Of Perennials, Evergreens And Such, Lessons From The Garden

Seasons Come, Seasons Go, God Is Faithful

Beloved, your spiritual life holds many seasons. Sometimes, just like in the natural, they seem to defy normal courses of action. There are years in which there seems to be no spring, no summer, no fall or no winter. In the natural there are often years of drought when times of rain seem a distant memory.

Yet, there are times when the weather is just perfect. In response, many plant their gardens in anticipation of better and more beautiful days. Out of seemingly nowhere a cold front moves in and all they planted suffers death or setback for they did not look to the weather forecast for any signs of possible change.

Those who were diligent to watch the weather covered their plants…they hid them in the secret places, under buckets and cloth until the weather was clear. Suffering only slight damage to the external edges…with roots intact, they were able to grow and produce a harvest. So will you.

Those who were careless or refused to watch and prepare suffered great loss to the seasonal things of their garden and missed some opportune times…missed having certain fruit. Often when this happens, many forget the perennial and evergreen aspects of their garden only to concentrate on the immediate. Perhaps they only planted seasonal items. Regardless, there are lessons to be learned and faith is tested.

There are those times regardless of whether one does or does not watch and pray where loss takes place in unexplainable ways. Once again faith is tested, for it rains on the just and the unjust…rains on both the good and the bad. In these times, remember I am faithful and I am not hindered by circumstance or situation. I am the God of the impossible. What is most important to Me is abiding with you. Don’t let anything persuade you to (not?) pull away out of resentment, anger or self-loathing for not having overcome in any area of your life. I will satisfy every place of dryness, need or worry (Isaiah 58:11)

Beloved, the difference is not in the type of weather, but in the gardener and his perspective…the difference is what you have planted in your garden and knowing what kind of plant you are. The difference is in knowing who you belong to…in knowing, though life is seasonal, you like the evergreen, are rooted in the eternal. Seasons come and seasons go, yet I remain the same. I am faithful.

Even in the dead of winter, I spring eternal. I am able to resurrect for I am the Resurrection. All manner of dead things come to life in My Presence. Move in close and let Me resurrect the dead things never meant to die…let Me invigorate afresh all things in full production…let Me breathe a future and a hope into every area of your garden. You are indeed beautiful to Me, and just to let you know, Solomon’s bride has nothing on you.

The Soil Of Your Heart

Beloved, the diligent and the wise prepare their gardens ahead of time from the foundation of the soil up. You have done so by giving Me entrance into the very fabric of your life. I am the foundation of your life…the salvation of your heart. Your spirit is made alive in Me but your soul still contains uncultivated ground. Don’t fret…everyone’s does.

Your uncultivated ground is broken up by being in submission to My Word when it comes as conviction (not guilt) to your heart. I never ask you to clear all your land at one time…only what I show you. This is where some falter and I do not want you to do so. Don’t try and cultivate things on your own by digging in areas of your garden…by digging in areas of your heart where I am not working. I know just how to work the soil bit by bit until all comes into alignment with who I made you to be. It is imperative for you to follow Me…abide in Me…abide in My Word and learn to hear My voice in many different ways.

Beloved, when you do this, keeping in sync with Me will be much easier. Sometimes you try getting out ahead of Me to fix yourself. Don’t try to find things wrong with yourself that I am not working on. There will be enough time for all that. One thing fixed strengthens the foundations of your life in order for Me to deal with another. I have told you many times that I work line upon line and am mindful that you are but dust (Isaiah 28:10 Amplified).

I tell you to break up the uncultivated soil of your life…but only in response to what I have spoken to you or am speaking to you. This is like planting your garden with all kinds of varieties of plants at different times and seasons for the greater benefit of each plant. As a result they all come to harvest at different times making provision possible on a continual basis. While one variety is planted in cultivated soil, the gardener can be working on other soil all the while nurturing what He has already planted with the expectancy of great gain. When it comes to harvest, faith and excitement grow in relation to the rest of His crop to come. This is called hope.

Many of those I love plant their garden with a variety of seasonal, perennial and evergreen varieties in order to have fruit for every season. They understand all seasons and all varieties ultimately have their root in eternal things. Though the results hoped for are not always evident, they know all things will eventually work to the good. As usual, in all things whether good or bad, faith is tested.

