You Are a Germinating Seed

Nurture This New Life So It Will Emerge Into the Light!

The Feast of Tabernacles pictures Jesus Christ ruling as King of Kings and Lord of Lords over all the earth, and with the saints ruling here on the earth with Him. What a wonderful time that will be, when the pain and suffering of the previous 6,000 years of mankind’s reign will be wiped away … when Satan, who has directed the course of events on the earth, will be bound for a millennium, unable to influence human affairs (Revelation 20:3)
We look forward to the resurrection with great anticipation, that incredible event pictured by the Feast of Trumpets when the flesh of the saints will be changed to spirit to live forever. That is the promise of the Creator, to give eternal Sonship to the elect whom He calls during this age. That is the reason we live each day, and why we serve Him to our utmost.

We Are Germinating Seeds … Gestating Children

Yet, right now we are still in the flesh. We are seeds that have germinated but have not yet broken the surface of the soil. This state can also be likened directly to the condition of an unborn child, who is germinating, as it were, and growing within the perfectly prepared environment of the mother. So … we are germinating seeds, and we are gestating children, waiting to be born, to be thrust out into the light so we can see the new world with our own eyes.
Of course, we are not really germinating seeds, and we are no longer inside our physical mother, but we are, truly, in a spiritual sense, inside the womb of our spiritual mother, the Church, or the ecclesia … the called-out ones from this earth. Let us take a closer look at this environment into which we have been thrust, and see how we can optimize it so we can grow vigorously and fully, and bring forth the sort of character that God wants us to express.
We are germinating within the womb of the Church, growing amongst the other members of the ecclesia. What is it like within this womb? It is a beautifully warm and delightful place, inhabited by others of like mind that we read about in I Corinthians 12. Here is a glorious environment having a wide array of spiritual gifts, all designed for the nourishment and growth of the entire developing body, the child of God that will someday be born.

I Corinthians 12:4-30. “Now there are diversities of gifts, but the same spirit. And there are differences of administrations, but the same Lord. And there are diversities of operations, but it is the same God which works all in all. But the manifestation of the spirit is given to every man to profit withal. For to one is given by the spirit the word of wisdom; to another the word of knowledge by the same spirit; to another faith by the same spirit; to another the gifts of healing by the same spirit; to another the working of miracles; to another prophecy; to another discerning of spirits; to another divers kinds of tongues; to another the interpretation of tongues: but all these work that one and the selfsame Spirit, dividing to every man severally as He wills. For as the body is one, and has many members, and all the members of that one body, being many, are one body: so also is Christ. For by one Spirit are we all baptized into one body, whether we be Jews [Israelites] or Gentiles, whether we be bond or free; and have been all made to drink into one Spirit. For the body is not one member, but many. If the foot shall say because I am not the hand, I am not of the body; is it therefore not of the body? And if the ear shall say because I am not the eye, I am not of the body; is it therefore not of the body? If the whole body were an eye, where were the hearing? If the whole were hearing, where were the smelling? But now has God set the members every one of them in the body, as it has pleased him. And if they were all one member, where were the body? But now are they many members, yet but one body. And the eye cannot say unto the hand, I have no need of you: nor again the head to the feet, I have no need of you. No, much more those members of the body, which seem to be more feeble, are necessary: and those members of the body, which we think to be less honorable, upon these we bestow more abundant honor; and our uncomely parts have more abundant comeliness. For our comely parts have no need: but God has tempered the body together, having given more abundant honor to that part which lacked: that there would be no schism in the body; but that the members should have the same care one for another. And whether one member suffers, all the members suffer with it; or one member is honored, all the members rejoice with it. Now you are the body of Christ and members in particular. And God has set some in the church, first apostles, secondarily prophets, thirdly teachers, after that, miracles, then gifts of healing, helps, governments, diversities of tongues. Are all apostles? are all prophets? are all teachers? are all workers of miracles? Have all the gifts of healing? do all speak with tongues: do all interpret?

