The Fig Tree

 

 

Matthew 21: 19- Seeing a fig tree by the road, he went up to it but found nothing on it except leaves. Then he said to it, “May you never bear fruit again!” Immediately the tree withered.

 

It is Tuesday of Holy Week, Jesus is on his way back to the city to visit the Temple. It is a NO work day based off of Jewish law. He is hungry and sees a fig tree by the road but there is nothing on it. No fruit. He then curses the tree and it dies. The disciples are amazed, and Jesus uses the teaching moment to tell them about faith and their ability to move mountains!

 Faith: complete trust or confidence in someone or something.

If I said I have read this passage a hundred times it would be an understatement. I always glean the portions about faith and what can be accomplished. I never thought about that fig tree before. Just a tree, not producing fruit. A fig tree does well in climates that experience droughts. They have a dense and complex root system. They grow well in rocky locations and even in poor soil. Their roots go deep in search of water.  They are a known producer of nutrient rich fruit but this tree bears nothing.

Jesus speaks about the true vine and fruit bearing in John 15.

John 15:4-6 “Remain in me, and I will remain in you. For a branch cannot produce fruit if it is severed from the vine, and you cannot be fruitful unless you remain in me. Yes, I am the vine, you are the branches. Those who remain in me and I in them will produce much fruit. For APART FROM ME YOU CAN DO NOTHING. (emphasis added) Anyone who does not remain in me is thrown away like a useless branch and withers. Such branches are gathered into a pile to be burned.”

We cannot produce nutrient rich fruit without remaining on the vine. Receiving His goodness and direction can only happen if we stay connected. Admitting the authority Jesus has in our lives, which the Chief Priest could not do later in the temple, keeps us in the position to be influenced and guided by His Holy Spirit. When we are too prideful to do so, we wither. And eventually are cut away so other branches can grow. I find the single inspection of the fig tree interesting. Jesus did not give the fig tree time to get it together. He did not say the soil was bad. He did not check to see if it had water. He literally examined the tree, saw no fruit and cursed it. Oh Lord, don’t let me be found lacking fruit when I am examined!

 

Be Blessed, and remember Sunday is Coming.

 

The Temple

Matthew 21: 12-13:  “Jesus entered the temple courts and drove out all who were buying and selling there. He overturned the tables of the money changers and the benches of those selling doves.  “It is written,” he said to them, “‘My house will be called a house of prayer,’ but you are making it ‘a den of robbers.’”

Jesus has ridden the colt. People, who had seen and heard of Him raising Lazarus from the dead, are in the streets laying palm branch for him to travel over shouting “HOSANNA to the Son of David! Blessed is He who comes in the name of the Lord! Hosanna in the highest!” It must have been a sight. The people are about to begin the most holy week in the faith of Judaism. Monday at sunset the Passover begins, the remembrance of The Exodus.  The town is busy with preparation. And Jesus enters the temple and sees a terrible scene. A market, right in the temple. He is over come with Righteous Anger and destroys the marketplace. Screaming “MY HOUSE WILL BE A HOUSE OF PRAYER, BUT YOU ARE MAKING IT A DEN OF ROBBERS”. He whips, he beats, he flips tables.  And then HE HEALS.  Verse 14 “The blind and the lame came to him at the temple, and he healed them.”

This year has been interesting, Ron and I have been talking about how our focus is off. And as we reflected this morning about the holy week I was reminded of what Jesus did today and how it applies to me. 1 Corinthians 6: 19-20. “or do you not know that your body is the temple of the Holy Spirit within you, whom you have form God? You are not your own, for you were bought with a price”

I am the temple.

WHAT A REMINDER!!

I AM THE TEMPLE!

Am I making my temple a den of robbers? Am I allowing thieves to occupy my temple?

Stealing my focus or time? Stealing my joy? Robbing me of what God has instore for me. Killing and destroying what HE has worked so hard to build in me.

Keeping me from being a house of prayer. A holy place for the Spirit to dwell freely!

This morning in Righteous Anger, the Holy One in me is flipping those tables. Beating the robbers. Destroying the thieves. Allowing Him to once again heal my lameness and removing the scales from my eyes and restoring my sight.

 

Thank you so much Lord for your quick responses. Thank you for your quick reminders and not allowing me to stay in that miry pit!  I praise you!

Get Off Your Lazy Ass and Do Something About It!

ASK, SEEK and KNOCK

Let me start off by saying this may not have been the best title for our ministry blog.  After laying in a conscious dreaming state of mind, I carved out some time this morning for self reflection.  Actually, I naturally focused on loved ones at first and then as usual the proverbial finger came flying back at myself.  Let's face it, the Bible teaches us that prayer is less about changing other people and more about changing ourselves.  With this revelation applied carefully to my real life application, it was soon directed back towards yours truly.  That's exactly what I deserved this morning considering the wise words of our Savior, "He without sin, cast the first stone."

Let's preface that this is not intended to sound condescending or be a speech given from an elevated higher position.  Our written account is merely a regurgitation conversation I had previously with myself.  Perhaps one day (if it's not today), the future you will speak to the present you with a spiritual motivation and a conviction that will propel you into Biblical success.

"Keep on asking, and you will receive what you ask for.  Keep on seeking, and you will find.  Keep on knocking, and the door will be opened to you."

