A Word From The Lord: “The Seeds Are Not Dead!”
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A Word From The Lord: “The Seeds Are Not Dead!”
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In 2021, in one of my first articles for IFA, I wrote about a word given to me from the Lord about seeds. The article, entitled ‘A Word from the Lord: The Seeds are Not Dead!”, detailed the miraculous discovery, tending and cultivation of date palm seeds found in a cave in Qumran that were at least 2,000 years old. They were bearing fruit. We repost this word here.
On Sept. 27, livescience.com published an article about a presumed extinct biblical tree that has been resurrected from seeds over 1,000 years old. These seeds, found in the 1980’s in the Judean desert, have taken forensic botanists over 14 years to grow.
The mystery tree is now 10 years old and researchers believe that it could be a tree called ‘tsori’ in the bible whose resin has healing properties. It is referenced in Genesis, Jeremiah and Ezekiel. The plant has not flowered so the exact species is yet unidentified but is related to the tree from which derives the Balm of Gilead. The leaves and resin are rich in active compounds with anti-inflammatory an anti-cancer properties.
The seeds are not dead. Even seeds thousands of years old, are preserved by the Lord, uncovered at just the right time, and brought to those who can bring them to life. The same is true of seeds of destiny, gifting, and calling in our lives, our families lives, and our nation. Revisit this word of exhortation and prophesy life to the seeds!
Interesting note, until joining IFA in 2021, I had a forgotten dream about becoming a writer that I thought was a dead seed. That dream was awakened here at 60 years old. The seed was not dead!
When I read an article from CBN News entitled, “Date Palm Sprouted from Ancient Seeds Gives Fruit Like that of Bible Times”, I felt Holy Spirit’s excitement. The article detailed the discovery of Judean date palm seeds found in a cave in Qumran, have been cultivated, are growing and producing fruit! This tree had actually disappeared centuries ago and was considered extinct, the seeds dated at 2,000 years old. The Lord had preserved these seeds, caused them to be discovered, and now carefully tended by those whose passion is to see native species brought back to the Land of Israel.
Immediately, in my spirit, I heard the Lord say, “The seeds are not dead! The seeds are not dead! The seeds are not dead!” I asked the Lord what He meant by this, and He brought me all the way back to Genesis 3:15 where He decrees that He will put enmity between the serpent and the woman, and her seed and his, but her seed (singular)—Jesus—would eventually CRUSH his head. I am sure that many believed, perhaps including the serpent, that this promise of God would never come to pass. Where was that promised seed? But at exactly the right time (Rom 5:6), Jesus was born of a virgin, lived a holy life, and was crucified for the sins of all mankind. He rose again—alive—on the third day to free us all from sin and death (Rom 8:2). God’s timing is perfect and He keeps his promises.
But my heart felt that God was saying more. He was saying that there are seeds of destiny, seeds of inheritance in our bloodlines, families, and in us, that are not dead though they may, like the Qumran seeds, be thought long lost and extinct. Did you know that in the deserts of Israel there are seeds and roots of plants that lay dormant until just the right conditions and then the desert blooms? It is often a cataclysmic event that causes the seeds to rupture and bring forth their full glory and beauty (Is 35:1). In a story from WWI, which may be apocryphal, so many feet trampled the fields of Flanders where many soldiers died and were buried, poppies began to bloom by the thousands where before there had been only a few. Sometimes, great trial and suffering can cause ancient or buried seeds to bloom.
I hear God saying that this season of trial, loss, confinement, and upheaval will be the catalyst for seeds to come to fruition in your life, in your family, and in this nation which you may have thought long gone, dead and buried.
Like the valley of dry bones in Ezekiel 37, we can look at dead things—dreams, hopes, promises from God, passions—and think that they cannot possibly live again. It is time to ask Him to show you any seeds buried long ago—dreams you put on a shelf, family legacies or giftings lost, callings and passions—that He is watering and causing to come forth in this current season of pressure. Conversely, are there seeds that you have been planting, good seeds which you have given up on because there has been no obvious signs of fruit? Scripture tells us that seed is the word of God (Mt 13:9; Mk 4:14) and we know that God’s Word carefully sown and tended and watered by prayer will bring forth a harvest. Galatians 6: 9 in The Passion Translation says, “And don’t allow yourselves to be weary in planting good seeds, for the season of reaping the wonderful harvest you’ve planted is coming!” Psalm 126:5-6 assures us that our weeping—our continued weeping in travail and intercession, bearing God’s heart for this nation and our families and the nations—will result in rejoicing and harvest.
