By Whaid Guscott Rose

Christians are to be not just faithful but fruitful.  Jesus said, “This is to my Father’s glory, that you bear much fruit, showing yourselves to be my disciples” (John 15:8).

In his small volume simply titled Meditation, Jim Downing paints a beautiful picture of the fruitful Christian. He points out that for every New Testament truth, there is an Old Testament illustration, or picture. Jesus’ familiar discourse about the vine and the branches in John 15 has an Old Testament picture in Jeremiah 17:7, 8:

"Blessed is the man who trusts in the LORD, whose confidence is in him. He will be like a tree planted by the water that sends out its roots by the stream. It does not fear when heat comes; its leaves are always green. It has no worries in a year of drought and never fails to bear fruit."

This tree in Jeremiah’s illustration faced severe heat and drought. However, despite adverse conditions, it remained green and yielded fruit in its season. What was the tree’s secret? It spread its roots by the river, tapping into the life-giving nourishment it needed.

This vividly illustrates Jesus’ words in John 15:5: “I am the vine; you are the branches. If a man remains in me and I in him, he will bear much fruit; apart from me you can do nothing.” Through day-by-day connection with Jesus, we share His life and bear His fruit, regardless of our circumstances. This is the picture of the fruitful Christian.

By examining the rings on the stump of a fallen tree, we can know its age. But these rings reveal even more.  Large rings indicate that nourishment was plentiful that year; narrow rings reflect years of drought.

Phillips’ translation renders John 15:5 “It is the man who shares my life and whose life I share who proves fruitful.” It’s been discovered that a small amount of nourishment sustains what life is already in the tree. When the nourishment is more than the tree needs to sustain its life, the tree grows. But if the nourishment is over and above what is needed to sustain life and cause growth, it is transformed into fruit.  Fruit, then, is excess life!

This sheds new light on another familiar saying of Jesus: “I have come that they may have life, and that they may have it more abundantly” (John 10:10, NKJV). To have abundant life is to have life in excess — not just enough to stay alive and to grow, but surplus life that becomes fruit.

(Reproduced, in part, from the Bible Advocate, December 2008.)

HOW GOD BECAME JESUS: THE REAL ORIGINS OF BELIEF IN JESUS' DIVINE NATURE  By Michael F. Bird, et al.,  Zondervan (March, 2014), is not a light read, but it may be an important one for anyone who has been troubled by books which attempt to “deconstruct” the divinity of Jesus.  Usually, when books of that type are published, believers are left trying to counter their arguments in reviews that are rarely seen by the people who actually read the book in question. In this case, the publishers arranged to publish both How Jesus Became God: The Exaltation of a Jewish Preacher from Galilee by Bart D. Ehrman, and the rebuttal by a number of Christian scholars which is the subject of this review.  See our short review posted here.

Devotionals – books with a short scripture commentary or meditation for each day of the year – can be a mixed blessing.  Some feel that they can too easily become a substitute for the study of the Bible itself, and that is certainly true if we allow it to happen. But on the other hand, if devotionals are used in addition to our direct study of the word of God, they can be both inspiring and helpful.

Those who are not fond of devotionals stress that their use can be problematic if believers get “trapped” in a habit of just cyclically reading the same things when the same devotional is used repeatedly, and that if used alone they may restrict the reader to one author’s opinions and  approaches to the scriptures.  The flip side of this is that if they are used in conjunction with regular study of the Bible itself, devotionals – like any other faith-based literature –  can be helpful tools to enhance focused study and meditation on specific verses or concepts, and to give us understandings, inspiration and encouragement we might not otherwise have had.  As with other faith-based books, articles and blogs, devotionals can also help bring the biblical text forward into modern life, giving verses and thoughts clearer relevancy and  application. 

So, if we elect to use devotionals in our daily walk, what are some of the things we should consider? First, while most devotionals are organized with daily readings – from January 1 throughout the year – some follow the liturgical calendar with its seasonal stresses and some do not. This can be a positive or negative depending on the reader’s faith background and expectations for such a tool.  Some devotionals offer focused thoughts on quite deep theological concepts while others simply give us encouragement in everyday living.  Consider these few examples which show the wide range of devotionals:

My Utmost For His Highest  by  Oswald Chambers  is a classic devotional written in the early part of the 20th Century and still in print (and now with an updated language edition – see our mention of it in our sister site's Books in Brief).  Chambers’ book is calendric but does not use a liturgical framework and focuses instead on a chain of spiritual topics.