This is very complicated passage for some because without fail we are earnestly ASKing by way of either prayer, pleading or petition and not noticeably receiving our answers.  Let's dive in a little closer and see what God may be saying here.  Let's imagine for a second that these three actions coupled together are the correct formula for an answer.  ASK, SEEK and then KNOCK!  This reminds me of when Elisha visited the widow who was about to have her two sons taken as slaves.  He told her to do three things which served as an exercise of her faith.  It's easy to conclude you don't have what you need to solve your problems.  The Apostles when presented the task of feeding five thousand men and their families we're asked by Jesus, "what do you have?"  Their reply to Jesus was very similar to the widows response to Elisha when asked the same question, "Nothing." After some reflection, a little boy's lunch was offered to Jesus and the widow recalled having a jar of olive oil to Elisha.  In both of these accounts, the first lesson to understand is that you must give God something to work with.  Maybe we can all become more like Jesus who decided to thank God for what He did have rather than focusing on what He didn't have.

Secondly, we consider the available resources at our disposal in relation to our expectation of God's presence in our situation.  The widow was instructed to gather as many empty jars as she could from her friends, family, neighbors and her community. Today we would refer to that as our "sphere of influence."  The man of God reiterated, "Don't ASK for just a few."  The Apostles on the shore were also instructed to ASK the hungry men to sit in sections of 50 or 100.  This "call to order" math based on 5,000 is 100 sections of 50 men or 50 sections of 100 men which potentially serves as a supernatural correlation with the 150 Psalms.  Either way, after understanding that we're unable to be the miracle someone else needs without God's help, it all falls into perspective.  You need to give God something to work with and then have an expectation of the coming blessing in your preparation.  Another example is how Noah didn't wait for it to start raining before he began building the boat.  The boats construction took place 100 years before the flood no where near a body of water.

The third and final element of this proposed "answered prayer formula" is to close the door behind you.  When Noah had accepted and "called to order" the animals that we have been given dominion over, the Bible says that the LORD closed the door behind them.  God was upset with what the "free will world" had become and decided to completely close that door and never look back.  Elisha instructed the widow to "close the door behind you" so the olive oil (often representing the Holy Spirit) can continue to flow until the last remaining empty vessel is filled to the brim.  What do are we supposed to close in our life so that another one may be open in Jesus name?

We have too many people in our society today that would rather paint themselves as a 1st world victim rather than the blood of Christ.  If you live in America for example, I doesn't matter if you're in a section 8 housing project, on food stamps, welfare or imprisoned in the penitentiary, our living conditions are better than a majority of the human beings we share this planet with.  Don't be so quick to discount your prayers as being unanswered.  Maybe your prayer was answered with an opportunity that presented itself.  What if you never pursued that opportunity and it past you by?  A wise man once told me, "an opportunity of a lifetime only last the lifetime of the opportunity."  Once you ASK, you must SEEK until you find that door to the opportunity.  While standing close enough to see the door,  you have definitely come to far to not knock on it.  My friends, KNOCK on it, KNOCK on it and keep on KNOCKing on the damn thing until it's answered!!! 

Another word to the wise would be a word of caution, please slow down in getting caught up with the affairs of civilian life.  There's truly no reward for winning or losing.  If you want the eternal victory that Christ has already claimed for us, it doesn't cost a dime and we're all brothers and sisters in that Kingdom to come.  If you want to have a fruitful relationship with Christ here on earth and step into the promises that He already has for your life, "Get off your lazy ass and do something about it."  If you're looking to better your situation and shake off the generational curse that has chained our way of thinking down, "Get off of your lazy ass and do something about it."  A famous body builder who used to be my pastor once told me, "Until you're doing everything you know that you should be doing and NOT doing the things that you know you should not be doing, you don't need help, you just have a discipline problem."  So true Pastor Tad!!!

 "You have to say what you see so you can see what you say." 

-Pastor Ronald Robey

WHY Kingdom Ministries 

WHYKingdom.com

Father's Day Enlistment

This Father's Day I've been reflecting on our Father and what He must be saying during these challenging times on earth.  Would it be fair to say the Lord of lords and King of kings could also be considered to be the Father of fathers?  The author of Hebrews referred to God as the Father of our spirit in addition to the prophet Malachi raising the rhetorical question of us all being children of the same Father.  With this being said how do we serve our Father in a way that pleases Him?  I strongly believe that we need to enlist ourselves into the LORD's Army.

This is interesting when you think about what's going on in our communities and our country right now from the pandemic virus to the inequality protests of social injustice.  What do you imagine the Almighty is saying right now?  I'm not the spokesperson for the world but I can however speak for myself when I tell you that He's calling out the Warriors and soldiers to enlist.  The transition of the earthly man into the Kingdom man would be similar to a "basic training" which should harvest obedience, discernment and discipline. Next we should develop an ear to hear and the faith to put His commandments into action.

The apostle Paul instructed Timothy to endure suffering along with him, as a good soldier of Christ Jesus.  Later he explained that soldiers should not get tied up in the affairs of civilian life, for then they cannot please the officer who enlisted them.  Since the victory has already been won for those set apart and destined for His Kingdom, how does that effect our temporal situations? It almost parallels with Joshua while he was on his way to the promise land with the people Israel and the mixed multitude of foreign rabble.  The promise land was also extended to the Egyptians who chose to follow God instead of continuing to worship the inferior Egyptian gods or the Pharaoh which ruled the land. Simply put, following God and accepting His free gift is a choice that we have to make but He will in fact demonstrate His immeasurable power whether you choose Him or not.