A final beautiful part of this seed miracle is that two kinds of seeds were needed for fruitfulness—male and female. Unlike many other trees, the date palm requires both male and female plants to bear fruit and both have been found and grown successfully in Israel. Could God be saying that this is the time for the restoration of the Biblical roles of men and women in order for God’s full fruitfulness to emerge, the fruitfulness of the kingdom? The seeds are not dead! Though culture has eroded and defiled much of biblical family values and gender roles, God has watched over His original design and guarded the precious seeds of identity. The seeds are not dead!
Prayer:
Father we ask that this seed miracle being cultivated and nurtured in Israel would manifest in our own lives, the lives of our families and bloodlines and in our nation. We thank You that You carefully preserve our destinies, dreams and identities, hiding them from the enemy if necessary, until exactly the right time. Holy Spirit, reveal those seeds to us so that we may rejoice and hope again – dead things come to life – and water them carefully so that we may produce fruit that brings You glory.
Do you know someone who needs encouragement? Please share this article! And let us know what you think in the comments . . .
Author Lori Meed is an IFA intercessor who shares her wisdom and intercessory insight on Pray with Others LIVE. Join us Tuesdays at 12:15 pm ET for a time of praying together for God’s purposes in our nation, covering the top issues and prayer needs from Headline Prayer. Photo credit: Dates Growing On Palm Tree, Tel Aviv, Israel September – 2016, Getty Images.
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Thanks to you for these wonderful words of encouragement and hope.They are very needed.Praises for your dreams and words of fulfillment. Thank you for the dream fulfilled story of the Balm of Giliad
reference in the fig tree.His Spirit gave me
encouragement when I needed it.Bless you for sharing His love.
Thank you for this encouragement – the seed is not dead…. God is bringing it all back life, making all things new!!! THANKFUL!!!! THANK YOU, dear Heavenly Father!!!! AMEN!!!
Father we ask that this seed miracle being cultivated and nurtured in Israel would manifest in our own lives, the lives of our families and bloodlines and in our nation. We thank You that You carefully preserve our destinies, dreams and identities, hiding them from the enemy if necessary, until exactly the right time. Holy Spirit, reveal those seeds to us so that we may rejoice and hope again – dead things come to life – and water them carefully so that we may produce fruit that brings You glory.
Beautiful and so uplifting. Thank you
THANK YOUJESUS’FOR THIS WONDERFUL LESSON, THE SEEDS ARE NOT DEAD. LET ME BE ONE OF YOUR GARDENERS.
I ASK IN JESUS’ NAME
AMEN
LORD, Awe KNOW Your word proclaims that YOUR WORD will not return without effect, that it WILL accomplish ALL that it is meant to do. May we stop being surprised when we see this happening and increase our praise to You for the work You are doing!!!!
Awesome and timely!
The seeds are not dead.
Lord Jesus, we thank You for each and every good seed that you have planted in our world. Please, guide and direct us, give us the necessary wisdom to nurture and grow ALL the good seeds that You have planted in our world. Show us how and where to overcome evil with good, and to stay focused on the seeds that You have given to us. Thank you Jesus.
Thank you, Lori – your article was very timely for me!
What a beautiful article of hope and encouragement!
Wow… I just submitted a proposal to my ministry Pastor asking him if my dream would be something he like to have at his store. I always wanted to be a DEA agent knocking doors down and arresting the bad guys. I never did get to do so due to my failures and mistakes, rebellious choices.
In 2020 holy spirit spoke to my heart with the idea of designing a “Badge of Authority “ to be worn with His Word being my weapon.. Then He said this dream I have put in you. Just this past week I sent some samples to my ministry and Hopefully, my Pastor will agree to make them available for All to wear His name. Thank you for this encouraging words.
I knew this was your article, Lori!
I heard the Lord remind me of the same thing yesterday or the day before, “The seeds are NOT dead.”
I agree with you for all seeds planted, THEY WILL BLOOM and bear MUCH FRUIT, in Yeshua’s Name!
Heavenly Father, thank you for the years that Lori and I were in relationship, raising our children together, and planting seeds to the best of our ability. You saw every seed, Abba, and we’re asking you to water them right now, to breathe Your breath onto them, and to raise up a vast and exceedingly fruitful, beautiful garden, for the GLORY OF YOUR GREAT NAME!
What brain could think to invent a seed? Any human brain, from any era across time? Hardly. Another gift from God for His people and His earth. Interesting, and fabulous, the name given to a seed’s 1st root, RADICAL. What seeds do for humans, wildlife, and earth is beyond radical.
Thank you God for all you have given us, may we always husband your gifts to us. In Jesus’s name, amen.