The Cry of the Deer: Meditations on the Hymn of St. Patrick by David Adam, a more recent (1987) Celtic-themed devotional, is not calendric, but contains twelve longer essays on topics suggested to the author by the hymn. Often rooted in the outdoors and aspects of the creation, each chapter contains exercises for the application of principles discussed.

Word for Today: A Year of Daily Devotions by Sally J. Garwood (2014) is loosely structured around the liturgical calendar. It is an example of the modern style of devotionals with short meditations on topics from all aspects of life, each ending with a small prayer.

Meet Him on the Mountain: 40 Days of Devotionals for a Closer Relationship with God  by Sheldon K. Bass (2014) is another example of a recent devotional. In this case the format is not calendric, but follows 40 days of meditations aimed specifically at helping the reader move closer to God.

As these few examples show, devotionals can be very different, so you may want to compare several.  One excellent resource in this area is the BibleGateway.com website which has a wide selection of free devotionals here that are helpfully categorized by type – for men, women, children, parents, families, and other groups.  I’m currently following one of small C.S. Lewis readings and finding it very worthwhile, and my wife is following the "NIV Couples Devotional" and liking it very much. But if you choose to use a devotional, take the time to check out the options and get one tailored to your needs and expectations. That way you will get the most out of daily readings and will doubtless find that, in addition to regular study of the Bible, a good devotional can become a valuable part of your day.

Scripture in question:      

2 Samuel 24:13,  1 Chronicles 21:12 
How Many Years of Famine – Seven or Three?


In 2 Samuel and in 1 Chronicles we find the story of how King David angered God by counting the fighting men of Israel; and as a result of David’s action, God sent the prophet Gad to tell David to choose a punishment.  In 2 Samuel 24:13 the KJV reads: 

“So Gad came to David, and told him, and said unto him, ‘Shall seven years of famine come unto thee in thy land? ’”

Most modern translations actually change this verse to read “three years of famine” to avoid an apparent contradiction with 1 Chronicles 21:12 which reads:

“So Gad came to David, and said unto him, Thus says the LORD, Choose either three years' famine …”

There is really no reason for modern translations to depart from the clear reading of “seven years” found in in the Masoretic Hebrew text of 2 Samuel. If we read both accounts carefully we see that it is actually a different person’s words being recorded in the two books. In 1 Chronicles 21:12 we are told “Thus says the Lord…” and we have a direct quote from God stating three years famine as one of the choices David could make.  But in 2 Samuel 24:13 it is the Prophet Gad who speaks after giving God’s words: “…and told him [the choices], and said unto him…” Gad was aware of the fact that there had already recently been a famine in Israel for three years, the effects of which were probably still being felt.  You can check this by reading 2 Samuel 21:1 which says there was a famine in the days of David for three years, and from the time of 2 Samuel 21:1 to 2 Samuel 24:13 there was apparently about a year in which the land was recovering. 

Thus, after delivering God’s message regarding a possible further three years of famine, the prophet Gad asks David if he wants to choose what would essentially be, for Israel, a total of seven years of famine – the three years that had already occurred, the year of recovery and then a further three years. This seems to be Gad’s way of stressing the problematic nature of that choice as the land was already weakened by famine. So there is no need to presume any contradiction between 2 Samuel and 1 Chronicles on this point.

You may also notice another detail of 2 Samuel 24:13  in modern dynamic translations such as the NIV:  the words “.. and told him…” are removed from the phrase “and told him, and said unto him,”  as the translators apparently thought these words were extraneous. But in doing this the NIV and other translators  removed the answer to the apparent contradiction with 1 Chronicles 21:12.

When you were young, did you experience seeing through a telescope for the first time?  If you have such a memory, you know how amazing it was to see things brought so much closer  – as though you could reach out and touch them.  If you were like me, at some point you turned the telescope around and were just as amazed at how tiny and distant it made things seem when you looked through it the wrong way.