After circumcising a nation and crossing with the Ark over the Jordan, Joshua came upon the Commander of the Lord's Army. This is very similar to the angel of the LORD that finally got Balaam's attention while riding his speaking donkey. Joshua however posed one of the most interesting questions that still consumes my thoughts today.  "Are you a friend or foe?"  This demand made total sense when it's put in the proper context but what was the response of the LORD's army commander?  He replied, "Neither one" and stated that he was "the commander of the LORD's army."  Upon hearing this, Joshua fell with his face to the ground in reverence saying, "I'm at your command, what do you want your servant to do?"  This is very interesting when you think about what's going on today in the world we live in.

It's natural to take sides on issues, debate beliefs and voice our disagreements.  When you reach a stalemate and neither side can be convinced, the discussion usually relocates into a secular courtroom where non-believers can settle disputes before an appointed judge.  As believers, we are instructed to take our matters before other believers with God having the final verdict on appeals.  Let's just throw it out there and stop beating around the bush...... What if we asked God to choose a side on the racial inequality and social injustice problem we have in America.  Furthermore, what if His decision on the issues we face today is take neither side? Knowing my master personally and studying the treatment of his people set apart for His glory makes you raise an eyebrow.  How could he allow His chosen people to go through 400 years of slavery and not step in and do something about it?  Just before the Exodus from Egypt the work actually became increasingly harder as the Israelite's had to also find the straw to make their bricks while keeping the same quota. Does God want things to get worse before they get better or is there a deeper revelation to be understood?

The generational curse of not acting on the promises God has for His people effected every single person freed from slavery and led to the wilderness.  Because of their unbelief and unwillingness to follow His lead, the Israelite's turned an 11 day journey into a 40 year pilgrimage.  This provoked God's anger to announce that they all must die and not one person alive will step into his promised land.  Because of God's love for His servant Moses, he did allow him to see it from a distance from a far away mountain top just before his death.  The entire generation however died without ever seeing it or stepping foot in it due to failing to take action based on God's word.  It then became the next generations chance under the direction of Joshua to enter the promised land God had set aside for His people.

Are we making decisions right now that is cursing our generation?  Does our generation have to die off before the next generation can see God's promises come to pass?  Is our God standing silent while men and women are crying out to Him with their issues?  Are those issues considered to be "civilian issues" that do not exist in the new earth and new heaven our Lord has prepared for us?  Only God knows these things but I just wanted to drop you a line today to encourage you to listen to the "still silent voice" and educate yourselves.  He will speak if you have an ear to hear.  -Amen

THE Lord is my Shepard, I shall NOT want

Beloved.

The Lord is My Shepard, I lack nothing.

The last month, with this pandemic, has caused some interesting things to happen in the world as we know it. At first, we all listened to the news as they talked about China having a new strain of an old virus. Flu like in nature but affecting older people and those with low immunities quite devastatingly. And then those traveling brought it to their home countries. Just like the flu, a simple cough or sneeze uncovered allowed this to spread in to the communities. China, South Korea and Italy are now in epidemic levels. Yesterday, in a 24 hour period Italy's death toll jumped from 189 to 1,016. It is a bit shocking. Italy has a full country quarantine. Grocery store or pharmacy trips only. After 12 days all schools were shut down. TWELVE days.

He makes me lie down in green pastures, He lead me beside quiet waters, He refreshes my soul.

We here in America have cases through out the country. Big concentrations in the Washington and New York. And the rest of us watch and wait. This week, all sports have cancelled, concerts have cancelled, the rodeo, schools have cancelled for 1-2 weeks AND the Church. The Church? I took the kids on a grocery trip, thanks to Spring Break, and it was like we had a hurricane brewing. Water is gone. Toilet paper (which perplexes me) gone. Eggs. Hot dogs. Meat. Tuna. Soup. All cleared from the shelves. PANIC has set in. Things that were not cleared, that you would think would be MORE important, over the counter medicine. Pain relief or cough medication. Even humidifiers were still packed on the shelves.

Even though I walk through the valley of death, I will fear no evil, for you are with me; your rod and your staff, they comfort me.

 The entire time, as I was looking at the shelves and the people hurrying around me, I could not stop saying "WOW". WOW, is this really THAT serious? WOW, why is everyone so panicked? WOW, what about keeping calm? WOW, we are really hoarders in our cores. Selfish. Anxious. Worriers instead of Warriors.

You prepare a table before me in the presence of my enemies. You anoint my head with oil; my cup overflows.

These thoughts made me sad.   I started thinking about Jesus. Our home is on a big smoothie kick and we use a lot of fruit these days. As I went through the frozen fruit isle there was 1 bag of strawberries left. As I took the bag from the freezer a woman ran up and looked so upset and disappointed. And quickly her words came from her mouth, "OH NO". I looked at the bag and back at her, gave her a smile and handed it to her. Told her I could get some later.
Love. Jesus said Love. Jesus showed Love. He is our example. He did not panic. He did not hoard. He gave it all away. He spoke of loving your neighbor MORE than yourself. In this 'crisis' our world is facing we must NOT forget Jesus is still Lord. He is our Strength. Savior. Reminding us we are Warriors NOT Worriers.

Surely your goodness and love will follow me all the days of my life, AND I will dwell in the house of the Lord forever.

Do your part child of the Most High. Pray for others. Love others. And remember our Hope rests in something greater than this world. Greater than Panic. Greater than illness. Greater are YOU, Lord. We must let our breath in our lungs pour our praises and thanksgiving to Him.

Choose Kingdom!  

"Do NOT be anxious about your life, what will you eat or what you will drink, nor about your body, what you will put on. Is not life more than food, and the body more than clothing? Look at the birds of the air; they neither sow nor reap nor gather into barns, and yet Your Heavenly Father feeds them. Are you not of more value than they? And which of you by being anxious can add a single hour to his span of life? "

"Seek First the Kingdom Of God and His Righteousness, and all these things will be added to you." 

