good to a believer, you are doing it to Christ Jesus.

“Let us not be weary in doing good, for we will reap in due season, if we don’t give up. So then, as we have opportunity, let’s do what is good toward all men, and especially toward those who are of the household of the faith.” (Galatians‬ ‭6:9-10‬ ‭WEB‬‬)

We are taught to do good towards all men, but especially to fellow believers. When we do good as we have opportunity, we are doing it as unto the Lord.

“And whatever you do, work heartily, as for the Lord, and not for men, knowing that from the Lord you will receive the reward of the inheritance; for you serve the Lord Christ.” (Colossians‬ ‭3:23-24‬ ‭WEB‬‬)

I understand how doing good can make you weary—when others are unappreciative or take advantage of you, despite you giving your best to do good. It can feel pointless at times because people can be so heartless.

However for you are doing good mainly as for the Lord Jesus, and not for men. The Lord will reward you, even if men’s intentions were impure.

We have a Kingdom prepared for us that is an unshakable inheritance. While we are here in this world, let us pray at all times, share the Gospel of Jesus Christ, and showcase God’s love by doing good, using the gifts and grace we have received. That is the best we can do while waiting for the Lord’s imminent return!

In “Sandcastles Don’t Last Forever” you will discover what is your calling, your gift, how to walk in them, and how to maximize your eternal rewards:
http://bit.ly/sandcastlesdontlastforever

Yahweh's voice strikes with flashes of lightning.
Yahweh's voice shakes the wilderness. Yahweh shakes the wilderness of Kadesh.
Psalms29:7~8

耶和華的聲音使火焰分岔，
耶和華的聲音震動曠野，
耶和華震動加低斯的曠野。
詩29:7~8

詞、曲 Tim Hughes / Phil Wickham
中譯詞 周巽光
演唱 曹之懿

祢聖名 使群山搖晃震動
祢聖名 使海洋波濤洶湧
因祢名 天使跪拜
祢百姓歡欣 呼喊祢聖名

全地的救主 我們呼喊 祢聖名
不住的讚美 充滿諸天 到地極
Yahweh Yahweh
我真愛呼喊祢聖名

祢聖名 使清晨充滿榮光
祢聖名 讓萬物讚嘆宣揚
因你名 天使跪拜
祢百姓歡欣 呼喊祢聖名

無人能與你相比
我們讚美 讚美
沒有人能像祢 (耶穌唯有祢)
我高舉 祢聖名
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約書亞樂團 Joshua Band
詞Words、曲Music Tim Hughes / Phil Wickham
中譯詞Translate 周巽光Ewen Chow
演唱Singer 曹之懿 Isabelle Tsao

祢聖名 使群山搖晃震動
祢聖名 使海洋波濤洶湧
因祢名 天使跪拜
祢百姓歡欣 呼喊祢聖名

全地的救主 我們呼喊 祢聖名
不住的讚美 充滿諸天 到地極
Yahweh Yahweh
我真愛呼喊祢聖名

祢聖名 使清晨充滿榮光
祢聖名 讓萬物讚嘆宣揚
因祢名 天使跪拜
祢百姓歡欣 呼喊祢聖名

無人能與祢相比
我們讚美 讚美
沒有人能像祢 (耶穌唯有祢)
我高舉 祢聖名

//

奉獻Asia For Jesus/ 約書亞樂團事工
https://goo.gl/VIgDTs

聯系約書亞樂團：
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