The Bible is like a telescope in this regard.  There is a right and a wrong way to look through it. This may be surprising for some, but any spiritual activity can be done for the wrong reasons.  Just as we can pray for the wrong reasons (James 4:3), and fast for the wrong reasons (Isaiah 58:4), we can also study for the wrong reasons (2 Timothy 2:15, Titus 3:9)  – looking, as it were, through the wrong end of the telescope.

How can this be? We can do this if we look at the Bible so it is pointing at us – looking to see what is of interest to us, or just at the old favorite scriptures which are comfortable to us. We can do this if we study in order  to justify our beliefs, our ideas.  We can do it if we get caught up in primarily studying doctrine, history, prophecy or any other area of personal interest.   When any of these things becomes the regular focus of our study, we are “turning the telescope” and as a result God looks small and distant when viewed in this way.

The real reason to study the word of God is God.  The point of our study should always be to grow in our understanding of God and His Son. That’s where the focus should be.  Notice what Jesus Himself said about this:  “You study the Scriptures diligently because you think that in them you have eternal life. These are the very Scriptures that testify about me, yet you refuse to come to me to have life” (John 5:39-40).  The word of God does have the key to life, but it is found in the message about the promised Messiah and what His life, death and resurrection mean to us along with the role model His life is for us.  That is why the apostle Peter wrote: “But grow in the grace and knowledge … of our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ…” (2 Peter 3:18):  not knowledge of doctrine or prophecy, not knowledge of only encouraging  scriptures, but knowledge of the One to whom all scriptures point.

It is only as we look into the Bible the right way round – with the “telescope” pointing at God and not at us – that we see God.  It is then that we see ourselves in perspective, and our interests and our issues become relatively small and insignificant. It is then that God seems great and near, and our study of God’s word becomes the most meaningful.

Actually, I don’t mean the type of supermodel that makes millions of dollars a year but who has to stay within a couple of ounces of a certain weight at all times, whose life is a nonstop stream of makeup, hair and other adjustments and preps, who has to constantly go where and do what managers, trainers, publicists and others say – only to be constantly hounded and spied upon by paparazzi during what little private life is left. 

I actually mean being the kind of supermodel that doesn’t make anything like the pay of a fashion runway super-waif, but those who get to live life more freely and fully, and who feel they  are making a lasting difference  in what they do. The apostle Paul actually talks about this kind of supermodel in his first letter to the Thessalonians. Notice what he said to the believers in that area:

“And so you became a model to all the believers in Macedonia and Achaia. The Lord’s message rang out from you not only in Macedonia and Achaia – your faith in God has become known everywhere…” (1 Thessalonians 1:7-8).

Paul does not commend others in such high terms, so these believers truly must have been supermodels of the faith.  How did they get that way?  What turns an everyday believer into a spiritual supermodel who is looked up to as an example – as a model of a true disciple and even of Christ Himself?  Notice the reason Paul gives for the supermodel status of the Thessalonians:

“You became imitators of us and of the Lord, for you welcomed the message in the midst of severe suffering with the joy given by the Holy Spirit” (1 Thessalonians 1:6).

We see two things here.  First, these spiritual supermodels became the way they were by carefully imitating the behavior of leading Christians and of Christ Himself.  That’s something Paul often urged his readers to do (2 Thessalonians 3:9, Philippians 3:17, etc.).   Secondly, the Thessalonians were not just imitating Jesus when they were in the bright lights or when they felt they were “on the runway” – they  were imitating the models they chose to follow even “in the midst of severe suffering” and they were doing it with joy! These men and women were not some select group blessed with just the right genes and perfect skin. They were alike – and beautiful – in what they portrayed.

Many feel that despite the lifestyle of this world's fashion supermodels, it would be nice to be so beautiful. But supermodels' careers are built on a physical perfection and a beauty that does not last. Their careers are often short and they have only imperfection to look forward to.  On the other hand, as Paul reminded the Thessalonians: “… you turned to God from idols to serve the living and true God” (1 Thessalonians 1:9). In so doing  these believers chose a life in which  their beauty in God’s eyes would only increase with time (1 Peter 3:2-4) – toward an ultimate perfection – and in this life, they chose a lifestyle which would truly help others by example (see also Titus 2:7).

So, just like the Thessalonians, you can be a supermodel – and the character of God that you get to model will always be in fashion.

Malachi is a fascinating book.  It is unclear exactly when it was written, and even whether Malachi is the name of the author or simply a title (malachi means “my messenger” in Hebrew, and the word is not found as a name anywhere else in the Bible), but the “message” of  Malachi is clear.