Why am I telling you all this? So you can learn to look deeper and learn many things from the natural things of life which I created. In doing this you will save yourself much worry and self-chastisement in the long run. Every season is beautiful to Me. Every variety of plant is beautiful to Me …all are created to survive in different kinds of environments. All have a purpose and if you persevere you will find fruit in evident places, in secret places and in unlikely places…under leaves, in the ground…hidden inside of often ugly exteriors or in less than desirable environments.

Therefore, have My perspective on things…have My love of process and enjoy the journey as we turn over the uncultivated places together…as I teach you line upon line and rain upon you the rains of righteousness. Come and seek Me for I am waiting to be found by you in every area of the garden.

The Seed In Your Heart Produces Fruit

Beloved, natural seeds are amazing things…amazing representations of how I work in you. They, unlike Me, are so tiny; yet they are full of potential and life giving nutrients. How much more then am I in you? Selah. (Meditate)

Natural seeds are full of abundance and governed by the law of multiplication. They have the power to produce and feed millions upon millions with the necessary things needed to promote and build the basic building blocks of natural life.

The greatest power of the seed is its ability to produce fruit over and over and over again. Seeds beget fruit and the fruit begets more seeds…ahh…the cycle goes on and on producing and multiplying just as I ordained it to be.

Seeds in the hands of good caretakers do indeed provide the basic building blocks of life. Seeds discarded, thrown away or uncared for make way for wrong seeds…make way for weed seeds to flourish to the extent they ultimately overtake the environment. Seeds, both good and bad have potential to multiply…to overtake…to consume the surroundings they abide in. Therefore, be careful what you throw away…be careful what you plan. Know this; your words are seeds in their own right. What you do with your words matters. Do you rehearse and speak negative word seeds? If so, you are giving them the nutrients they need to multiply their essence of death, doubt and unbelief in your heart. In other words, the verbal reassertions of repetitively speaking wrong word seeds gives the seeds all the sun, water and fertilize they need to choke out hope…choke out life. Concentrating on and speaking wrong thoughts, which should be taken captive, creates a destructive crop which yields much more than was sown…which yields not only fruit but more seed of like kind. It is the law of the seed.

Beloved, we have established that I dwell in you and that you must abide in Me. The gift of salvation you received brings about the death of your old sin nature…your old Adam has created good soil in which to plant good seed. You are no longer an uninhabitable, wild and rebellious field. You are a field rooted and grounded in love…grounded in the soil of salvation. The time has come to recognize fully who you are now that I, the Eternal Seed, have translated you from one kingdom to another…from darkness to Light…from a habitation of bad seed to the Kingdom of good seed.

I, the Good Gardener, know the value of good seed for I am the Seed of Life given to all men that they might bear fruit as they abide in Me and I abide in them. I, the Seed of Life, dwell in you with a richness that has the ability to multiply and increase as you water all I am in you with the Word. In turn your field (your soul and all its hurts, wounds and sufferings) is cleansed by the washing of the water of the Word.

Beloved, I, the One Amazing Seed, dwelling forever in you have changed your life and now the seeds of My Word will continue to do so. The Word sown in the good soil of your heart will be heard by you…grasped by you and comprehended by you until it bears fruit and yields harvests of thirty, sixty and one-hundred fold (Matthew 12:23). Root yourself in Me and fruit will grow upward to enrich your own life and the lives of others. My Word is good seed.

Times and Seasons Are In God’s Hand

Beloved, times and seasons are in My hand. They have been firmly rooted and I marked them…I set them in order with the Word of My mouth (Genesis 1:14). I appointed the moon for the seasons and the sun itself knows the exact time of its setting (Psalm 104:19). In other words, seasons are very important to Me. They herald the beginning and ending of things…a season for this and a season for that. I created the natural seasons: spring, winter, summer and fall and they have not ceased to exist for they were set as immovable by My Word. To everything there is a season in both the natural and the spiritual (Ecclesiastes 3:1).

Seeing I have been perfectly capable and trustworthy to hold the times and seasons in place, I am more than able to handle and help you navigate the seasons of your life…more than capable of giving you counsel just as I gave it to David in his night seasons (Psalms 16:7).

