Month: August 2026

Calling on The Name of THE LORD – How?

NOT everyone who calls Me “Lord, Lord” will enter God’s Kingdom. The only people who will enter are those who do what God wants (every WORD out of His mouth).

Matthew 7:21 -25

One of the things that has bothered me since 2024 when I became sensitive to it is the prevalent deception roaming around and at large. Lately, I liken it to the thick, gross darkness described in Isaiah 60:2A. The expression of this deception that hits different and bothers me most of all is the one at play and on display in (what is popularly known as or so-called) “the church”, and no – I do NOT mean the true bride and body of Christ.

It is impossible to see the deception and not wonder, say, or question what then is true? Getting to this question, this place, this junction … this fork-in-the-road is inevitable, maybe even necessary, but dangerous. I call it a danger zone because this is where unbelief rears its ugly head and can take hold if care is not taken given to God –Psalm 55:22(NIV),1 Peter 5:7AMPC).

Unbelief is the sin that easily besets us (Hebrew 12:1). Deception is how the enemy (aka the father of lies) attempts to lure us down the path of feel-“good”-BUT-no-good. The enemy’s tactic is not merely to lie to us. It is more so to have the lie be overwhelmingly prevalent and convincing (seemingly close to or looking like the truth) so as to get us to the danger zone/place where we question The Truth (God).

When the enemy exposes the truth reality of a lie or the fact of a matter i.e. the exposure of false men and women of God, he is NOT being truthful (he can’t be). Instead, his intent in doing this is to unleash distrust and unbelief in what the sent ones (apostles) are called to do … preach (Romans 10:13-17). Infinitely more than the shame he wants to inflict on the false (lying, deceptive) prophets, preachers, or teachers, the enemy intends to get believers into the dangerous terrain of distrust/unbelief in the things of God … the terrain of questions like: What if it’s all a lie? What if the lie is true? What is the Truth? How do I know it’s true?

WHAT REALLY IS THE NAME OF THE LORD?

Recently, I came across a YouTube video where a handful+ of people claimed that the names Jesus, Yeshua, Yahweh, Jehovah are either man-made or made-up names with dark (satanic) meaning. Some of the professors of these claims (those professing these claims) had documented evidences. As tempting as it was, I didn’t go looking into them. The reason I didn’t go down that path (or rabbit hole) is the same reason I chose to go to God instead. Intentionally or not, any knowledge transfer by mankind inevitably gets diluted (watered down and/or muddied up) … something gets lost or added in transition and/or translation.

Whatever it is, howbeit well or ill intended, as long as it is passed down from one human to another human (no matter the means i.e. popular opinions, social media, a well-loved and respected preacher and/or close relative, or AI), it will always be a distance from the Truth even if it’s by just an inch. With this realization, and given the rampant deception at play, I couldn’t put it past the desperately wicked heart of mankind and the conniving influence of the enemy over said heart to concoct a lie of this magnitude – a lie about the Name of The LORD. So I went to God, the Source … the One Whose Name it is. He is the ONLY One Who truth-FULLY knows His Name. Moreover, God, MOST HIGH, is the ONLY One Who can never be distanced from the Truth because He Himself (His very self or essence … His fragrance – SOS 1:3, 2 Corinthians 2:14) is the Truth.

I went to God that night and I asked Him to tell me His Name (Aug 6, 2026).

A few days later (Aug 14, 2026), I came across another YouTube video – this time, it was a video of video of a man (perhaps a preacher) describing an experience where he heard a voice (he believed was God) tell him to go start a church. This was not an out-of-the-blue directive; it seemed very much in line with past interactions that he had had with God. The man started to make moves but with every move he made he felt awful. So he asked God why he felt awful doing what He (God) had told him to do. God’s response to him was that He (God) was NOT the one who told him to go start a church. This bothered me a great deal and at a personal level.