The last book in the Old Testament,  Malachi deals with the theme of God’s judgment on the unfaithful and backsliding post-exilic Jewish community, and His eventual judgment of all peoples.  But there is an underlying aspect to this theme which is seldom mentioned in commentaries on this book.  Malachi presents his message in the form of a legal trial. The charges are dire - but the outcome is amazingly good.  It's an ancient message we need today!  See the article just uploaded: "Malachi: A Story of Love and Legal Proceedings."

If you have ever traveled on London’s “Underground” trains (or those in other cities), you will instantly recognize the inspiration for this whimsical but very interesting  graphic by  TheologyGrams (you can see their site here).  The Infogram shows the missionary journeys of the apostle Paul in a schematized manner – much as railroad routes are shown.  The graphic gives a great idea of the relative distances of the journeys, and don’t miss the historical  details – such as the proposed extension from Rome to Spain (Romans 15:24, 28), and the “good barber” at Cenchreae (Acts 18:18)!   The infogram succeeds admirably in presenting Paul’s travels in a memorable way!

Is Christianity just “being saved,” or is that only part of what Christian belief is all about?

Many Christians understand that Christianity involves a call to forgiveness of sins and to being saved in a new relationship with God,  but they don’t  think  very far beyond that.   The Bible makes it clear that being called to be saved is actually only the first half of God’s purpose for us, and it is imperative for every Christian to understand what should follow.

We can see God’s purpose for those He calls out foreshadowed in the Old Testament in the Israelites being called out of, and delivered from  slavery in Egypt (a type of sin - Hosea 8:13, 11:1). The story tells how the Children of Israel kept the first Passover with shed lamb’s blood granting them life in the same way Christians look to the shed blood of Christ.  Israel was then delivered from Egypt into a new life through the “baptism” of the Red Sea (1 Corinthians 10:1-2).  But God’s purpose for the Israelites did not stop there.  Notice the specific words God used in instructing Moses of His purpose in this deliverance:

 “ … when you have brought the people out of Egypt, you shall serve God on this mountain” (Exodus 3:12).

The Israelites were free from bondage to their captors, but they were not called to aimless freedom – God made it clear that they were called not only to be something, but to do something.  They were called not only to be saved, but also to serve.

When we move to the New Testament, we find exactly the same principle.  The New Testament scriptures show that we are called to be many things: to belong to Christ (Romans 1:6), to be His people (Romans 1:7), to be His freed people (1 Corinthians 7:22), and so one – but we are also called to do something as well.  We see this promised in the words of John the Baptist's father Zechariah who spoke of the redeemer who would come:

“ …to rescue us from the hand of our enemies, and to enable us to serve him without fear” (Luke 1:74).

The connection between the calling out of Israel and the work of Christ is unmistakable in these words, but it is spelled out in complete clarity as we proceed through the New Testament.  We see it particularly clearly in two scriptures from the writings of Paul which tie the two halves of our calling together.  Notice first, in Galatians:

“You, my brothers and sisters, were called to be free. But do not use your freedom to indulge the flesh; rather, serve one another humbly in love” (Galatians 5:13).

Paul tells us here that like the ancient Israelites, we were indeed called to be free, but that freedom is not for us to use as we wish, but to serve one another.  The same truth is found in Paul’s letter to the Romans and elsewhere.  It is a basic truth of Christianity, yet one many Christians do not always grasp or put into practice.  The truth is that “being saved” is only the first part of our calling. It is in going on to serve God and others that we complete it.  

The Book of Revelation takes this fact to the end of the New Testament. Twice in that book the great purposes of our calling are summarized in the future which we are promised:  a future in which we not only are to be something, but also to do something:

“You have made them to be a kingdom and priests to serve our God, and they will reign on the earth” (Revelation 5:10 and see also Revelation 1:6).

The message is consistent throughout the Bible.  We are not just called to be saved; we are also called to serve.  That service may be anything from digging wells in Africa or spreading the Gospel in India to helping the sick or just writing encouraging letters to believers needing fellowship.  But the fact is, if we wish to truly embrace what Christianity is all about, rather than seeing the Christian life as being called to be saved, we should perhaps see it as being saved to serve.