“radicle
The primary root, or radicle, is the first organ to appear when a seed germinates. It grows downward into the soil, anchoring the seedling. In gymnosperms and dicotyledons (angiosperms with two seed leaves), the radicle becomes a taproot.
Radicle | plant anatomy – Britannica”
What an encouraging article – there is always HOPE!
Wonderful examination of a deep truth. The seeds of destiny are buried deep in our DNA. Holy spirit nurtures them as we grow in relationship with him until they blossom as they were intended. Many years ago I moved into a small white frame house down South that might well have been 100 years old. There were older trees surrounding it, but no flowers, or so I thought as the first spring and summer of our residence came and went. But that second year, the once barren ground began to yield a variety of flowers that must have been lying dormant for years. And that third year, even more. I thought, how interesting, but in the midst of life, never had a conversation with the Lord about it.
However, the pattern repeated itself when I moved to another small tree shaded house in another state. By my second year there, spring flowers galore sprung up where none had been the year before. This time I had that conversation. “What’s happening, Lord? There hasn’t been a change in the weather either time this has happened. I didn’t turn the soil.”
“It’s because you are there.” was the reply. I knew immediately that the Lord was saying the seeds that had been plant perhaps many years earlier were responding, not to me, but to the presence of Holy Spirit in me.
And as I’ve learned more about bloodline destiny, I realize this pattern applies to us as well. Those seeds of our DNA destiny grow and bloom as we practice the presence of God, as we cultivate relationship and converse with Him daily, becoming who He intended us to be.
Glory!!!
Your story has touched me so…God is so awesome! Thank you for sharing
Love your experience with the Most High – made my heart smile.
Reminds me of “Bloom where you are planted.”
Peace be to you and yours.
Interestingly, earlier today I clearly heard the Holy Spirit say the name Keith, had no idea why, I do not know anyone with that name. I forgot about it after I spent several hours in the word, as I typically do every Sabbath. A few hours later I ate a handful of my favorite treat, palm dates! Medjools to be precise, & for some reason intently admired the photo of the date palm trees on the package even though I have seen that package so many times over the years there was just something unusual I felt as to why suddenly the photo of the date palm had me so captivated then just a few minutes later I realized why, when I opened the IFA email & there this article on the ancient date palm seeds & a photo of the palm tree caught my eye, then I saw your post & your name is Keith, so I feel the Lord has given me these “signs” so that I would to reply to you to encourage you that he is indeed at work, even when we don’t see or feel him, as the other dear intecessor stated so well in the previous reply to you. Your feelings and your transparent post are part of his stirring you leading you out of the current circumstances.
I had what feels like possibly a different yet similar experience to yours which I can describe as a frustrating feeling of being “stuck” for many years. I did finally get a breakthrough & possibly the Lord said your name this morning long before I saw your post, to be a sign for me to encourage you on how that breakthrough came.
I will try to be brief but it is a story that spans several years. I had moved out of town to distance myself from difficult & controlling family members. I never ever had a feeling of being loved or belonging anywhere at home growing up or in the church. For some reason i felt like always the odd one out, the outsider looking in, hearing the truth wanting the truth but somehow not fully getting it although I did have a few amazing experiences with God, believed the Gospel & felt that God was with me even when I did not feel him or see him working. It seemed like a lifetime of trials, no joy & rare victories. I had a difficult & dysfunctional childhood which often leads to a series of difficukt & dysfunctional relationships. I was divorced twice & in my desperation to validate my own faith to myself & family who began to doubt it, I finally asked the Lord to explain how this had happened as I now it seemed that I appeared to be a low class believer or even a hypocrite. He showed me the story of the woman at the well with 5 husband’s & basically through that encouraged me to ask him for the living water!! So I did! Hebegan to show me that in a nutshell it started with pride & unforgiveness, I had not realized that I nursed grudges against my dysfunctional parents, the church, my exes, & even God. Even though outwardly I was on good terms with all, inwardly God saw grudges, indifference, & pride in my heart, acting as if I was doing everything right & everyone else was failing me. As stated I had an overwhelming feeling of being stuck & unable to move forward. My son became desperately ill with a long term serious condition & was getting worse instead of better & at that point my prayers were no longer all about me, & moving forward for ME, but about moving forward in God for GOD’S glory & to help my son, to pray him through. I began even more acutely at that point to see how selfish my prayers had been all my life up until that point. I am not at all saying you are guilty of any of this, I am just simply sharing my story. At that point I realized I needed to get truly serious in prayer & fasting if I wanted to see breakthrough. Psalm 35:13 …I humbled my soul with fasting…