Here’s why 👉 howbeit few and far in between, I’ve had agonizing moments of questioning if my experiences of God were truly of God. This line of questioning tends to come up when I go in the direction I experience God lead me and then nothing seemingly happens. I’ve had questions like: what if what I experience God tell/show me is just my desire for God but not God? Could it just be in my head? Or worse, what if it was a lying spirit posing as God? This second YouTube video implied (if not confirmed) the possibility of this worse case scenario – I did not like the reality of this possibility one bit. I made a mental note to go to God about this too … and again (I had prayed to God about this a couple times in the past – I never want to be under the influence of any lying spirit posing as God, I also don’t want to be or live a lie – this won’t be living at all).

Before getting around to praying about it this time around, God responded to my concerns about what both YouTube videos implied – His response was Isaiah 52:6.

Therefore, My people will know My Name and that I AM He is speaking to them … My people will know My Name and what it means … they will know that I AM The One Who speaks. Here I AM.

Isaiah 52:6

In other words, God was/is saying: fear NOT, you will know My Name and what it means. Also, you will know that I AM speaking to you when I do. This gave me great comfort and eased my concerns. What a relief … a real ease!

At a later day, God used a relatable illustration to help me understand a key aspect of calling upon His name – He reminded me of the first born son (AdeLeke) of a first born son (my uncle). I call my uncle Uncle Yomi because his name is AdeYomi. Thanks to Leke, all of my uncle’s kids call him Aito but that’s not his name … OR is it? 🤔💭🤭. My recollection of the story I heard was that when Leke was but a toddler, his dad (my uncle) called him Alekito. Leke probably thought this was the name by which mankind called each other, so in his attempt to call his dad by this name that he could not yet fully pronounce. Somehow, Leke landed on Aito 🙂. Six siblings later, all following suit and till this day, they all call their dad Aito. Whenever Uncle Yomi hears this name that’s certainly not on his birth certificate or on any legal document, he knows that it’s him being called or sought after by his kids. With this illustration, God assured me that He knows He is the One I call out for and to … He assured me that even if my pronunciation is off OR the name out of my mouth when I pray to Him is a wrong name that was unintentionally or ill-intendedly passed down to me, because of the love He continuously pours into my heart by His HolySpirit (Romans 5:5), my spirit-filled heart (Ezekiel 36:26A, 27A, 28B) always calls Him by the very Name He goes by and responds to. It comes across to Him as a sweet-smelling fragrance. Music (a sweet sound) to His ears! 💖

THE WORD OF GOD

… The Title by which He is called is The WORD of God.

Revelation 19:13

God’s Name is a like a fragrant, flowing Oil (SOS 1:3, Zechariah 4:6 AMPC). His Name is Good (Psalm 100:5). His Name is Salvation – Matthew 1:21 (AMP/C). Considering that everything God does is for His Name sake, then according to Ephesians 3:20, it is accurate to say that God’s Name is infinitely more over and above all that we can possibly imagine. His Name is above all other names (Philippians 2:9 … Psalm 138:2). This Name is The Word of God. Assuredly, The Word of God is God’s Name … The Word of God (THE WORD) is God Himself.

… THE WORD is God.

John 1:1

This connection between His Name and His Word can also be seen in Isaiah 52:6 – it’s no happenstance that God talks about His Name and Him speaking (or The One Who speaks) in the same breath (verse). His Name is The WORD or Truth that He speaks … the ever-present Word (Truth) that endures and remains even when all else fades. No matter how many attempts are made to water it down or muddy it up, His Name is eternal … forever … it endures even when all else fails or pass away. God’s Name is His Word – the Truth by which we address Him 💖.

I will give to the people a clear and pure speech from pure lips (the lips of Christ) which reflect their purified hearts … I will give them a language undistorted, unpolluted, Words to address God in worship, that they may all call upon the Name of THE LORD, to serve Him with one unanimous consent and one united shoulder bearing the yoke of THE LORD (Matthew 11:28-30)

Zephaniah 3:9

HOW TO CALL UPON THE NAME OF THE LORD

Definitely not by merely saying the name or word: LORD LORD. Matthew 7:21 in the MSG translation puts it this was: knowing the correct password – saying “Master, Master”, for instance – does not get us anywhere with God. It is more than mere lip service, it is priesthood –1 Peter 2:9– priesthood is a service of gift … the gift of Truth, the gift of Trust in Christ – Philippians 1:29 (ERV), the gift of giving and having hope. Even God hopes for the Hope of HOPE – He expects the Certainty of the UNSEEN (the not-yet-seen, all that He keeps ready for us in Christ Jesus: The Hope of Glory – Colossians 1:27).