- Jesus Our Christ (Matthew 6: 25-27 & 33)

Be Warriors

A Touch can Change Everything!

I've been thinking over the past few weeks about how a simple touch from the Lord can completely change your life.  From a seed planted in fertile soil, we spun into existence by the command of our creator in the universe of our mothers womb. Before the first follicle of hair breached our skin, His plan came to pass leaving a cowlick in the back of our head.  Free will was birthed as the spinning seed began the development of our thinking. Soon after our tiny hand pressed into our mother's womb creasing and creating our divine fingerprint.  This is a work of art that has never been and never will be duplicated producing evidence of our uniqueness.  By design, we're unable to choose our race, geographical location, family dynamic, economical status, traits, genes or talents.  That's the proverbial hand that we're dealt.  On the contrary, we all have the opportunity of adoption from the Most High if we simply choose to accept the free gift in Christ.

Babies aren't born racist with political affiliations, ulterior motives or hidden agendas as they're unaware of their nakedness.  Much like Adam and Eve in the garden, it wasn't until the serpent enlightened them with the pathway to good and evil knowledge that they lost their intentional eternity with the Lord.  Many of the filters, lenses and labels we place on people have all been by design or default.  Adam and Eve were covered with fig leaves to remove their shame of being naked when God asked, "Who told you that you were naked?"  That's a great question..... Who taught you to think that way that you think?  What are we teaching our kids by our words, actions or examples concerning discipleship?  Do we realize that our greatest disciples are sitting at our tables?  Furthermore, WHY has the Lord put us on this earth for such a time as this?  Let's dive into this a little deeper.

If a touch from God can change everything and the Holy Spirit is a fire that burns the dross from within us to make us the true living sacrifice, how impactful is our touch?  If numerous people touch something, won't the most recent fingerprint override the ones that came before?  More over, If people have spoke their opinions over your life, am I incorrect by saying, what God has to say about you supersedes them all?   Has your fingerprint been used to identify the evidence of your presence?  If we are all made in the image of the Almighty does He leave evidence when He touches something or someone?  That's a good thought but how could we actually compare our touch with a touch from the Father?

This lesson of Man School will be focused on touch and how a man evolves in significance with his touch.  Children for example can develop a textile learning behavior trait which means they learn better from touching things.  Later in life there should be a maturation transition in the child's thinking concerning the responsibility and impact of their touch.  You can easily see the discipline a man has received or has not received in his life based on the way that he touches things.  This information is very important and can actually save your life.  Let's look at a few examples of how you can unintentionally disrespect someone with your touch.

1.  Imagine walking through a parking lot and touching all of your favorite cars.  Just a careless stroll through parked vehicles while you casually brush up against them leaving a scratch or mark.  Be very careful touching things that do not belong to you, this action could potentially get you killed.  Please understand that there may be a little grace for a child but a man will endure consequences outside the rule of law.  This message should be common sense but "learning the hard way" is not advised on this issue.

2.  Did you know that underground caverns have stalactites and stalagmites growing inside of them?  One touch of the oily human hand can prevent them from growing due to
Walk though the house and touch the walls, TV screens, windows, mirrors and whatever else you can get your hands on.  Since you're already touching everything with your grimmy, greasy and oily hands, leave a mark that will last forever.

3.  Putting your hands on someone in the wrong way can have devastating consequences.  Push someone out of the way, shake them to wake up or put your hand in their face.  If you don't discipline yourself, the world will discipline you, that's a fact! Experts say that relationships between a man and woman are healthier when you have at least 10 non-sexual touches a day.

4.  Being heavy handed rather than displaying gentleness when situations call for it.  Slamming doors, drumming tables and walls.  It's common to hear someone say that money is the rout of all evil.  I personally do not believe that to be true.  Money is a tool much like a hammer.  It can be used to build a great house or can also be used as a weapon to destroy someone.

Encouragement.

Death and Life are in the power of the tongue.

 Proverbs 18:21 

I Choose Life.

In this day and perhaps in the past people dripped their negativity down on one another. We have all been there. Someone will say something negative to you. True or Not. And that comment LIVES with us and in us.  And sometimes our entire life.

I was listening to the local Christian radio station this am. And the ladies were talking about encouraging one another. So they attempted to say kind words to one another. And as I listened to this terrible attempt of finding something to compliment the other one I thought. .WOW. They have nothing positive to say. "You look nice today" Is that all? My husband, when we were dating, was always so surprised at how encouraging  I was. Always positive and saying things uplifting. He thought 'that won't last'. But we are CALLED for THAT TO LAST.  Jesus said to LOVE. No matter what. And all through out the Bible Christians are called to encourage others. There is a verse that I have always attributed to 'foul language' I bet you know the verse. Ephesians 4:29. In the English Standard Version. is says "LET NO CORRUPTING Talk come out of your mouth, but only such as is good for building up, as fits the occasion, that it may give grace to those that hear. "

 Corrupting: to alter, falsify, manipulate, tamper with. Altering someone mentally as we know, causes lasting damage. Studies say. 7 positive things counter act 1 negative. I believe we should stir up one another to love and good works as James says in Hebrews 10:24.  Let's practice what we profess! To be followers of Jesus Christ, show and speak and be love to one another.  So how do you do it? Guard your tongue and speak.  OUT LOUD.. don't just think. "They know how I feel" Hearing it, speaking words of life and love into their souls speaks volumes for a persons confidence, self esteem, happiness and even physical health.

