Grow

I have a few banana trees that I have been planting for a while. I put them up in the winter and replant them in the spring. My goal is to see at least one of them produce some bananas. I looked up where banana trees grow best and found that they grow best in Honduras and other Central and South American rainforests and in Africa and Southeast Asia. They require very warm climates and need lots of water. Now I know why I’m not seeing any bananas. My banana trees remind me a lot of myself; a banana tree is a fruit producing tree; and to produce its fruit some things have to take place. So it is with me if I am going to produce fruit as a Christian there are also some things that must take place or some conditions for being fruitful. The first condition is that I must really be a Christian. Not that I appear to be, not that I carry a Bible under my arm, not that I shout Hallelujah. Another condition is abiding in Christ.  John 15:4  Abide in me, and I in you. As the branch cannot bear fruit of itself, except it abide in the vine; no more can ye, except ye abide in me. There it is “Abide in Christ.” Abide means to continue permanently.  To continue permanently in Jesus and Jesus continue permanently in me.  So if I am going to produce fruit then I must continue. Could that mean continue to pray, read my Bible, talk to others, spend time with others that are wanting to produce fruit also. I think so but the greatest is getting to know Jesus and understanding when, how and where He wants to use me and that takes time. Wait aren’t we already doing something similar anyways? The business we are in don’t we spend time increasing our knowledge and knowing more about it?  So it’s a growing process and so it is with our Christian life we are to grow  2Peter 3:18  But grow in grace, and in the knowledge of our Lord and Saviour Jesus Christ. To him be glory both now and for ever. Amen. But grow in Grace, knowledge of whom? Our Lord and Saviour Jesus Christ. Growing takes time; that word “grow” means to enlarge.  1Chronicles 4:10  And Jabez called on the God of Israel, saying, Oh that thou wouldest bless me indeed, and enlarge my coast, and that thine hand might be with me, and that thou wouldest keep me from evil, that it may not grieve me! And God granted him that which he requested.  If I allow other things to take up my time then I am going to fail to grow in the Lord Jesus Christ. My banana tree isn’t producing fruit because it’s not getting enough water and heat as well as being in the wrong area. Could that be the reason I am not producing Christian fruit like I should? Not enough bible, not enough prayer and being in the wrong areas. Could that be the same reason for you also?