I began fasting a few tomes every week a meal or two or all day realizing the word says it humbles us. I knew the Lord had been showing me that I needed to humble myself & Repent of pride. I shunned all social media & TV & was not involved in any relationships at the time of my fast, my sole (soul) desire was improving my relationship with God & others & getting breakthrough for HIS glory & my son’s healing. I started that fasting in fall of 2013 through the winter & almost immediately the Lord saw my heart & began working with me, opening up his Word teaching me & sending me a prophetic word just when I needed it. I had a period of looking to teachers & prophets but the Lord showed me to look ONLY to him, not the arm of flesh, & to trust him to provide any teaching or encouragement or prophetic word at his timing & through his choice of servants, that I was not to go off “looking for them myself” that I simply needed to stay in the word, stay in communication with him & trust him to provide spiritually & he did! The Word became my banquet & I was abundantly satisfied in my new simple holy lifestyle of doing little else other than praying & reading the word in my spare time, sin & compromise began to fall off & I found myself loving others more genuinely, (I will share some verses in a separate post) in June of 2014, about six months into my fasting lifestyle the Lord led me to a specific prayer convention with an intecessory group who was praying for America & (eventually led me to IFA & other intecessory groups) & showed me that he wanted me to get into the battle & pray for my family & my nation. at that prayer meeting I received an infilling of a magnitude I never thought possible, I tangibly felt the Lord fill me as the living waters that scriptures speaks of then he spilled out of me into the entire room & even the person leading the service stopped at that very same moment & said that the Lord had just filled the room. I had euphoria feeling drunk in the spirit for the next 4 days & returned home completely refreshed from the “new wine” and catharsis I experienced there, my boss & son asked “what happened?” They saw the new absolute peace I had & even before I could share any details they just knew I had experienced an encounter with God because they sensed it even before I said a word!
It took a while for other circumstances to really change but once you have an encounter like that nothing else matters! My son finally got a medical breakthrough although not a divine miracle healing but I was happy that his health was now improving after 3 years of getting worse & languishing in his illness, finally I felt I had my son somewhat back to normal & had what felt like genuine faith & a genuine relationship with God. My relationships with my family improved. the LORD began showing Me through the word, the errors of my ways with them, that it wasn’t all their fault that I had a role in it, & that I needed to stop giving the enemy even an inch, I had to be stalwart in the word & obedience to it. a year ago God led me to take a step of faith & sell my house to downsize to a smaller place closer to family, which I did. I still had a mortgage but it was much more affordable. In all my life I never thought I could have a genuinely good relationship with my mother but the Lord helped me make it happen for several years until she passed away earlier this year and the move helped me be there for her during her last phase of life which was completely unexpected. She left me a huge & completely unexpected financial inheritance, I never had any clue she had that amount of money, she never had a Career or education, she had worked in a factory but was a great saver.. she left me enough to completely wipe out all my heavy load of debt even my Mortgage all that debt over the years had been drowning me under a heavy financial load of discouragement & feeling trapped in a 10 hr work day to pay for it. My sister inherited half & it was enough to stabilize her financially as well, & her & I are closer than ever, & my relationship has greatly improved with the rest of the family, my son has continued in health under the medical plan of care & prescriptions although I do hope that he will eventually get a miracle-divine healing, I recognize that sometimes God allows the medical intervention instead. My son met a girl with the same condition they married two years ago & are very happy. I have grown in holiness & consecration, gave up on finding the human love of my life in all honesty because I found such satisfaction in the Divine lover of my soul. occasionally I have again felt “stuck” again over the past few years & “if” or “when” this happens I feel fasting & prayer is the way out. It works every time. Now my prayer is Lord keep me on track so that I don’t get stuck. I feel the word shows us that God’s way of keeping us on track is obedience to his word & his voice & there can also be a Job experience even when we are on track but even in Job’s experience we learn he requested an encounter with God which God honored, & the end result f that encounter was Job proclaiming that he heard of God but now finally encountered him which taught him God’s sovereignty. If i miss it now i quickly Repent & get back on track.
Remember I stated earlier feeling like a hypocrite after two divorces, & asking the Lord about it, he showed me the story of his encounter with the woman at the well, who had five husband’s & at that point I had asked him for the living waters he offered her, well you can see that without a doubt he he indeed gave me his living waters as I spoke of with that encounter. thecwod says: Ask& Ye SHALL RECEIVE. When we ask for Him or his promises He will work with us to bring his word to pass. I will post some encouraging verses for you in a separate post & also say that I wondered why fasting is important when clearly the Lord has done a complete salvation work, well that is salvation, but we see that in the story of Israel, once the Lord set them free from their bondage & promised them the good land, they had a part to play in conqueroring the enemies who were occupying that land. Hebrews 4 1
“Therefore, since the promise of entering his rest still stands, let us be careful that none of you be found to have fallen short of it. For we also have had the gospel preached to us, just as they did; but the message they heard was of no value to them, because those who heard did not combine it with faith.”