We call upon the Name of THE LORD by having HOPE. We have HOPE by actionably believing in the WORD of God – this is how we truly/truthfully call upon the Name of THE LORD, even without saying a word or with wordless sighs.

HOW are people to call upon Him Whom they have not believed, in Whom they have no faith, on Whom they have no reliance? HOW are they to believe in Him (or trust in and rely on Him) of Whom they have never heard? … What is heard comes by the preaching of the Message that comes from the lips of Christ The Messiah Himself (The WORD Himself, He Who was sent by The Father – John 17:8, 16:13)

Romans 10:14-15

Romans 10:13-17draws a truthful parallel between the Name of THE LORD and The Word of God. It tells us that it is impossible to call upon The Name of THE LORD without (receiving) The Word of God – one is the other. It also tells us HOW to call upon The Name of THE LORD: to truly call upon the Name of The LORD is to actionably believe (receive and act on) The Word of God – this involves trusting and relying on Him (His Word, Who He is). Each time this happens, we in effect are calling upon The Name of THE LORD. Each time you actionably recall God’s Word to you (each time you re-member or re-join God’s Word to you), you are taking His Name upon yourself (for your own). His Name is yours to have –Psalm 117:2 (VCE).

THE LORD alone is our radiant Hope and we trust in Him with all our hearts. He is everything we need. What’s more, our hearts brim with joy since we’ve taken for our own His Holy Name (because we trust in His Holy Name … because we depend and rely on Him).

Psalm 33:20-21

Each time we actionably and truthfully recall God’s Word, we have hope – Lamentation 3:21, 24. God wants us to always have hope. Having hope is the means to the end (Romans 5:3-5) and the promised end itself (Jeremiah 29:11).

Along the way, we will be confronted with many lies, many of which will seem like the truth. The resulting distrust is valid BUT do NOT trust the distrust. If/when you get to the fork in the road, lean NOT on your own understanding. Acknowledge God … acknowledge the One above Whom there is none and He will direct your path with His Word (Psalm 119:105) … with His Name –Isaiah 55:12(AMPC)

Jesus said: … IF you believe and rely on Me, you will see the Glory of God (God’s Glory is His Name – Isaiah 42:8).

John 11:40

Believe, keep believing in Who God is and you will see His Glory – His Goodness, His Name. The Psalmist said: “What, what would have become of me had I not believed that I would see THE LORD’s Goodness (Name) in the land of the living! Wait, hope for and expect THE LORD … Yes, wait, hope for and expect THE LORD” –Psalm 27:13-14(AMPC). Have Hope … keep on believing (Mark 5:36B). What a privilege it is to believe in (to truthfully call upon) the Name of THE LORD.

I’ll wrap up with this prayer point – the point where The Word of God leads me 👇.

May the God of Hope so fill you with His very Own portion of Joy and Peace as you believe (and keep believing Him), so that by the power of His Holy Spirit you may abound and be overflowing (bubbling over) with Hope.

Romans 15:13

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Thank You God, MOST HIGH, The One above Whom there is None. Thank You for the blessing of Truth – a gift that ONLY You can give. Thank You for Your HolySpirit Who guides us into all Truth (John 16:13). Sanctify us with Your Truth – Your Word is Truth, Your Name is Truth, so is Your HolySpirit (He is The Spirit of Truth).

The Gist of The FIG Tree

In that day, says ADONAI Tzva’ot, each of you will invite your Neighbor to sit with you under your Vine (house of wine) and your Fig tree (the body of Christ that you are).

