John 15:5 NKJV – “I am the vine, you are the branches. He who abides in Me, and I in him, bears much fruit; for without Me you can do nothing.”
Every single morning, I have a conversation with the Lord that never grows old. It begins with these words from Jesus in John 15:5: “Without Me, you can do nothing.” I say them out loud because I need to hear them. They ground me. They remind me of what my life used to be before I truly walked with Him—a disaster. But more importantly, they remind me of what my life has become because of His presence, His Word, and His love working in me.
But this daily conversation does more than humble me—it refocuses me. It brings to the forefront the truth that every day in Him is a new day to fulfill my God-given purpose. That purpose is clear: to be the love of Jesus Christ to the world around me. When I approach the day with that kind of purpose, everything changes. My spiritual ears are more tuned to His voice. My words are more seasoned with grace. My choices are more aligned with His will. And the love I show carries His fragrance, not mine.
When we build our day around His purpose, integrated in union with our plans, the Holy Spirit sharpens our clarity. We talk with God inside our hearts as we walk with His guidance. We speak with wisdom. We move with compassion. And we represent Jesus well. We always have His companionship and therefore, are never alone. Learn to walk with God like this, and you will never be alone again.
Years ago, I remember a gentleman from church. His name was Mark. He would ask me about having a deeper connection with God. Like me, he loved the verse John 15:5. He quoted it but revealed that he didn't really know how to apply it to his life. He nodded in agreement whenever it was preached, and could talk about it with conviction, but made it seem more like ritual obligations of prayer times or service to God. Somewhere along the way, Mark drifted from the daily habit of being in God’s Word and times of prayer. His mornings became rushed. His calendar became crowded. The demands of family and work slowly replaced his good intentions.
He still loved Jesus. He still believed. But he wasn’t abiding. And it showed.
His decision-making started to suffer. He grew more reactive in stressful situations. His peace was replaced with anxiety, and his confidence with self-doubt. He found himself failing in situations where God’s wisdom might have guided him, and missing chances to be a light when the opportunity had been right in front of him.
One day, in frustration, Mark came to me and said, “I don’t get it. I believe this stuff—I know I do. So why do I keep blowing it?”
I asked him, “Are you spending time in God’s Word and in prayer each day?”
He looked down and said, “The demands of life seemed to have overridden my schedule and times with God.”
And there was the problem: he believed in Jesus, but he wasn’t abiding in Him. He knew the truth but wasn’t living in daily connection with Him.
I gently encouraged him to return to that place, not out of guilt, but out of hunger. “Don’t treat your time with the Lord like a box to check. Treat it like the lifeline it is. He is your best friend. He has the answers you need. He can help you in those moments of stress and decision. His Holy Spirit lives within you. He is your connection to God and His wisdom, peace, and purpose. Let me say it like this. He won't leave you, so quit leaving Him. Try to have those disciplined times where it's just you, Him, and His Word and prayer. But when they seem like they get away from you, pause, lift your head, and say, "Lord, without you I can do nothing." "Thank you for being here with me right now and always." "Let's talk." He's always there, so walk with Him always. In a short time, you will find that ritual and obligation are replaced with relationship and love! Disciplines help us focus, but our relationship with God is always! People talk to themselves all the time. Exchange that with talking with Him all the time!"
Mark listened closely. He looked at me and said, "I'm doing this. I'm doing this in His strength. It's not all or nothing. It's relationship. I can do this. I'm not perfect but with Him I can do this!" He relaunched his disciplines, starting small again—five to ten minutes each morning—but stayed close to God even when his schedule overburdened him and stole his time. His new perspective was, "It's you and me, God! We are together forever!" And within weeks, he was a new man learning to stay close to God, even when his schedule was hectic. His peace returned. His spiritual ears opened. His heart felt alive. His perspective shifted. He began walking in purpose and being the love of Jesus to those around him in simple but powerful ways.
That’s what it means to abide. It’s not occasional inspiration. It’s a consistent connection. It’s not just believing that Jesus is the vine—it’s living connected with him always! Without Him, we struggle to stick with the things of lasting, eternal value that reflect His love or advance His kingdom. That kind of fruit only comes from abiding.
And so, are you walking with Jesus today? Is your day centered around Jesus and your God-given purpose to represent His love? Or are you drifting, hoping belief alone is enough? Come back to the Vine. Abide in Him daily. And watch what He produces in and through you.
Prayer: Lord, I confess that without You, I can do nothing of eternal value. Remind me daily not just of my dependence on You, but of my purpose to be Your love to the world. Help me to abide in You, hear Your voice, and walk in Your wisdom today. Amen.
In His love,
Pastor Tim Burt