There were giants there, diverse temptations, testing, trials, wars lost & wars won. Some fell in the desert to sin & discouragement but some persevered under stalwart leadership of Moses then Joshua. We read that in Joshua’s day, Joshua 21:45 There failed not ought of any good thing which the LORD had spoken unto the house of Israel; ALL came to pass.
In Revelation God calls us more than conquerors. We have a part to play here. He intends to help us conqueror but we do have a part in fighting the good fight resisting sin, staying in relationship with him who by the way IS the WORD. Which Gospel of John chapter 1 tells us as does Revelation 19:13 He is dressed in a robe dipped in blood, and his name is the Word of God. … ” (also written by John) is it any wonder why John is the disciple Jesus LOVED? JOHN got the divine Revelation of Jesus as the WORD! The creator of the universe, the word is that powerful! Jeremiah 1:11 11 And the word of the Lord came to me, saying, “Jeremiah, what do you see?” And I said, “I see an almond branch.” 12 Then the Lord said to me, “You have seen well, for I am watching over my word to perform it.”
Father in the name of Jesus, I pray for Keith, speak clearly to him on what his next steps need to be so that he can move forward into the promised land that you have for him, nothing lacking of all your promises to him as heir of Israel & Jesus Christ. Lead him to your perfect word to set him free, and to anointed teachers and gifted servants who you choose for him to help to further help him, and raise him up out of these current trials & tests with a testimony of your faithfulness. IN Jesus name we look to you alone to do it and thank you for it knowing that you watch over each of us and watch over your word to perform it. Thank you!
Wow, that was quite a post. Thank you for taking the time to type it. You’re a sweetie. And, thanks for the prayer.
Dear Heavenly Father, thank You for inspiring Lori to share these important and much needed words of wisdom. As You know, every day as I drive to work, I pray for my students and colleagues who have been so badly deceived. Though many of them call themselves “woke”, I can see that quite the opposite is true, and they seem trapped in a trance-like state where they see good as evil and evil as good. Lord, as You know, these are people I care about very much. Lord as You know, I have tried a head-on confrontational approach with them, but it did not seem to work. Since then Lord, I have tried to more subtly plant seeds in my words to them, that I hope might eventually open their eyes to Your truth. I pray daily that You will give me the wisdom and careful choice of words to allow these seeds a chance to sprout and grow. And yet, a part of me feels this is not enough and I want to do so much more. Lori’s words here give me great encouragement. Lord, I believe You told me in a dream last spring to “watch and wait “ and not engage directly in fights, and that is what I have since tried to do. I pray I understood that correctly, and I pray that as I watch and wait, I may yet see some of these little seeds sprout and grow, and take people out of the darkness in which they are now buried and lift them into Your light. I ask these things in Jesus precious name, Amen.
DANNY: Jeremiah 1:11 11 And the word of the Lord came to me, saying, “Jeremiah, what do you see?” And I said, “I see an almond branch.” 12 Then the Lord said to me, “You have seen well, for I am watching over my word to perform it.”
Yes, Lord! Bring to life the seemingly dead callings you’ve placed on your people!!!
Great article, Lori!
My friend attends a church in Burbank, CA, and his pastor had a sermon talking about how in the creation story, night always precedes day.
I want to believe this. I have 3 major goals for my life, a couple of lesser ones, and I’ve been denied all of them to date (I used to have the first 3, but then they were taken). At 57, there is not much more room for night to become day, at least not in this life.
The problem, I think, is that these goals / hopes / dreams are idols. I know in my heart that I want them more than God. No, I will not exchange my salvation for them. That certainly would make no sense. But, my DESIRES are improperly emphasized in my heart.
I’m going to open up a bit to the crew here. Hope I don’t regret it. I want:
1. To be remarried. Been widowed since April, 2009. *SICK* of being alone after more than a decade;
2. To have meaningful and fulfilling work; I was a 3D animator, until God took that from me; Now, it is almost predictable that I will NOT get a job that I interview for in that field; Now I am working a job I do not like (I don’t hate it, but I don’t want to be there on Monday, either), that pays less money than I actually need to sustain my current rent;
3. I want a home; not necessarily a house, but something that feels like home; my current apartment has not felt like a home since I moved in 2 years ago, and I hate it here (mostly due to my fellow tenants); Interestingly, most of the things I asked God for in an apartment (quiet, no roaches, closet space) are the things I got almost the opposite of (amazing levels of noise, periodically, from my neighbors, I battled roaches for the first 16 months I lived here (since been eradicated), and there is almost no meaningful storage space here, so I have bins and boxes all over most of my otherwise free space).