Zechariah 3:10

They say everyone has a number … a figure. Well, I dare say that everyone is a figure 8. Like a Wine glass or an Hour-glass(Matthew 26:40-41), we are each sculptured by God to serve a function.

Along the same lines, I’ve heard it said that a woman with the figure 8 is inherently fertile and fruitful. I never gave this any thought until now. 🤔 … could there be more to this than meets the eye? Relative to the fig tree (or figure 8) referenced in Mark 11, Jesus’ singular action speaks volumes, one of which is that there should be more than meets the eye – this in part is the gist of the Fig Tree.

I had no idea I’d be writing (let alone publishing) a blog about the figure 8 on a day that also happens to be a day of the figure 8 (August 8). Coincidence? Nah … with the things of God, there’s no such thing as coincidence or happenstance. I believe God orchestrated all of this, including today’s verse of the day (on the You Version bible app), which was where it all started:Mark 11:24👇

For THIS reasonI AM telling you, whatever you ask for in prayer, believe that it is granted to you, and you will get it.

Mark 11:24 (AMPC)

For WHAT reason? I asked. WHAT is THIS … WHAT is the reason? WHAT is the SO THAT? This question was my core’s first response to Mark 11:24. Like any studious student, I decided to read all preceding verses (yup, all twenty three of them 🙂). The connecting dots that I saw blessed me greatly – it’s such a joy to find hidden gems (treasures) in scriptures. Even more so joyful is seeing that they were deliberately put there (hidden in plain sight) by God for us to find.

In seeing what I saw, I understood what The Word of God (Jesus) was actually saying in Mark 11:24. This joyful insight is what inspired me to put hands to keyboard. Indeed, all scripture is God-breathed. They are useful for teaching and for guiding our lives in righteousness SO THAT we (the servant of God) may be thoroughly equipped (strengthened) for every good work (2 Timothy 3:16-17) … SO THAT the serve-ant of God is fit for use, purpose, and service to God …for serving FOOD to God.

In reading Mark 11:1-23, I saw that the donkey (V1-V7), the house of prayer (V17), the fig tree (V12-14,V20), and the mountain (V23) are all connected to Mark 11:24 – I believe each of them was highlighted so that we would truly understand what Mark 11:24 means.Here’s the gist of it…

… it starts off with God being hungry – Mark 11:12.

Wait what?! The MOST HIGH … hungry?! What could He possibly be hungry for? The elaborate (or more in-depth) answer to this question can be found in the direction He was facing – where He was headed in the first place. That said, the short answer is Figs … go figure! I promise, there’s more to it than meets the eye.

THE FIG TREE

Seeing in the distance a fig tree [covered] with leaves, Jesus went to see if He could find anyfruit ON it [BECAUSE IN the fig treethe fruit appears at the same time as the leaves]. BUT when He came up to it, He found nothing but leaves, for the fig season had not yet come.

Mark 11:13 (AMPC)

Seeing that there was nothing but leaves, Jesus addressed the tree, saying: no one is going to eat fruit from you ever again – Mark 11:14 (MSG). In other words, the fig tree was dishonorably discharged – I’m told this is the most severe form of punishment a service member can receive. It’s no different from what The Word of God describes in John 15:2A,6 … any tree designed to bear fruit (to carry fruit IN it) but does not is thrown out and thus withers – this is what happened in Mark 11:20.

BUT WHY? WHY the sentence? It wasn’t even fig season.

Knowing what this “off season” expectation is like, WHY did Jesus expect there to be fruit when the fig tree’s time had not yet come? The answer is the same as the reason Mary expected Jesus to do something about the “out of wine” situation at the wedding in Cana even though His time had not yet come – Mary knew what WHO was with and IN the Son of God. She knew He was The Vine (a Living Winery or House of Wine) … she knew that His Name (His Being, Person, Identity) was a constant – it was NOT seasonal. This perhaps is why Jesus turned water to wine even though His time had not yet come. I’m almost certain it’s why He expected to see fruit even though it wasn’t yet fig season.