Gifts Decided by God

We all, who have God’s spirit, are part of this gloriously developing body of Christ. Each member is given a different responsibility, but note verse 18 which says that God — not us — has placed each of us in the body “as it has pleased Him.” We have not decided where we belong, or what gifts we have: that is God’s doing, for He made us and knows us perfectly, inside and out. Paul writing in Ephesians 4:11-16 makes this matter of developing the gestating embryo even clearer.

“And He gave some, apostles; and some, prophets; and some, evangelists; and some, pastors and teachers; For the perfecting of the saints, for the work of the ministry, for the edifying of the body of Christ: till we all come in the unity of the faith, and of the knowledge of the Son of God, unto a perfect man, unto the measure of the stature of the fullness of Christ: that we henceforth be no more children, tossed to and fro, and carried about with every wind of doctrine, by the sleight of men, and cunning craftiness, whereby they lie in wait to deceive but speaking the truth in love, may grow up into Him in all things, which is the head, even Christ: from whom the whole body fitly joined together and compacted by that, which every, joint supplies according to the effectual working in the measure of every part, makes increase of the body unto the edifying of itself in love.”

Satan Wants to Derail Your Germination

A germinating seed is very vulnerable to assaults from the environment around it. The cells are dividing rapidly, hormones and growth regulators are at their peak, and any disruption in the process can cause injury and deformation of the new life, and even death. Satan loves to disrupt our development in the womb of the Church, as Peter stated in I Peter 5:8,

“Be sober, be vigilant; because your adversary the devil, as a roaring lion, walks about, seeking whom he may devour:”

Notice also Luke 22:31:32, where Christ Himself stated that Satan wanted Peter, to literally destroy him before he could complete the many critical tasks God had in store for him.

“And the Lord said, Simon, Simon, behold, Satan has desired to have you, that he may sift you as wheat: but I have prayed for you, that your faith fails not: and when you are converted, strengthen your brethren. And he said unto him, Lord, I am ready to go with you, both into prison and to death.”

These scriptures show the great importance of having faith in our heavenly Father to bear us through troublesome times when Satan is attacking us, and of resisting the devil that he will flee from us (James 4:7-8) We are growing rapidly as a germinating plant, or as a child in the womb. We cannot afford to let that development be disrupted.

What a Germinating Seed Requires

If we are germinating seeds, what is needed for us to grow, to push upward through the soil and into the light, to be “born”, as it were? Remember that the spirit of God is likened to light (Matthew 3:11; John 1:4-9; 8:12; Acts 9:3; I Peter 2:9), to water (Matthew 3:11; John 3:5; 4:5-14; Acts 1:5; I Corinthians 12:13), and to air, or oxygen (John 20:22; Acts 2:1-4). All of these items are required by the seed for germination and growth, just as the human embryo in the womb requires them to develop to maturity, to be ready to be born. Here is what the germinating plant and growing embryo require.

1. Water, not too much and not too little … moderation (a fruit of the spirit: Galatians 5:23).
2. Light, not too much and not too little … moderation.
3. Air, both oxygen and carbon dioxide, plus plenty of nitrogen, all in the right proportions.
4. Soil nutrients, at least 16 elements, made available by microorganisms and plenty of organic matter and good soil structure for optimum microbe activity and root penetration.
5. Temperature, within the proper range … for gestating humans at 98.6o F
6. A viable germ.

What Will Interrupt or Stop Growth?

Growth is essential for all living beings; stop growing and you will soon be in danger of reversing that process and dying. What can cause the germinating seed to stop growing, to fail to emerge into the light so it cannot develop into an adult plant?
Note too that some seeds are inherently inferior, such as GMOs that will produce food unfit for human consumption. Hybrid seeds also produce inferior food crops.