May it comfort you to know how all the great ones who served Me went through seasons and times…many times going through things they did not understand at the moment or not at all. Do you think Abraham fully understood the season of waiting for Isaac? Did David fully understand the seasons of life he would go through after Samuel anointed him with oil? Did Joseph understand the seasons of his life which ultimately facilitated in him being the provision of a nation? Selah. (Meditate)

What should be the common factor in all seasons of life in order to not extend or prolong them beyond their intended length? It is obedience and willingness to be like David and listen to the counsel of the heart. My children stayed forty years in the desert. Selah. (Meditate)

Beloved, I never do anything just to have something to do. All is planned and appointed for times and seasons. Understanding this will free you when difficult times come…will free you when difficult seasons come. Know that I have already given you everything you need to be the “seasonal plant” you need to be in the season you are experiencing or in ones to come. I have given you everything you need pertaining to life and godliness. I have given you everything you need in the Seed of Life, Christ. Times may be seasonal; but, My son is eternal. Knowing this is how you survive with joy in the trying times…how you survive in the appointed valleys of life.

If one should look at times and seasons in the natural in reference to the coming of My Son Jesus, one might be tempted to think I shouldn’t have waited so long…or maybe I should have avoided it all together in favor of a simpler way. Not so! He had an appointed time. Not one day sooner and not one day later (Galatians 4:4).

Water came from a rock at the appointed time. The Red Sea was crossed at an appointed time. Jacob laid his head to rest on a rock at an appointed time. Paul preached at an appointed time. His jail cell opened at an appointed time. The woman at the well received Living Water at an appointed time. The angel came and stirred the waters at appointed times (John 5:4). John was given the Revelation at an appointed time. Jesus will return at the appointed time. All of these seasons, though different and though they passed, produced a part of the whole.

You, My Beloved, will have many seasons which will come and go. The key is to let seasons come and let seasons go, all the while being obedient to learn their lessons without putting Me in a box. The key, to use a natural phrase, is to not try and produce apples when pears are needed…to not try and produce corn when wheat is needed, for you will be many “seasonal plants” throughout your life. All you have to do is know that the soil of any season is Christ, the Imperishable ever Fruitful One.

The Perennial Way Of Looking At Things

Beloved, there are many soils of time. There are many seeds to be planted and many seasons of life to navigate. Each one is equally important and in need of specific revelation or manna in order to move on. Each field which needs to be cleared in preparation, each soil in need of sanctification, each season in need of understanding are meant to be habitations to many varieties of plants. From the seasonal, which we discussed, to the perennial, the evergreen, the clinging vine and so many more. Natural things I have created are the bearers of eternal truths. Natural things have knowledge and great truths to share if only they are allowed to do so (Jeremiah 8:7 Amplified).

There are times I plant you in seasonal ways with the full knowledge that what I have called you do in the moment…the season might or might not ever happen again. I may only need for you to produce apples, so to speak, only once in your lifetime in order to benefit another or learn some valuable truth about who I am and who you are in Me. However, there are perennial or reoccurring and established aspects of who I created you to be that will flourish throughout your life. Some will function all the time and some will flow in and out like seasons to produce more and better fruit as time goes by. Like good wine, these perennial aspects will increase with time and revelation.

Perennial means to be permanent, recurrent, perpetual, constant, lasting and persistent. Seasonal plants, for the most part, only last one growing season where perennials last two or indefinite periods of time. The key with perennials is to understand, depending on climate and seasons, they can either stay visibly green or appear to die. When perennials give the appearance of dying they can often be confused with the “seasonal plants” and times of life.

Beloved, if there is no understanding or discernment into the times and seasons…if there is no understanding as to the value of winter or going underground for a time…discouragement and disappointment can cause the forsaking of a soon to be emergent beauty born out of being more deeply rooted in Me. Winter is good for the perennial giftings I have given you.

Often times when the surety of who I have called you to be gets a little brown around the edges or looses luster and beauty all together what do you do? Do you believe I have called you according to My purposes and in complete love and acceptance from the foundations of the world?

When winter arrives and you see no fruit on the vine, do you still believe you are rooted in the eternal? Beloved, You are rooted and grounded in Me, the eternal Christ…the eternal Seed and no matter if you have brown edges…no matter if you have no leaves at all, or have been pruned back to the very earth that holds you, I am still your foundation…I am still the root of your life. Seasons come and go…appointed times come and go…this you must be sure of, but I do not come and go. Remember this, when one perennial gifting of your life seems dormant, there is another waiting to spring forth. Have faith for you are growing deep in Me the Eternal Root.