4-5. Lesser goals include having a freaking purpose, and being healed from past father issues that have weakened me as a man. I’ve tried to recover from that for decades, but to no avail.
It seems that if I have seeds, God’s going to wait for the 11th hour to reveal them. But then, what’s the point? I don’t want to start to live when I’m ready to die.
If this is about idolatry, then I need to find my happiness in God alone, and I feel quite far from that happening anytime soon.
So, I need God to change me inside, and then I want Him to provide those other things — or, if the first takes place, then the lack of those things won’t hit me so hard (kind of like Job). But, right now in my current state, perhaps with misplaced emphasis in my heart, I need these other elements in my life, because right now I am miserable without them. I wake up every day alone, not even having platonic friends here in AZ, go to a job that is just a job and nothing more (and not very good-paying), in an apartment that is no more than shelter to me, with no real purpose in my life. I’ve given up, more or less, on ever overcoming the masculine “wounds” from my past.
What’s the point in going on, exactly?
Keith I clicked reply & thought I was replying to you specifically but it landed in the general comments, please check there. I then tried copying & pasting it here again as a specific reply to you but it said it was a duplicate post & wouldn’t post it.
Keith, I’d like to encourage you to focus on Jesus! It is good for you to see your heart needs to be changed. Ask and keep asking Him to change you WHEREVER needed and He will. You’ll begin to NOTICE a difference in the way you think. Let Him renew your mind and SURRENDER those desires to HIM! That means you have to RELEASE it all to Him and TRUST Him to give You what He wants in His timing! His timing is the hard part, remember He sees ALL things and He doesn’t want to give you anything that would take your gaze from Him and harm your relationship. Don’t listen to the enemy! The enemy lies to us and we MUST reject those lies! You are alive and that means God HAS purpose for you! Some of the thoughts you’ve expressed I have had in the past but God showed me that I was idolizing those “gifts” He gives us over Him and that I was wrong. Wanting good things like a godly marriage, nice home, good job, those are good things He gives and He delights to give to His children but sometimes we allow those things to take His place to some degree in our hearts and that is wrong. When He reveals that to us we must repent and ask Him to help us wait on Him and wait well. Speak life over yourself instead of focusing on what doesn’t seem to be going right. My mouth was my enemy! Let Him give you His words!! Say things like Jesus, I put You first in my life, I want to fulfill my purpose in this life for Your glory, I trust You will bring me the right person when the time is right, thank You for the right job that will bring You glory and thank You for the home You have planned for me. Instead of focusing on yourself, try focusing on your life glorifying Jesus. Say, if I marry again I want my marriage to bring You glory, I want my work to bring You glory, I want my life to bring You glory.! Don’t give ANY agreement to the devil because he’s just waiting for you to give him ammo (through complaining and negativity and such) to use AGAINST you. Instead give Daddy God, King Jesus, and Holy Spirit words of life and faith to use to propel you into your destiny! I was in a cycle of my own pity party for several years because I wanted good things so much that I didn’t realize that was blocking my receiving His joy because I was focused more on the good thing that I wanted than Jesus so I was sad and mopey sometimes. Jesus IS where your JOY comes from so ask Him to reveal to You where there are blockers and cleanse your soul by out loud rejecting any agreement with the enemy such as through complaining, whining, past hurts, unforgiveness, ungodly soul ties, trauma, selfishness, and anything else the Holy Spirit highlights to you then ask God to give you and say aloud, I receive to myself ALL that is mine in Christ, power, love, a sound mind, peace, joy, wisdom, understanding, the fullness of Christ in me, the Holy Spirit and fire and any other good thing that IS yours in CHRIST! Do this everyday or throughout the day if you “feel” upset. Draw NEAR to God, RESIST the enemy! Keep focused on Him and give Him permission to tell you no or shut a door even if it seems good to you because He KNOWS whether it is or not. He will help you be patient if you allow Him to! I’m telling you once you let HIM take your whole heart and life you WILL FEEL His peace and love and He will make it easier to wait on the other and you may find the doors to those things you desire will open as a suddenly because He knows He can trust you with those blessings now! I hope this has helped you! May God bless you in your walk with Him for He is absolutely WONDERFUL!! I felt led to share that with you! I proclaim ALL that God has for you He will bring to pass in Jesus Mighty Name!! AMEN!!