1. Too little water. All plant processes occur in a water solution, and too little will thwart growth.
2. Too much water. Too little oxygen will get to the embryonic cells, but some crops, like rice, don’t mind this problem.
3. Too cold. The water in the plant either freezes or is unable to support enzyme activity.
4. Too hot. Enzyme systems are either denatured, or water cannot reach the cells fast enough to enable enzyme activity and support growth.
5. Too little light.
a. Planting too deeply so the plant runs out of energy before it breaks the soil surface to reach the light.
b. A hard surface soil crust that prevents the plant
6. Toxic substances in the soil will damage or kill rapidly dividing cells.
a. Pesticides, especially herbicide residues … like drugs or excessive alcohol is taken by a mother, giving rise to addicted newborns, deformed children, fetal alcohol syndrome, and other disabilities.
b. Toxins from anaerobic bacteria when too little oxygen is present, or from other nearby plants that produce allelopathic compounds.
7. Insect damage. Insects can destroy or injure the plant before emergence as well as after.
8. Too much wind.
a. Tissues may be battered and bruised, or even cut off.
b. The soil will be dried out quickly.
9. Hail.
10. A seed that is old, and lacks enough energy stores to support germination.

The Parable of the Sower

In the Parable of the Sower God shows the very principles being discussed here, that seeds germinating under different conditions will experience death or prosperity. Note this parable in Matthew 13:3-8, with an explanation in Matthew 13:18-23. There were seeds sown by the wayside, left uncovered so the birds ate them (Satan catching away the words placed in one’s heart), sown on stony soil (grow for a time but soon wither when persecution comes), sown among thorns (grow for a while but then choked out by the deceitfulness of riches, and prove unfruitful), and sown on rich soil (grow up to produce a 30, 60, or 100-fold increase). In the first three cases, the growing young plants were unable to thrive, though in two cases they may have even broken through the soil to see the light. The spirit of God was choked out by tribulations, and by material wealth. We cannot let either of these troubles take hold in our lives.

How to Break Through to the Sun, and Be Born!

We must develop within a fertile environment to gain the stature of God in the womb of the ecclesia. We must be like a seed germinating in fertile soil, pushing its way through the mineral-rich, high organic matter, well-structured soil towards the light just above … and like an unborn child developing in the womb, ready to be thrust out into the light of a new and glorious world.
How do we do this? We must use the tools God has given us.

1. Ourselves! Share the talents He has given us with one another, as we read about in I Corinthians 1 and Ephesians 4.
2. Pray, pray, and keep on praying; pray without ceasing, every day. David prayed three times a day (Psalm 55:17), and we must be “instant in prayer” (Romans 12:12; Strong 4342, proskartereo, “to be strong towards, to persevere, to be constantly diligent and steadfast”).
3. Fast, and not just on the Day of Atonement, but whenever there is a need, to draw especially close to your Creator.
4. Meditate upon God’s ways throughout the day. Be like David when he said, “O how love I thy law, it is my mediation all the day” (Psalm 119:97).
5. Study God’s word regularly (II Timothy 2:15; Acts 17:11), for they contain His instructions for us in living.
6. Fellowship with the brethren regularly (Hebrews 10:25), and share your spiritual gifts.
7. Develop an Eden of your own, as you are able.
a. Try to have a place outside the city, with at least a little bit of land, and grow a garden, have some chickens, cattle, or goats.
b. Get out of debt.
c. Eat right and be healthy; eat fresh things, and avoid any processed foods, and get plenty of fresh air, sunshine, and exercise.
d. Work at a job where you can truly uplift those around you.
e. Avoid putting, trash into your mind, from undesirable books, television, and movies. Listen to proper music, that which drives you to think Godly thoughts.

Remember also that you cannot possess the power to practice these matters without God’s spirit in you … the light, the oxygen, and the water that make it possible for you to grow to the stature of Jesus Christ. You need God’s spirit in you, through God’s calling and choosing of you (John 6:44), through repentance of past evil ways (Hebrews 6:1), and through baptism and the laying on of hands (Acts 2:38; 8:14-17).

Let’s all give our germinating plants, and the growing unborn child that we are, the very best chance for full development into the character of God so that we can someday soon burst forth into the full sun, and take our place alongside Jesus Christ as kings and priests, to reign on the earth for 1,000 years. Let us help our brothers and sisters do the same with the gifts He has given us.