August 2026 – Rivers in the Desert

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 a 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 – the heart of the one calling. 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 backstory is that when Leke (my cousin) was but a toddler, his dad (my uncle) called him Alekito or something along those lines. Leke probably thought this was the name by which mankind called each other. Either that or he wanted his dad to also experience the feeling he got whenever his dad called him by that name – there’s no telling for sure what Leke’s little heart was up to but I bet it was good because, of all the illustrations God could have used to teach me this valuable, life-giving lesson, God used his not-yet-fully-formed words as a toddler to get the job done #OutofTheMouthofBabes.

In his attempt to reciprocate this expression of endearment by calling his dad this same 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 way: 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.Romans 10:10A(AMPC) says that with the heart, a person believes – this is how we truly/truthfully call upon the Name of THE LORD, even without saying a word or with wordless sighs (Romans 8:26).

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 to which The WORD 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 giving us 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 (The Spirit of Truth). Come O Come HolySpirit I pray in the everlasting, age-enduring Name and authority of The Word of God: my Lord. King, Xerxes, and Savior Jesus Christ.

The Gist of The FIG Tree

… it is a long gist and I can’t help but tell it all 😁.

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 tree 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. 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👇.

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?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 (2 Timothy 3:16-17). They are useful FOR teaching and guiding our lives in righteousness SO THAT we (the servant of God) may be thoroughly equipped for every good work. SO THAT the serve-ant of God may be 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-V11), 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 mentioned/highlighted so 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.

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 human eye. The man who received his sight inMark 8:24 knows this to be true. What he saw at first sight was NOT a mistake … it was deliberate. Therefore, take these words to heart.

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? I reckon that 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 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 tells you 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 eventually meet her – to you or in your eyes, 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 even thought of) any variation of this question, then you likely have a sense of where Jesus was looking at and/or 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 versus having fruitONit.

1️⃣ This nuance reveals 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 This nuance reveals 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. Instead, it was about (and more so for) something deeper. Earlier, I mentioned that this can be found IN the direction He was headed or facing: the only place God has eyes for … the place where the eyes of His heart 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 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 in Mark 11:12B. If what they say is true: that the brain signals hunger well ahead of when we actually feel it, then I dare say that Jesus was hungry just before leaving Bethany and this hunger is why He was headed to the temple. His hunger is why He came to Jerusalem in the first place … it’s also WHY He came down to earth, and why He still comes – why Jesus comes to and knocks at the door of the temple (FIG Tree or FIGure 8) that we are – TO SUP (with us) –1 Corinthians 6:19, Revelation 3:20.

Anyone coming over to sup 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? Again, I say: Figs … yes, FIG.

To better understand this simple yet profound answer, let’s go to John 4 – another instance of Jesus being hungry … tired … thirsty … in need of nourishment. See John 4:1-34

It was necessary for Jesus to go through Samaria to Galilee (a place of fresh water). Again, we see Jesus on His way to a place that has or houses what He stops to find along the way – this is worth noting … SeLaH🤔💭. Upon getting to Samaria, Jesus 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 is 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 and living GodIsaiah 27:6). Furthermore, this can be translated as: haveFIG (Faith in God) … have Faith in Me (I AM He) – John 4:26

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: Faith in God … the Knowledge of God 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 (to pass through Samaria in this case).

What is the Will of The FATHER? That we may know Him, experientially so. It is why God visits … it is why He makes Himself known – so that we may believe (Exodus 19:9) … have Faith (Isaiah 43:10) … have Life (John 3:16, 10:10B, 17:3).

When God visits or comes through (the Door) … when He comes down to earth (on a donkey and not some high horse), He comes to sup … He comes to nourish and thus 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? HOW does this Heaven on earth happen? Matthew 18:18 tells us HOW:PRAYER. Romans 12:1-2 and 1 Corinthians 6:19 tells us WHERE: the temple of the HolySpirit, each person’s FIGure 8. Hence,THE HOUSE OF PRAYER (Mark 11:17) … the place of prayer (of wine: new wine), the place of fresh water (Galilee) – this is where Jesus was headed: the place where 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! (Isaiah 52:6)
SOS 2:8 … 10 (AMPC, MSG)

God always comes – He is unstoppable (nothing standing in His way stands). 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? Do we have the meal (FIG) to share with Him? We share FIG (Faith in God) 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 in 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/done for us when we ask in Prayer 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 of human obstacle? 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 the Will of God being done in our lives and for us – essentially sin (or that which is born of sin). The mention of the mountain in Mark 11:23 was NOT random, neither was it a “ask for ANYthing you like and you’ll get it” illustration of what Jesus said in Mark 11:24. Instead, it is but a depiction of any lofty thing that raises itself up against God’s Will for us i.e. unbelief, pride – both of which are the opposite of humility, a requirement and crucial part of asking and praying –2 Chronicles 7:14. We’ll see this when we get to The Donkey.