I’m not sure you read through my entire post. I did mention that idolatry seems to be the issue here.
My problem is that this apparent chastisement is not ending and it is showing no signs of ending. A life of divine spanking is no way to live.
I need this to end. That being said, I pray daily about this, about my submission and letting God be God.
Thanks.
Yes I read it, that’s why I said it is good you are asking Him to change your heart. I saw you acknowledge that. I just wanted to help you get through this by sharing some of my own issues that seemed similar in ways and how God has and continues to help me. Sometimes we think God is chastening us but our mouths are the problem, which stems from faulty thinking, and heart issues. We are ALL on a journey and learning. Let God lead you. God is absolutely GOOD! I “thought” I was trusting Him for a long time but in reality I WASN’T FULLY surrendered. Even now I seek to make sure He has my whole life because He takes care of what is His, what belongs to Him. I think one way you’ll know you have surrendered is when you get to the place where your circumstances don’t dictate your level of joy. What is important is that you seek Him and take whatever has been shared by me or others meant to help you to Him in prayer because He is God, I am not. I just wanted to pour some encouragement your way!! You seemed a bit down but God wants you FULL of His joy! Learning to DECLARE the word of God and discern properly what comes from God as correction versus attacks of the enemy or sowing and reaping are key in our Christian walk. I hope you receive all this with love as it is intended! BE blessed!
I get that. I’ve been seeking God on those very things. I am “down”, but that is part of the spiritual problem. Still, however He does it, I am hoping for relief soon — my soon, not His 🙂
I do not want to go to work on Monday. I really don’t. I miss being creative on my jobs. This job is just a job. I do not look forward to going home each day like I used to because I have shelter, not a home. And, I am so sick to death of my TV being the human voice I hear in my apartment, going to movies by myself, etc, etc.
Yes, amidst all this, I have to learn to still have peace and to feel content in it all. Paul got there. Job was there. I fear it will take my (estimated) 35 remaining years.
Anyway, thanks for taking the time.
Keith,
2 things…first, I had lost hope back in 2011/2012. I went to Confession (being I am Catholic). I waited to be the last person to confess, and laid my heart before the Lord (the Priest being His vessel). I was instructed to sit in front of the Blessed Sacrament and let Jesus penetrate into my heart. I did. I was humbled and repented for thinking I deserved and was entitled to my wishes not His. I surrendered letting go of my expectations. The months that followed I could have never imagined. God put people into my life that seemed to ask me the right questions that helped me to ponder why I was in the predicament I was in and they were His vessels to set me back on the right track. I wasn’t looking for them, it just happened by Jesus’ Grace, and I was open to receive it.
Second, many suggested I have a gratitude journal. I have practiced this on and off for about 8 years. This year, I have been jotting down God’s Faithfulness and Blessings on slips of paper, dating them, and putting them in a glass jar. This idea was brought about in a Proverbs 31 Ministry post that the writer did in 2020 not realizing the pandemic would be happening. On New Year’s Eve, she and her family read all the Blessing and Faithfulness God in His infinite Goodness bestowed on them despite what was happening in the world. It sparked a passion within me to do the same thing. As the year has progressed, I see God’s evidence and provisions in my life more and more everyday. So much so, that I now go to Adoration several times a month to thank Jesus for His unfailing love despite my shortcomings.
What has happened as a result of initiating gratitude to Jesus? I no longer desire worldly things. Jesus is my best friend. I share with Him so many conversations, from “did you hear that joke that was just said? It was so funny!” To “I am really scared about __ right now, will You please comfort me?” To “ugh, so and so really upset me, how should I handle that?” To “wow, Jesus, what an amazing day today! You blessed me in so many unexpected ways! Thanks for (x,y, and z). My conversations are many and varied, and I believe that is truly what Jesus desires…us to communicate with Him. When we do, everything else will fall into place. Not necessarily what we desire, but what He knows is best for us!
Since making these shifts, I am happy and content even through the trials and tribulations. It is written, “Come to me, all you who are weary and burdened, and I will give you rest. Take my yoke upon you and learn from me, for I am gentle and humble in heart, and you will find rest for your souls. For my yoke is easy and my burden is light.” Matthew 11:29,30.
And to answer what is the point? Responding in love to God’s love for us so we may Eternal Life!