Prayer of Supplication and Declaration, Lessons From The Garden

Lord I know life holds many seasons and with each comes a transition. I praise You knowing whatever season I find myself in You are there. Help me to be sensitive to the changes in times and seasons so I will act according to Your direction.

I will not fear lack for You are my provision. I will not fear times when the storms appear on the horizon. Help me to be diligent to watch the weather and be discerning of the upcoming changes in the physical and spiritual environment around me. No matter what changes happen I know the reality of Your ever-present love and care.

Even though my faith is tested, I will trust in You. Help me to plant the proper things in my garden at the proper time. Give me Your perspective so that I see the way You see. Therefore I will know what You would have me do. Thank You for the resurrection power within and without and its power to bring life to all that appears dead in my life. I know You are faithful. You are not hindered by any circumstances, for all things are possible with You.

Lord, I will be diligent and wise to prepare my garden as You lead me. I realize my soul still contains uncultivated ground and is in need of being changed. Therefore, I will be submissive to Your Word. Thank You that You are not asking me to clear all my land at one time. This would not be wise for I could not keep it all at once. I will walk with You line upon line and precept upon precept as I move from glory to glory.

I will surrender the areas You desire to be cultivated for Your service. I will follow You and listen to Your voice as You are continually working within me with great delight. You are mindful that I am truly but dust. Lord, forgive me when I get ahead of You and try to fix myself. I will wait on You Lord, with great expectancy, as I look for the harvest in many areas of my life.

I am so thankful for the hope I have in You. I realize that there have been, and will be, times when the results I desire are not seen as quickly as I want or in the way I might have imagined. I also acknowledge You are sovereign in the midst of all testing. I will not give in to worry or self-chastisement. Instead, I trust in You and the work You are doing in me.

Lord, I Praise You and declare the faith I have will persevere and bear fruit in due season. Teach me the ways of Your humble heart that I may embrace the process and enjoy the journey. I love You Lord.

Father, thank You once again for choosing me…for choosing that I may grow and bring forth much fruit. As seeds in the natural realm are full of potential and life giving nutrients, the seeds You have placed in me have the same. You are the Great Seed…the Great I Am and You dwell in me.

Therefore, as I meditate on Your Word and the watering of Your word in my garden, Your seeds of life, purpose and destiny will flourish bringing life to all those around me. I realize my words have the potential to multiply and bring forth fruit both good and bad. Help me to remember to take captive all my negative thoughts and words which have the power to multiply and bear unrighteous fruit.

I praise You for the gift of salvation and the reality that You took me out of the kingdom of darkness and brought me into the Kingdom of light, so that I can bring forth good fruit. I declare that I will bear good fruit for my heart and soul is grasping a hold of the truth of God’s Word. I am rooted and grounded in the soil of salvation…in the soil of love and I grow upward.

Lord, there is truly a time and season under the sun for every purpose. When I remind myself of this truth I cease to worry or fret. The season I am in may not be the season of the harvest; yet, the season of the harvest is coming. How I love knowing that my time is in Your hands. I have nothing to fear as I rest in the comfort of Your sovereign care.

Seasons have a purpose divinely created for them by You. This includes the seasons of my life as well. In my life there are also purposes and they too will bring forth fruit in their appointed time as I submit to the kind intentions of Your heart for me.

Lord, I thank you for helping me to navigate through the seasons of my life, and all the transitions I go through as I travel on this journey called life with You. I surrender my obedience and willingness to follow You as we go through this process together. I will listen to the counsel of Your heart and not lean on my own understanding. I look to You for You are the joy of my salvation as I wait on You all day long. I will embrace the seasons as they come and as they go. May I be obedient to learn all the lessons You desire to teach me in the midst of every season as the glorious living water of Christ lives through me.

Father, I thank You for the understanding You give me by the Spirit as I meditate on Your word. For truly there are many seeds to be planted in a variety of soils. It is my desire to bring forth 100 fold fruit in my life to bless You Lord according to the potential seeded in me. As I am growing and the good seeds in my heart multiply, I will plant seeds in the soil of others.