Come with me toHosea 14:8… to better understand the WHY (the reason for both His expectation and sentence), it helps to first understand WHERE Jesus looked for the fruit He expected to see. In Hosea 14:8, God describes Himself as a green Fir … a leafy, luxuriant, evergreen Cypress Tree FROM (withIN or out of) Whom our fruit is found. In essence, God was telling us where to look for fruit … He was telling us where fruit is found regardless of season: IN the tree (IN side of it).

Here’s perhaps a more relatable perspective: your friend comes to you saying that he’s found the one. He seems to be over the moon about her (all his moo-moo buttons, bells, and whistles activated 🤭) … to him, she is all that. You finally meet her – to you however there wasn’t much to her, she wasn’t that spectacular. In a later one-on-one conversation with your friend, you ask: what do you see IN her? If you’ve ever asked or thought this question, you likely can relate to and understand where Jesus was looking at and what He was looking for.

Did Jesus expect to see fruit ON the fig tree? I don’t think so … at least not just on the surface. As the creator of all things, including times and seasons, He knew it wasn’t fig season. That said, figuratively speaking, He most certainly did. Per its design, when the fig tree is covered with leaves, fruit appears IN it – this is where Jesus looked. He looked IN the fig tree because having fruitINit inevitably leads to having fruitONit – the former is inherently the latter. Also, with the former in place, the latter is certain. That said, and howbeit connected, there’s a difference between the fig tree having fruitINit and having fruitONit – spotting this nuance reveals

1️⃣ WHY the fig tree got a seemingly harsh but appropriately righteous sentence. God The SON (like The FATHER) looks at and judges by what is within. Case in point: God’s choice of David over Eliab(1 Samuel 16:1-7,11-13) OR His choice of the food served by Abel over that served by Cain (Genesis 4:2A-7).

2️⃣ WHAT Jesus was really hungry for … it reveals WHAT He was really looking for. We now know that it wasn’t some superficial fruit ON the fig tree – that’s not what the fuss (His extra attention) was about. In stead, it was about (and more so for) something deeper. Earlier, I mentioned that the in-depth answer to this can be found where Jesus was headed in the first place – in the direction He was facing: the only place God has eyes for … where the eyes of His heart were (and are always) set on.

My eyes will be open and My ears attentive to PRAYER offered in this place. For I have chosen and sanctified this HOUSE, that My Name may be here forever, My eyes and My heart will be here perpetually.

2 Chronicles 7:14-15

WHERE was Jesus facing, headed, or going? Where is this first place?

THE HOUSE OF PRAYER

Haven’t you read what David did when he and those with him were hungry and needed food? How he went to the House of God and ate the Bread of the PRESENCE … and even gave some to his companions.

Mark 2:25-26

Where do you go when you’re hungry? The kitchen, a restaurant, the Uber Eats or double D (Door Dash) app on your phone? Some place else? No matter your answer, the reason for going there is why Jesus was going to the temple (the House of Prayer): He was hungry. I actually think He was hungry even before He felt hungry. If what they say is true: that the brain signals hunger well ahead of when we actually feel it, then perhaps Jesus was hungry just before leaving Bethany and this (His hunger) was likely why He was headed to the temple – I’m not able to prove this theory BUT of this I’m sure: Jesus comes to and knocks at the door of the temple (the FIG Tree or FIGure 8) that we are in order to sup with us –1 Corinthians 6:19, Revelation 3:20.

Anyone coming over to sup (eat) expects there to be food (fruit) … nourishment. What does this mean in relation to Jesus? What is His food? What does He hunger for? What does He thirst for? What is He looking to find? To better understand the ultimate answer to this question let’s go to John 4 – another instance of Jesus being hungry … tired … thirsty … in need of nourishment.

It was necessary for Jesus to go through Samaria to Galilee (a place of fresh water). Upon getting to a place in Samaria, He was tired. While He waited for His disciples who had gone to get food, He sat by a well (Jacob’s well). Shortly thereafter, a Samaritan woman came by. Jesus said to her: give Me a drink.