I really like it when you....
I love the way you...
You are so......
Just thinking of you makes me smile....
I really appreciate when you.....
I know you ____________for me and it means so much to me
I love you.
I missed you today.
I was thinking about you.
I can't wait to see you.


Find the good in them and tell them.  Iron sharpens iron.  Do not conform to the negativity this world has to offer. Transform by renewing your mind. And then you can discern the will of God. What is GOOD and ACCEPTABLE and Perfect.   I found 100 verses about encouraging others! It is not just a passing thing it is a central part of God's plan of Christ Like Followers walking this earth!

1 Peter 4:8-10  Above all, keep loving one another earnestly, since love covers a multitude of sins. Show hospitality to one another without grumbling. As each has received a gift, use it to serve one another, as good stewards of God's varied grace.  Love conquers all. And when we love others and profess that love to them. WHAT can they accomplish?! And in return their words speak life and love. And those who they come in contact with. CONTAGION. Just as the early church spread like wild fire so can we for such a time as this. This was a foreign way of thinking. LOVE. LOVE others. Give to others. It is what Jesus taught. Therefore be imitators of God, as beloved Children! And watch the lives of your loved ones and yours change. Consider it pure joy!  Whenever you face trails of many kinds, because you know that the testing of your faith produces perseverance. Let perseverance finish its work so that you may be mature and complete, not lacking anything. Find the good Beloved. It is there. Waiting to be revealed. 


Laura Diane Robey. 

My unfailing love you will not be moved

Divine Alignment with a BRIDE PRICE!

DIVINE ALIGNMENT with a BRIDE PRICE

It was a scorching August day in the middle of the Nevada desert where our wedding ceremony took place.  Just before 3pm with sweat dripping off of our foreheads, the Reverent Kenneth Baker asked Laura and I to recite our previously prepared vows to each other.  To be perfectly honest, my original plan was to "wing it" and just tell her what came upon my heart in that moment.  The hour before the Pastor showed up however I found myself in deep thought about all of the life that I had been lived up to this point as I then reflected on what I would soon say before God and everyone.  The day set apart for the Lord (August 15th) had been months away which then reduced to weeks away and now had become seconds away as the camera phones were now being set to video mode as the silence covered us up like a blanket.  "Ronald" the preacher signaled, "You may begin."

"Umm.....  Babe..."  was all I got out before everyone began laughing as if I said something hysterical. Laura tried to calm my nerves with a smile saying, "I knew you were going to say that."  After the chuckles receded, I began speaking about the high points and low points of my life.  I mean truly, I had accomplished and acquired some pretty amazing things during these 42 years on earth but I admittedly had also lost everything several times too without an eject button within reach. During my vow, I summarized my life with the fatigue of building card castles and sand castles again and again just to witness them blown down or knocked over.  I then recounted a time in my life where it had gotten so out of hand that my soul cried out to God pleading that He would strip everything away until all I had was Him.  "That prayer was answered" I sternly announced as I continued the next section of my vow.

"There was a time in fact when I only had the shirt on my back and I didn't even own that."  The audience searched their memories for what phase of life they thought I may have be referring to as I continued.  "My second prayer was, 'God!  All I ask of You is to give me a firm foundation to build on' and that prayer too was answered." Through the years of in depth biblical studies I've charged myself with, I knew that Jesus had to be the center or it wouldn't work.  I remember speaking to the crowd as I gazed into Laura's eyes saying, "and we met for our first date to do a Bible study together."  Our family seemed to have raised their eyes as if to think about where they met their spouse for the first time and I'm pretty sure their personal recollections were quite different than the story I was telling.  For me it was really about the BRIDE PRICE and knowing that the suffering had to be shared in order for our Father to grant me His daughter in marriage.

You see, Christ Jesus is the Bride Groom who is one day going to return for His bride.  (The Church)  There are many stories in the Bible of men having to pay a Bride Price to include but not limited to Jacob, King David and Christ Himself.  Jacob paid his uncle Laban 7 years of labor for his daughter Leah and then another 7 years of labor for his other daughter Rachael.  King David slayed Goliath as the Bride Price to be awarded in the marriage of King Saul's daughter Michal.  With this being said, what did Christ have to pay as a Bride Price to be worthy of becoming the Bride Groom?  Obviously it was the cross and at 3pm the veil was torn in two as the believers were now covered in the blood of the Son to have a direct connection to The Father Himself.  At exactly 3pm on the day set apart for the Lord, we muttered with Christ in us for the last time individually, "It is finished." That was the moment that the three of us became unified as one.

Later that night, Laura and I danced for the first time under the full moon as Mr. and Mrs. Ronald Edward Robey Jr.  It was a very prophetic evening that had been drenched with significance referencing numeric patterns of dates to complete confirmation of miraculous signs from above.  Today we are just as excited as the day we got married regarding what God has in store for us in addition to how His dream can now come to pass through us since we have finally been divinely aligned. May the Lord receive all of the glory.  -Ron

WHY Kingdom Ministries

whykingdom.com

#AskWHYKingdom

Passover and Jesus.

Thursday during Easter week is a big day. It is the day that Jesus celebrated His last Passover meal, He served His disciples by washing their feet. He was preparing them for the walk to come. This Passover meal, also known as the Last Supper, was full of symbolism. The unleavened bread, matzah, is placed in a 3 pocketed linen cloth. One is never used, never seen and remains unbroken. The other two chambers, one broken at the beginning of the meal and the other is eaten during the meal.

Trinity? OH yes!