For now, let’s quickly touch on what it means to ask in Prayer and not amiss. First, what is Prayer? In GOD, what have YOU done?, I shared that Prayer is a truthful echo of what God has done. In other words, it is asking for what God has already done. This is what it means to ask in Prayer. Saying to the mountain: be up-rooted and thrown into the sea(Mark 11:23)is a prayer – it is a truthful echo of what God has done, NOT some random BIG request for just about “any” thing we want. I’ll show you when God did it (which was exactly when He said it). Come with me to Zechariah 3:8-10 and Micah 7:19.

Hear now, O Joshua the High Priest, you and your colleagues, your friends, who sit before you (your disciples) – they are men who are a sign of what is to come. Behold, I will bring forth My Servant The Branch. Upon the stone which I set before Joshua, upon this one stone are Seven Eyes (the sevenfold radiation of the Spirit of God). I will carve upon it an inscription, and I will remove all the iniquity, guilt, wickedness, sin of this land in a single day. In that day, everyone will invite his Neighbour to sit under his vine and his fig tree.
Zechariah 3:8-10

I hear God say these words (this promise) to JOSHUA … YESHUA, our GREAT HIGH PRIEST (Jesus Christ) … and to us, His Friends, those who sit before Him (THE WORD), those who set THE LORD before them (Psalm 16:8) – studying His Face as in a mirror, those who follow God (disciples). It is for THIS reason (what has been promised and done in Zechariah 3:8-10) that Jesus said what He said in Mark 11:22-24. We’ll come back to this part of the gist soon.

For now, let’s take a good look at the sign: Joshua the High Priest, one of whose colleague was Zerubbabel – the Prince. They both led the return of the exiles from Babylon and were undertaking the rebuilding of the temple – The House of Prayer (Zechariah 4: 7 AMPC). They are the two Sons of Oil (the High Priest and the Prince of Judah), the two anointed ones standing before The LORD of the whole earth as His anointed instruments (Zechariah 4:14 AMPC).

As mentioned in Zechariah 4:7, the mountain before Zerubbabel (God’s anointed) is the mountain of human (obstacle or sinful) nature. David describes it as the strong enemy who hated and abhorred him, and was too strong for him –Psalm 18:17. This mountain (same as the one mentioned in Mark 11:23) is the iniquity, guilt, wickedness, sin (every faith-contrary thing), and the very power (big-ness or stronghold) of sin that God will and has cast into the sea in a single day. The same time after which Peter spotted the withered tree – Mark 11:20-21 (ERV, MSG, NLT).

God will again have compassion on us; He will subdue and tread under foot our iniquities, our wickedness (destroying sin’s power) . Yes, He will cast all our sins into the depths of the sea.
Micah 7:19

Romans 8:3(AMPC) tells us that God has subdued sin’s power over those who believe – over those who accept God’s very own sacrifice: everything that Jesus’ time here on earth as a man represents (from His birth to His death and His resurrection). All of it was a sacrifice of God made by God Himself … all of it is an expression of the Humility of God Himself (Philippians 2:5-8). What a knowledge of God to be given and to have! The knowledge that God sacrificed Himself for us. The knowledge that Jesus Christ, The WORD (Who is God), YESHUA, is the Son of God and is LORD (our Salvation) –Romans 10:4-13– This is the knowledge of God that we are to have … constantly. What a Love. What a Sacrifice – God’s very own sacrifice, AND it is enough 💖 – this is the knowledge of God that saves! This is the knowledge of God that God has. Thus, this is theFIG(Faith in God) we should have constantly … exactly what Jesus was saying to His disciples in Mark 11:22-24 (and in response to Peter’s shock of seeing the FIGless tree be all withered (and truly waterless) as is the case with an uprooted tree, a tree disconnected from its source, or a branch thrown into the fire).

Replying, Jesus said to them: Have Faith in God constantly (HaveFIGconstantly). Truly I tell you, whoever says to this mountain: “be lifted up and thrown into the sea!”, and does not doubt at all in his heart but believes that what he says (what he echoes or prays) will take place, it will be done for him. For THIS reason I AM telling you, whatever you ask for in prayer (whatever you echo according to what God has said and resultingly done), believe that it will be granted to you, and you will get it.
Mark 11:22-24

It is because of and only on the basis of this knowledge of God in God … this FIG… this knowledge of what God knows that He has said (Truth) and has done (Righteousness) BECAUSE of Who He is, that we can say to the mountain be thou removed and cast into the sea. When this happens, we simply are praying. When we have FIG (Faith in God) … when we have the knowledge of God that is in God (the knowledge of God that God has of Himself) – the very knowledge of Himself through which He makes many righteous, we inevitably pray, ask for, and receive what we ask because it will always be according to the Will of God … it will always be an echo of what God said and has done. It will always be the DONE-KEY!

