Abide and Grow / David Jeremiah

 

Abide and Grow And now, little children, abide in Him, that when He appears, we may have confidence and not be ashamed before Him at His coming. 1 John 2:28    Gardeners know there are two types of tomato plants: determinate and indeterminate. Determinates are tomato bushes that produce fruit for a limited time. Indeterminates are tomato vines that continue to grow and bear fruit for as long as the growing conditions are favorable.

Recommended Reading: John 15: 1 – 8

In Jesus’ parable of the vine and branches (John 15:1-8), He talked about grape vines. And modern grapevines don’t bear fruit forever; they have a season of growth which are then harvested. But He introduced an important spiritual concept: abiding, or remaining. As long as we (the branches) abide (remain) in Jesus (the Vine), and His words abide (remain) in us, we will bear much fruit. We will know the Father (the Vinedresser) so well that we can ask for whatever we need and it will be given to us (verse 7). His will becomes our will as we pray and ask. What does it mean to abide in Jesus? It means to live in close fellowship with Him—in worship, in obedience, in service, in love, and in ministry. In that way, we are always prepared for His Second Coming. Better to be pruned to grow than cut up to burn. John Trapp