A parallel can be drawn here … wells have water IN them, so do fruits. With this in mind, it’s safe to say that Jesus was actually looking for the Water IN the Fruit (Fig) that should have been IN the tree. Along this same (parallel) lines, what Jesus said to the Samarian woman can be translated as: give Me Fruit – give Me the knowledge of the true God, have Faith in Me –Isaiah 27:6

As He did with His disciples in Mark 11:22-24, Jesus had a revealing conversation with the Samaritan woman – He taught her the truth. He essentially gave her what He told His disciples to constantly have: the Knowledge of God in God (Faith in God) – the knowledge of God that God has … as in to HAVE as well as to EAT.

I HAVE food (nourishment) to EAT of which you know nothing and have no idea … My nourishment is to do the Will (pleasure) of Him Who sent Me and to accomplish and completely finish His Work (on earth as it is in Heaven)

John 4:32,34 (Psalm 40:7-11)

When His disciples came back with food, Jesus would have none of it – He had been nourished. How? He didn’t even drink the water from the well – the woman never gave it to him YET Jesus was nourished. That’s because His food – the nourishment He needed – did NOT come from the well water that He didn’t drink (nor from the fig that wasn’t on the tree). His nourishment came (and comes) from doing the Will of The FATHER … His refreshment comes from accomplishing the good works (righteousness) of the One Who sent Him (in this case, to pass through Samaria).

When God visits or comes through (the Door) … when He comes down to earth (on a done-key donkey and not on some high horse), He comes to sup … He comes to be nourished … He comes to teach (us to pray) … He comes to do God’s Will. This is WHY God’s Will is done (on earth as it is in heaven) WHEN God’s Kingdom (the HolySpirit) comes. WHERE does God’s Kingdom come to? HOW does this Heaven on earth happen? Matthew 18:18 tells us the HOW:PRAYER. Romans 12:1-2 and 1 Corinthians 6:19 tells us the WHERE: the temple of the HolySpirit, each person’s FIGure 8. Hence,THE HOUSE OF PRAYER (Mark 11:17) … the place of prayer – where Jesus was headed: the place God sups … the place where God’s Will is done.

[Vividly she pictured it] The Voice of my Beloved Shepherd! Behold, He comes, leaping upon the mountains …
Look at Him there, on tiptoe at the gate, all ears, all eyes (2 Chronicles 7:14-15)– ready! My Lover has arrived and He is speaking to me!

SOS 2:8 … 10 (AMPC, MSG)

God always comes – He is unstoppable (nothing stands in His way). The question is are we ready to welcome, receive, or host Him. Are we ready to sup with Him? Are we ready to share a meal with God? We share a meal with God when we pray … when we tell the truth by echoing the Will of God and calling upon His Name according to the knowledge of God. When we pray, we break bread with God … we share the knowledge of God with God … we give God Fruit, we give God Water. When this happens, God’s Name is hallowed, His Kingdom comes, thus His Will is done … we are satisfied, God is glorified. Ultimately, God is nourished, so are we.

What stands in the way of this happening? What stands in the way of us praying (asking/receiving)? What stands in the way of God’s Will being done for us? Mark 11:24 says it will be so or done for us when we pray and ask believing that we will receive it, what stands in the way of Mark 11:24 being our reality and testimony?

THE MOUNTAIN

What are you, O big mountain? Nothing, not even a mighty mountain will stand in Zerubbabel’s way; it will become a plain (a mere, insignificant mole hill). When Zerubbabel sets the final stone of the Temple in place, it will be accompanied with cheerful shouts: Grace! Grace! Beautiful! Beautiful! God Bless it! God Bless it!

Zechariah 4:7

The mountain referenced in Zechariah 4:7 and in Mark 11:23 are a representation of anything contrary to (or any lofty thing that raises itself up against) the Will of God being done in our lives and for us – essentially sin (or that which is born of sin). The example of the mountain in Mark 11:23 was NOT a random, neither was it a “ask for anything you like and you’ll get it” illustration of Mark 11:24.