Be gift giver for Keith, Lord. I pray this in Jesus name. Keith, the Lord said to me earlier today he is the gift giver of all time. I think that message was for you. He has seen your struggles and like Job, he has seen how much you still love the Lord. He also says sorry about everything you’re going through but I’ve seen you and I am and have been with you. I am Immanuel. I pray for new seeds from the old cilantro plant to fall and sprout again and your dreams and destinies will be built in by and in God in your life. Like king David, Solomon and other alchemists in the Bible like Cain , they built out of silver and gold for the house of the Lord. He said it’s ok to build. Your heart is in the Lord. We’ve seen so much building that we could judge to be immoral so we stopped everything altogether but we need to repent for judging and cursing ourselves. Shed off the judgement and be free. I feel like you will begin to create just as the God is so creative -look at our world. This is not a directive in anyway. I pray this as an encouragement and if anything here does not align with Gods will for you, let it be forgotten. Be encouraged In Jesus name amen.
I want to thank everyone here who has taken the time to respond. You were very kind to waste your time on me 😁
It is three years later since my original post, and really nothing has changed except that I see even darker stuff in me than I saw back then. There is a high resistance to God’s will in my life. I don’t know how this is going to change, And if it does I don’t know when it is going to. I can say that little has changed since this thread started, except that I think I see an even bigger problem than I saw back then.
I don’t want to live this way, but I cannot change it unless I turn my back completely on God. That of course would be a foolish decision. 35 years of pursuing what might make me happy for 2 trillion? Not a very good ROI.
Anyway, thank you all..
Keith, I’m praying for you to get relief from all the depression, hopelessness and bondage you have felt for so long and apparently still feel. God bless and comfort you with His love and truth.
I think of the song we sing for worship…”Even when I can’t see it, You’re working, Even when I can’t feel it You’re working. You never stop, You never stop working”. We cannot see a seed “working” but it never stops until it’s time comes forth. Our Lord never stops working either. He is ALWAYS our Way Maker, Miracle Worker, Promise Keeper, Light in the darkness!! And He reigns supreme!!!
Thank you Jesus that You never give up on us or quit. You always hold us close, bring your comfort, wisdom and peace right at the perfect time. You are with us in the midst of every storm when we can’t see/focus ahead very far. I have never seen your people forsaken, nor your seed out begging for bread. You alone are worthy of our praise!! And we will praise You forever!! Amen!!
Amen, great post Debby Schmidt!
Beautiful and quite encouraging!! The Lord spoke through you and lifted my heart, as I thought many things in my life were dead, and now I see things differently. Thank you for writing this, and I am thrilled The Holy Spirit inspired you to do so.
Quite awhile back, 12/28/19 to be specific the Lord instructed me to read about the seed and the sower. I read all the passages about the seed and the sower. I especially liked The Passion Translation of Luke 8:4-15. After I read all, I heard the following in my spirit, “ Do you think I don’t know where good fertile soil is? Many, many years ago, I planted that seed in good fertile soil, America. Try as he may, Satan has tried to dig it up but he cannot dig up the seed that I planted. You see he is a defeated foe! What I ordained will come to pass!” To which I simply said YES LORD!
Thank you for sharing. This is what we all must be doing. As Christians, we should understand that the times are like that in the days of Noah Matthew 24 where the powers of darkness in the heavenlies are trying to discourage and decieve. The very “right” medias and the very “left” are frought with lies and misinformation and they cause us to fret. Then an article like this opens the windows of heaven so that we can see God at work on our behalf. Practice this Scripture and stand up for what you believe in, knowing that as long as you are here, God has work for you to do.
Philippians 4:6-9 (AMP)
6 Do not fret or have any anxiety about anything, but in every circumstance and in everything, by prayer and petition (definite requests), with thanksgiving, continue to make your wants known to God.
7 And God’s peace [shall be yours, that tranquil state of a soul assured of its salvation through Christ, and so fearing nothing from God and being content with its earthly lot of whatever sort that is, that peace] which transcends all understanding shall garrison and mount guard over your hearts and minds in Christ Jesus.
8 For the rest, brethren, whatever is true, whatever is worthy of reverence and is honorable and seemly, whatever is just, whatever is pure, whatever is lovely and lovable, whatever is kind and winsome and gracious, if there is any virtue and excellence, if there is anything worthy of praise, think on and weigh and take account of these things [fix your minds on them].
9 Practice what you have learned and received and heard and seen in me, and model your way of living on it, and the God of peace (of untroubled, undisturbed well-being) will be with you.
Praise God for His Wisdom and thank you for your article
Thank you Lord for your miraculous seeds that never fail and shall spring forth a great harvest in due season. Your people shall reap the fruit of their seeds
Thank you Jesus you cause the dead things to live again. We can see your hand creating a new out of what seemed dead. Praise the Lord thank you Jesus