1. God. Whole Remains with us and yet unseen.

2. The center. Called "Ha Ben" meaning the Son. Broken. Jesus. Only using half and represents Jesus' Divine Nature.

3. Eaten during the meal. The Holy Spirit. Which is in us. Consuming us.

Jesus broke the center matzah, leaving half in the linen, and the other half, representing Himself passed it among the disciples. This is my body. Given for you. Do this. And remember me.

The Seder plate:

The vegetables. This item is usually parsley that has been dipped in salt water. To represent the hyssop that was used to apply the blood on the homes of the Israelites in Egypt. It was also what was used when Jesus' was offered bitter wine on the cross.

The biter herbs. Thought to be a form of horseradish. To remind us of the bitterness of slavery. And the bitterness of sin.

Charoset. Or a compote for you cooking enthusiast this mixture of apples, nuts, wine and spices was a sweet reminder of the hope of redemption.

Roasted egg or hard boiled egg. This may seem familiar to today "Easter eggs". The Jewish people use this as a reminder of the destruction of the temple. BUT we Christians, it is symbol of rebirth.

The Lamb. There is so much to say about this. The lamb was to be a male, about 1 year old, unblemished and perfect. Examined thoroughly. (Mark 15) You were not allowed to break it's bones. (John 19:36) The blood applied to wooden beams.(Matthew 27:32+) Killed publicly. (Matt. 27:27+, Mark 15:16+, Luke 23: 26+, John 19:16+) Killed on Passover. The blood blocking God's wrath. The Passover meal was to be completed ready to serve by 3 pm. Mark 15:34 When Jesus breathed His last.

Now the wine. The Passover meal involves 4 glasses of wine each representing something different.

At the Last Supper Jesus took the first cup and said the next time He would drink of it would be in the kingdom with 'US'.

The Cup of Sanctification.

The process of becoming holy. We are in the process and we will not be complete until we reach glory.

The Cup of Judgment.

This cup has been the topic of much debate during the last supper. DID Jesus pass this cup or did He drink it all Himself. I think about when He asked God to let this cup pass Him. And yet He said, If it is your will. I will leave you to reflect on this. Yet, the Jewish people do drink of this cup as they await their Messiah. Remembering God's judgment and wrath for sin.

The Cup of Redemption.

Cup #3. Jesus began what we practice today during a communion service. DO this in remembrance of me. He redeemed us. By shedding His blood. Reflect on the Jesus, in the upper room, speaking to the disciples in a new way. Not just speaking the tradition of the Passover but of what events that were to come and would soon occur in His own life. Lastly,

The Cup of Praise.

We are forgiven. Restored!

I find it so interesting that scripture time and time again points to Jesus.

Blessing to you and your family during this Easter week.

Domesticated in the Name of Jesus!

     This morning I woke up with a list of things to do which included cleaning the fish we caught the night before.  After pouring a custom Starbucks quality coffee in my cup, I went out on our back deck and proceeded to size up these tasks.  Gus (our senior citizen dog) came along for the fresh air as I opened up the ice filled cooler.  It was full of fish ready for the knife and as I looked over at Gus, he had the biggest smile on his face.  I then glanced back at the fish and shared a victorious smile with Mr. Gustavo.  This was a moment of reflection for me as I became submerged into deep thought.

     Obviously our dog wouldn't know what to do with a fish unless it wasn't processed into dog food and placed in his bowl.  In fact, if he were to be relocated out in the wild and was forced to fend for himself, the pour guy wouldn't make it.  This got me thinking about myself and if I was transplanted into a primitive situation, would I have the survival skills to sustain life.  This past weekend we took the family on a camping trip, ate wood fired food and slept in tents but it was only for a few days.  Embarrassingly I mustered up the strength to complain about the air mattress and fishing arrangements.

     There's less than a one percent DNA difference between everyone who has ever has, is and will live on this earth.  With that being said a question is presented, "Have I become domesticated like this dog?"  

     It's natural to compare yourself to other people and although they look like me, there's often a huge difference.  It's kinda like the side by side comparison of a dog and a wolf.  You'll also find less than a one percent difference between a dog and a wolf while they are very different in behavioral aspects.  Let's explore these creations and see if God is saying something here.

1.  The wolf matures considerable faster than the dog and can process or digest more food.  The wolf can break up and hold between 10 to 20 pounds of raw meat as the dog usually has a cup in the morning and a cup in the afternoon.

2.  A dog can breed several times a year as the wolf only breeds once between February and mid March.  These wolf pups are born between April and May which interestingly coincides with our resurrection celebration.  For those who do not know, Easter is the first full moon after March 21st and the Sunday that follows it.  Lastly, the dog is solely dependent on it's mother as the wolf is supported with a mother and father system.

3.  A dog will learn to obey commands like "sit and stay" to receive a treat as where a wolf has the ability and would rather get it's own food.  Another interesting point experts have discovered is that a dog will not share it's food as the wolf will wait until it's pack can join in on the feast.

This was very interesting to me as the Bible clearly informs us that there should be a difference between a Christian and a non-believer.  Unfortunately, we witness many times our brothers and sisters are disguised so well that you're unable to tell them apart from unbelievers.  In fact the sad thing is, I'm thinking about myself and wondering if I'm lacking to make an impact for the Kingdom.  Let's look at ways to put our faith in action and bring God's supernatural in our lives.

1.  Can you break down and process spiritual food or are you still living on the milk of the word?  Do you constantly need to be entertained and led to Christ through music, talented teachers and videos? Are you a Sunday only Christian? Do you spend time praying and living the Word and reflect the biblical values in your life? When I compare a former me from years ago, does my life illustrate GROWTH. Being fully transparent, I have thought about what Church we will be attending on Sunday and debate with myself. The worship is awesome here or there, this one the preacher is boring, this other one is just goes on too long.  What makes us choose a particular place of worship?

