SEPTEMBER THEME — “SEEING THE CROSS FROM GOD’S PERSPECTIVE”

BEATS FROM YOUR PASTOR’S HEART

WITHOUT ME YE CAN DO NOTHING

John 15:5, “I am the vine, ye are the branches… for without me ye can do nothing.”

Nearly fifty years at Belmont have taught me something I wish every young Christian could learn early: activity for God is never a substitute for dependence upon God. We can preach, teach, sing, organize, plan, counsel, witness, and serve—and still accomplish nothing of eternal value apart from Christ. There have been many times through the years when I have had to come back to this simple truth: I cannot do what God has called me to do in my own strength. I may have experience. I may have preparation. I may have learned lessons through decades of ministry. But none of that can replace the life and power of Jesus Christ working through me. Jesus gives us the picture of the vine and the branches. A branch does not struggle and strain to manufacture fruit. It simply remains connected to the vine, and the life of the vine produces fruit through the branch. Jesus did not tell us to manufacture His life. He told us to abide in Him. That changes prayer from, “Lord, bless everything I am doing,” to, “Lord, what are You doing, and how can I surrender myself to You?” The secret of fruitfulness is not trying harder—it is abiding deeper.

My Strength Can Never Replace His Life

One of the greatest dangers in the Christian life is learning how to do spiritual things without depending upon the Spirit of God. The longer we serve, the easier it can become to rely on experience, personality, knowledge, preparation, or habit. But Jesus did not say, “Without Me ye can do less.” He said, “Without me ye can do nothing.” That does not mean we are incapable of activity. We can accomplish many things humanly. We can build programs, fill calendars, deliver speeches, make plans, and impress people. But apart from Christ, we cannot produce anything of eternal value. Only Jesus can change a heart. Only Jesus can convict of sin. Only Jesus can save a soul. Only Jesus can restore a marriage. Only Jesus can break a stronghold. Only Jesus can produce spiritual fruit in a life. The question is not merely, “Am I doing something for God?” The deeper question is, “Is Christ doing something through me?” There is a great difference between working for Jesus and allowing Jesus to work through us.

Abiding Comes Before Fruit-Bearing

Jesus said, “I am the vine, ye are the branches.” The branch does not produce life; it receives life. The branch does not manufacture fruit; it bears fruit because life is flowing into it from the vine. Many Christians reverse the order. We try to produce love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, holiness, and spiritual power by determination and discipline alone. We promise ourselves, “I am going to do better. I am going to try harder. I am going to be more faithful.” But eventually we become exhausted because the Christian life was never designed to be lived by human strength. Jesus calls us to abide. To abide means to remain, continue, dwell, and depend. It means that throughout the day I keep returning my heart to Christ: “Lord, I need You. Lord, guide me. Lord, control my thoughts. Lord, speak through me. Lord, love through me. Lord, give me Your wisdom.” The branch is fruitful because it stays connected to the source of life. Fruit is not produced by strain. Fruit is produced by surrender.

Dependence Must Become a Daily Way of Life

Most of us recognize our need for God when we face something impossible. When the doctor gives a frightening report, when a marriage is in trouble, when a child is wandering, or when we face a crisis beyond our ability, we quickly say, “Lord, I need You.” But Jesus was not teaching us to depend upon Him only in emergencies. He was teaching us how to live. I need Jesus when I preach, but I also need Him when I speak to my wife. I need Jesus when I counsel someone in crisis, but I also need Him when I answer a difficult phone call. I need Jesus in the pulpit, but I also need Him in the car, at home, in a meeting, in a conversation, and in every decision. Dependence upon Christ is not weakness. It is the beginning of spiritual strength. Paul said, “When I am weak, then am I strong.” The strongest Christian is not the one who believes, “I can handle this.” The strongest Christian is the one who has learned to say, “Jesus, I cannot do this without You.”

Imagine walking through an orchard and finding a branch lying on the ground. Yesterday it was connected to the tree. It had leaves. It had strength. It may even have had fruit growing on it. But once it is separated from the tree, something begins to happen. The leaves begin to wilt, the fruit stops developing, and the branch begins to dry out. You could pick up that branch and command it, “Produce fruit!” You could encourage it, decorate it, place it in a beautiful container, or even bring other branches around it and hold a conference about fruit-bearing. But none of that would produce life. The problem is not effort. The problem is connection. That branch must receive life from the vine. Jesus is saying to us, “You are the branch. I am the Vine. Stay close to Me. Draw your life from Me. Let My life flow through you.”

The Christian life is not Jesus helping me live better. The Christian life is Jesus living His life through me. That truth brings both humility and freedom. Humility says, “Without Him I can do nothing.” Freedom says, “With Him, I do not have to do it alone.” After nearly fifty years of ministry, I am more convinced than ever that I do not need less dependence upon Christ because I have more experience. I need more dependence upon Christ because I understand more clearly how completely I need Him. The goal today is not to prove how strong you are. The goal is to stay connected to the One who is your strength. Before you speak, depend. Before you decide, depend. Before you serve, depend. Before you confront a problem, depend. Before you enter the responsibility God has placed before you, whisper, “Jesus, I cannot do this without You. Live Your life through me.”

Warfare Prayer

Father, in the name of Jesus, I reject every lie of the enemy that tells me I am sufficient in myself. I renounce pride, self-reliance, fear, anxiety, and the pressure to accomplish spiritual things in human strength. Lord Jesus, You are the Vine, and I am only the branch. Apart from You I can do nothing. I surrender my mind, my words, my plans, my abilities, my responsibilities, and my entire life to You. Let Your life flow through me. Where I am weak, be my strength. Where I am confused, be my wisdom. Where I am weary, be my rest. Where I am afraid, be my confidence. Where I am tempted, be my victory. Where I am called to serve, let Your power work through me. I come against every spirit of pride, self-sufficiency, discouragement, and spiritual exhaustion. I declare that I do not have to live the Christian life in my own strength. Christ lives in me. Jesus, keep me abiding in You. Produce in me the fruit that only You can produce. I surrender again today and say, Not I—but Christ. In Jesus’ name, Amen.

Daily Challenge

Before every major responsibility today, stop for thirty seconds and pray, “Jesus, I cannot do this without You. I surrender myself to You. Think through my mind, speak through my mouth, love through my heart, and do through me what I cannot do myself.” Then go forward depending upon Him. Do not try harder today. Abide deeper.

THURSDAY’S PRAYER NEEDS

Britany Smith

Daniel Cooper

Darlene Kelley – Surgery Went Well

Darlene Thaxton

Ginny Ford

Kim’s McClain’s Mother

Lee Cronan

Nancy Brown – Rehab

Rob Davis

Susan Bankston