Lord, it is my deepest heart’s desire to bless You in all I do and say. I acknowledge there will be times when I experience seasonal things only once to never occur again. At other times I will experience things on a continual basis to help others and I grow in different ways.

Help me to be patient and understand, depending on the climate and seasons, what may appear to be dead may in fact be very alive…alive and waiting for the right moment to emerge in beautiful shades of green.

Thank You for the understanding and discernment about the times and seasons occurring in my life. I declare that I will not grow weary or disappointed in doing good. I will not faint because I know You never forsake me. Although seasons come and go, and appointed times come and go, I am one who praises You with my whole heart. You, Lord, do not come and go. You never leave me nor forsake me, my ever present God. Amen

Reflect and Journal

And the Lord shall guide you continually and satisfy you in drought and in dry places and make strong your bones. And you shall be like a watered garden and like a spring of water whose waters fail not (Isaiah 58:11 Amplified)

1. In response to the seasons and changes in your life, are you diligent to prepare for future circumstances? In other words, do you keep your lamps full of oil by being in His Presence and spending time in the Word in order to build faith and intimacy?
2. As your faith is being tested in each season of your life, are you keeping your eyes on the One who controls the seasons or on your own ability? Explain how.
3. Is there a secret place that you go to and spend time with the Lord? What does it look like? If not, maybe it is time to develop a time away with Him.
4. What is your first reaction when something happens in life that doesn’t seem fair? Take some time to dwell on the goodness, mercy, grace and sovereignty of God when these things take place. Circumstances do not in any way determine the goodness of God. However, they can be opportunities to experience His goodness as we abide in Him.
5. Are you willing to allow the uncultivated ground in your soul to be broken up by the Lord knowing He is preparing it for future fruitfulness and victory?
6. What area…what land has the Lord been working on in your life…what area does He want to cultivate the most? Are you letting go…are you letting Him have His way regardless of how painful or downright hard it might seem.
7. Have you found yourself trying to dig in (fix) areas that God is not asking you to deal with? If so, is it out of guilt, fear, or shame? The Lord directs our steps and He directs our healing and freedom as well…it is all about following. Are you willing to let that area go until the Lord asks you to address it? Sometimes in order to let it go, forgiveness is the key…forgiveness of self or others….which leads to forsaking shame, guilt and fear. Trust Him. He knows the very best time to set you free. Besides there may be a key block or step that needs to happen first in order to make the thing you are trying to fix come into alignment.
8. Ask the Lord to give you His perspective that you may see the process He is taking you through as He helps you to become more fruitful. Describe the process and the new perspective you receive
9. Do you understand the principle of seed, time and harvest? Do you recognize the reality of the power of your words and how they are seeds that are planted either in your own heart or someone else’s when you speak them?
10. Are there areas in your life where you struggle speaking negatively about certain subjects or circumstances? Are you willing to address those areas by replacing the negative words with God’s words?
11. Are you willing to take captive wrong thoughts that will lead to wrong speaking and therefore reproduce after their own kind? Describe how do you can do that?
12. To root yourself in the Lord requires taking time to read and meditate on His word daily. Write how you desire to make changes concerning negative thinking and speaking that brings forth fruit after its own kind.
13. Are you willing to acknowledge and surrender to the fact that the times and seasons are in God’s hands and not in your control? If yes, write a declaration to that fact.
14. Have you ever given thought to the fact you go through many seasons in your life and it is OK to do so? What season are you in now?
15. What is the common factor that is required to be like David as mentioned above? Are you willing to share in that factor?
16. As you recognize that seasons come and go, does it help you to put into perspective what you are going through right now? How so?
17. There are times God will plant you in a seasonal way, that when it is time to be moved can be confusing or even fearful. Reflect on your tests of faith during those seasons and write what transitions you experienced as you were moved from one season to another.
18. Describe certain areas where you can see that you were in temporary season versus an on-going season in your life. In other words God gave you unction for something that needed to be done in the moment and not perpetually.
19. How can you increase your understanding and discernment concerning the times and seasons in your life to help you during times of discouragement?
20. What do you do when the winter time arrives and it seems you have no fruit on the vine? Write down some scriptures that relate to the seasons in life as well as scriptures that remind you of God’s faithfulness. Don’t be weary in doing good, for you will reap in due season if you faint not.