     Let's reflect on Acts:2:42-47 to be exact. They devoted themselves to the apostles' teaching AND to fellowship, to the breaking of bread and to prayer. They learned what God said as they sat together to share a meal. They reasoned with one another, prayed for one another and bore one another's burdens. They sold all they owned to care for one another much like the example given in the wolf pack.  They never left anyone behind like Christ taught about the one sheep missing from the 99. Where is that today? Some churches do get this right in some aspects with "home groups" and allow their members to "share the meat" through fellowship.

2.  Am I being the father that my children need?  Do I resemble the qualities that our Heavenly Father has installed for a man of God?  A percentage of our society has become poverty stricken from single moms struggling on their own. Much as the female dogs raises the pups on her own, our men are not taking their place in their families either.  Where have we lost our way here? We need to raise up men who lead the way for their pack like it says in Titus 2.  Men, let's set an example for the younger men and hold each other accountable.  Galatians 6:1-2 "Brothers, if anyone is caught in any transgression, you who are spiritual should restore him in a spirit of gentleness. Keep watch on yourself, lest you too be tempted. Bear one another's burdens, and so fulfill the law of Christ."

3.  Are we stewarding our blessings with a Kingdom mindset or trying to "get all we can, can all we get and sit on our can"? Are you sharing your "Food" with others? Are we a replica of Christ as He is a great example of a selfless servant leader?

     With this enlightenment, I wonder how many Christians could survive without having their spiritual food spoon fed to them.  What I mean is, if you took away everything including your Bible, could you still have a relationship with the Lord?  Much like the wolf and the dog, is there a difference between you and a non-believer? Have we become spiritually domesticated and have lost the ability to survive on our own? My thought is we have gotten so far away from New Testament Church living that this would be very difficult for most of us.  I'm not talking about "you," I'm referring to "us."  With all of the scriptures that we have memorized, are we confident that we could return to an Acts way of living.  Can I look at my walk and say that through prayer and listening to the Holy Spirit I could be lead without my Bible? That's certainly a good goal to set for ourselves.

     Brother Lawrence from 'The Practice of the Presence of God' wrote: "There is not in the world a kind of life more sweet and delightful, than that of a continual conversation with God; those only can comprehend it who practice and experience it." I want that. To elaborate a bit further, I witnessed during my trip to prison last year a brother who wanted a relationship with God like Moses.  Brother Perry wanted his face to shine so bright from being in His presence that he would need to be veiled from the people.  This man of God became a mentor of mine as now a year later I continue to challenge myself, my family and you. I believe that each of us in the body of Christ can make a difference towards a GREAT spiritual awakening. Beloved, it is time for such as time as this. You were brought to this place for a purpose!

 May the Lord bless you, keep you and be glorified through our faith in action.

The Gospel: What is it? WHY Kingdom Ministries

The Gospel: What is it? The chronological events of Jesus life seen through Matthew, Mark, Luke and John's eyes? Was it just the Holy Spirit inspiring (breathing) into each of them the stories and history of Jesus life on earth, years after these events took place? Was it just a record of events that they observed the times and places in each of their lives so that they could reflect on "life and times" of Team-Jesus? Or was it as many say...The "Good News"?? It was surely...all of these things but much more....! What is it??

If you will allow me to elaborate a little. I would like to share a pretty crazy experience I have encountered over the last 4 days. First, I located on YouTube a series of all 4 of the Gospels individually that were acted out as a verse by verse narration was read! Maybe you have seen it!?! The actors were speaking very softly in Aramaic(the original language of that time), however the reading was in English. Good for me because I cant understand anything else! lol I took one of these per night, which ranged from 2.5-3.5hrs and over 4 consecutive evenings of watching, note taking and reading my bible(NKJV) while listening to the narrator read in another similar version, the actors replayed the events verse by verse. Pretty cool!! I found myself starting @ 9p and finishing hours later. While viewing these 4 books of the Gospel as a transparency overlay, if you will, and comparing each of these books and going back to the book from the night before, therefore gaining a perspective of the content, I started to feel something that was like...."I cant stop", "I have to keep going!" Later into the night a presence from within was driving me on and to not stop. Even late into the night until 2, 3, 4am. This desire and fire had a purpose I knew, but wasn't totally sure other than the fact that I was remembering what was happening from the night before and with all of its details. I was excited to identify what it really was!?! As I read the events from one book to the next, I remembered things from the night before, therefore the night before with all of the events started to take on a new "full disclosure" that I had never seen or experienced ever before!

I felt within me, something growing and burning as I felt in a peculiar way that I, myself that I was in the book somehow! From having read these books many times before, I knew as I was reading the events were about to happen and everything that was going to happen later. However, I felt I was in this story for some odd reason!?! I knew that "the star" Jesus was going to die and go away, but I was starting to identify life, knowing that the story was about to turn ugly. I became more and more alive in the middle of the night while watching and reading etc....

I paused frequently over these last 4 days during the read, soaking it in and meditated from time to time reflecting on what I had just experienced. Much of the content was the same from book to book with some mentioned in one and not in another. I realized that on of the guys or the other may have not been there or ran out of ink or something! Furthermore,...The Nativity story, Jesus as a boy in the temple, the baptism of Jesus by John the Baptist("the messenger"), tempted in the wilderness, the rejection of Jesus by his own town, Jesus teaching the disciples, the earthly stories with heavenly meanings(parables}, the healings, the compassion, the persistence of those to see Him who would not let anything hold them back from Him(faith), the one on one talks, another rejection , the sermons, the betrayal, the capture, the torture, the beating, the nails and the cross....the tomb...Defeating Death!

