Day 296 - Learning to Abide

Today's Bible Reading: Jer. 40-41 and John 15

I love John 15 and the passages that talk about abiding. How can we expect to grow and bear fruit for Christ except that we learn to abide and rest in Him?

What does abiding mean, in a practical sense? This is what we are told:

"Abiding in Christ means a constant receiving of His Spirit, a life of unreserved surrender to His service. The channel of communication must be open continually between man and his God. As the vine branch constantly draws the sap from the living vine, so are we to cling to Jesus, and receive from Him by faith the strength and perfection of His own character. 

The root sends its nourishment through the branch to the outermost twig. So Christ communicates the current of spiritual strength to every believer. So long as the soul is united to Christ, there is no danger that it will wither or decay.  

The life of the vine will be manifest in fragrant fruit on the branches. “He that abideth in Me,” said Jesus, “and I in him, the same bringeth forth much fruit: for without Me ye can do nothing.” When we live by faith on the Son of God, the fruits of the Spirit will be seen in our lives; not one will be missing. 

“My Father is the husbandman. Every branch in Me that beareth not fruit He taketh away.” While the graft is outwardly united with the vine, there may be no vital connection. Then there will be no growth or fruitfulness. So there may be an apparent connection with Christ without a real union with Him by faith. A profession of religion places men in the church, but the character and conduct show whether they are in connection with Christ." (Desire of Ages, p. 676)

Author V.R. Edmond, in the book They Found the Secret, writes the following:

"So how does a branch bear fruit? Is it by struggle and effort to reach sunshine, air and water? Or is it by simply abiding in the vine? The lesson is simple, and Christ spoke of this often in Scripture. We do not produce good fruit except by abiding in Him, the living vine (John 15:4). Just as the branch has undisturbed union with the vine and as a result, spontaneously blossoms and produces fruit, so we as Christians do not need to struggle to obtain that which has been freely given. As we look to Christ, as we abide in Him, and allow Him through His Spirit to abide in us, we will yield fruit unto righteousness. We can do nothing else." (They Found the Secret, V.R. Edmond, p. 23)

Let's seek to abide in Christ today! He is our only safety!

Tomorrow's Reading: Jer. 42-43 and John 16