THE DONKEY

I learnt this song many moons ago. It either was taught in children’s Sunday school or it came from my grandma (my dad’s mum) – she was a song producer (I mean she could come up with a song on the fly) … she also enjoyed praying! Come to think of it, her songs were prayers, except for one that she sang to Midas (my cousin) which was more so instructive (something along the lines of not crushing bugs because they are God’s creation too 🤭).

Okay, back to the KEY song. A few years ago, I came to a conclusion that Faith (the knowledge of God), instead of Prayer, is the Master KEY. At the time, I didn’t know what Prayer really was. I also didn’t see the unbreakable bond between the two … and a third:Thanksgiving. Now I do – I now know that I can’t have FIG (Faith in God) and not pray or give thanks to God. Also, I can’t pray or give thanks to God without Faith – prayer and thanksgiving are but expressions of Faith. I pray (and receive) with Thanksgiving. I pray Faith with thanksgiving … I pray the knowledge of God (in God) with thanksgiving 🙂. Any other “so-called prayer” is but a lie, it is NOT and can NOT be Prayer.

Therefore, these three notes:

Have faith in God constantly – Mark 11:24
Men ought always to pray –Luke 18:1
Continually thank God – 1 Thessalonians 5:18

are key. Like the threefold cord, they go hand in hand.

Always be Joyful in your Faith. Never stop praying. Whatever happens, always be thankful – continually give thanks to God. For this is the Will of God for you in Christ Jesus – this is what God wants from you who are united with the Messiah YESHUA.
1 Thessalonians 5:16,17,18 (ERV, AMP, CJB)

A connecting and underpinning theme across all three strands is Humility aka The Donkey called Joy. This Joy is how we draw from the Well of Salvation. It is the humility by which we come to God and pray (share a meal with God) … it is the Faith by which we come to God (Hebrews 11:6)… it is the means (or mode of transportation) by which we come to the place of Prayer to entreat God’s favor (to obtain favor in His sight … His Face, this is Peace – see Judges 6:22-24).

This mode of transportation is how Jesus entered into Jerusalem – the City of Peace (Mark 11:1-11)… it is how He made His way to the House of Prayer – on a donkey. Better put, onThe DONE-KEY… on the knowledge that it is Done … on the knowledge of the Righteousness of God. This is the River whose streams make the City of God glad (Psalm 46:4). This righteous River (of Joy that Christ is) … this Faith-birthed Righteousness (that Christ is) is the ONLY way to come to God, to truly receive Him (and from Him), to serve Him, and to sup with Him – there is no other way. Isaiah 55:1 (AMPC) refers to it as the self-surrender that accepts the blessing (of what has already been done by God).

This humble (non-self-righteous) mode of transportation is how Jesus came down to earth to do God’s Will – on a donkey, in a manger. Stripped of His God-ness to assume the guise of an ant (a serve-ant), He abased and humbled Himself … He stooped so low in honor of His commitment to see and have God’s Will be done. This is the humility with which God prays – the very means through which Jesus (The Son of God) echoed, reflected, and did The FATHER’s Will: Heaven on Earth – the knowledge of the Glory of God fully-filling the earth and heart of man.

**********💖 THE SUMMARY OF THE GIST 💖**********

I’ll wrap up this 24-minute long gist by saying: O Man, dare I say Tree,how low will you stoop to draw strength, nutrients, and water SO THAT you may have FIG in every season? Remember, The Donkey gets you to The House of Prayer … the place of honor. Along the way, you certainly will be confronted with The Mountain of human obstacles and its sinful nature. Do NOT faint, turn coward, or lose heart. Instead, take heart – the Heart of God, the lion-heart that God gives (Ezekiel 36:26-30). Keep thanking God … keep praying …keep having FIG that you may be a true FIG Tree: The tree within which there is FIG (the pleasure of God). Remember, the FIG in the Tree that you are is your Figure 8, your F8 Key. By F8, I mean ~~Feight~~ FAITH.

PS: Did you know that August is Fig season. I didn’t know this as of Aug 1 when I asked God to be my August Visitor and to transFIGure me. I didn’t know this until Aug 16 – a week after posting the first half of this ~~blog~~ fruit: this knowledge of God (truth) in my inmost being. As I worked on the final blog notes (Sept 19), I saw the ‘FIG = Faith in God’ translation for the first time! It was right there all along … hidden in plain sight! 🤔💭… could this be the nature of FIGs? The evidence of things not yet seen? There really is more to it than meets the human eye!