That fire of desire that started nights before grew stronger and brighter and kept me up into the wee hours to read and press into this project that I had no idea what to expect, but I made a commitment and the Holy Spirit supplied the power and gravitational force to complete this. It started to create a new light that shown on all of the things told about in the bible. In absolutely every story that I had ever heard or read from Genesis to Malachi I started to see more of His plan and purpose with a glimpse of what I had not seen before. The entire book started to come to life and It became even more evident to me than before that these were all a chain of events...strategically choreographed by God, the only God, the God who created me...! It was more evident than ever before that this same plan was fitting and overlapping into all of the stories in the bible.....and even that this plan was established and was put into motion and existed before time was created and certainly before I ever existed!! This further opened my eyes to see that it was Gods love providing for divine insurance plan...to buy me back...because He knew, that I was going to make all the wrong choices, screw it up and....reject Him and who He was...Just like His own town rejected Him...the people of Nazareth!!...

What?...Why?...I was trash!...I didn't warrant or deserve having someone go through all that on my account!!... As I became overwhelmed with this thought, and my emotions getting the best of me...I realized what it was!! That before I came to believe in Him, I had completely botched up everything! Because He created me to do just one thing...have a relationship with Him...I had completely screwed that up!!!...WHY??? WHY for me and WHY did I do all that?? I was sad just remembering the years I had wasted when I heard a still soft voice say. "I was there through all those years and knew that you would see!" "I knew the day that you would say...I had enough emptiness in my life"! The voice said to me..."remember that night when I called your name in that dark lonely place?" I said yes! He said..."that was me and wanted a relationship with you more that you did and I did all of that for you!" He also said...I would have done all of that even if it was just you!"

I realize now what the Gospel is.... What He did for me...so that I could experience true love, His love that made Him do everything that I couldn't...so that I could have a future...eternal life!

Luv, GDUB

BUILD A WALL OR TEAR IT DOWN?

BUILD A WALL OR TEAR IT DOWN?

It's almost impossible to be an American and not be aware of the wall controversy that has our divided country debating politically.  Today I don't write to you from the viewpoint of a white male, a Texan or from any social economic status but rather I present myself to you today from the viewpoint of a child of Almighty God.  It's certainly not my intention as well to get involved with earthly politics when my God sits on the throne and advancing His Kingdom is my goal.  With all of that being said,  I read Nehemiah this morning and a story stuck out at me when the people from Jerusalem were rebuilding the walls of their town.  Let's point out a few things and see if there's any correlation or supernatural correlation to the world that we're living in today.

With the blessings of King Cyrus of Persia, the fire damaged town of Jerusalem was approved to be rebuilt by Ezra while surrounded by hostile forces.  Any rebuilding progress would be proposed as a threat and would be stopped at any cost.  Instead of building the towns walls first to provide protection, Ezra and the Levites (God's chosen people) decided they should first rebuild His church.  This was amazing considering the opposition had dangerous plans to prevent any rebuilding efforts.  Zerubbabel was appointed over the temple construction and in early autumn, all of the Israelites who had returned assembled at the newly built altar for a unified purpose.  This is not something that was common to be UNIFIED about anything since the time when the people were united in building the tower of Babel.  The Bible clearly says that when the people are all united, "nothing they set out to do will be impossible for them!"

Once the church was constructed, Nehemiah returned with the task of building the wall.  This construction project had laborers who literally worked from sunrise to sunset and with one hand building the wall and the other holding a sword to defend themselves.  Nehemiah instructed the men to "listen for the blast of the trumpet and rush to wherever it is sounding.  Then God will fight for us!"  Do you think God will fight your battles for you?  Moses instructed the people in Exodus 14 to not be afraid. "Just stand still and watch the LORD rescue you today."  "The LORD himself will fight for you.  Just stay calm."  Then the LORD said to Moses, "Why are you crying out to me?  Tell the people to get moving!"

How far away from being unified do you think we as a country are?  How far away from being unified do you think we as a church are?  These are very important questions to think about as we have built many walls between us that seem to be impenetrable.  Should we be building walls or tearing them down?  I challenge each and every reader to look at who are God is and let's change our thinking to how we can advance His Kingdom (government) on this earth.  May the Lord bless you and keep you all of your days.

-WHY Kingdom Ministries

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GENESIS Day 1 / New Beginnings / WHY Kingdom Ministries

NEW BEGINNINGS / DAY 1

Today is a "Day 1" situation here in my natural and I was awake early this morning thinking about the supernatural correlation. In Genesis (which means beginning) God said on the first day, "Let there be light," and there was light. The Bible says that the light was separated from the darkness and He called the light "day" and the darkness "night." The evening passed and the morning came or the darkness passed and the light came marking the first day!

Lord in the supernatural correlation that I'm living out today, may you mark your territory by speaking light into my situation. Lord, you said that your word became flesh and dwelt among us which is our savior Jesus Christ who dwells among us believers through your Holy Spirit. Thank you Lord for loving me enough to have a new beginning every morning and may I be bold enough to record my moments in the valley so you're name may be glorified and your will be done in my life. -Amen

Good morning my brothers and sisters...... This is a day one situation of a Godly alignment for us here at the Ministry and we're praying that you're also having a new fresh day in your life as well. God bless you!

WHY Kingdom Ministries

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