Spurgeon recounted a story from Thomas Scott who wrote his expository notes on Pilgrims Progress, when he asked someone if they understood the book they replied I understand Mr. Bunyan and Pilgrims Progress well enough I am hoping that one day I may understand your explanation. Believing is no difficult thing, I fear we (I) only make it so. I pray this does much more to give thought and reveal His word than to confound. May He strip away the ignorance and press in our hearts the truth.
Extra Credit: To believe in God is to believe in the Son. Today the short extra devotion is from Don Fortner. It deals with John 3:36 He that believeth on the Son. I good article which I recommend you take the 40 seconds and read.
Jhn 14:1 Let not your heart be troubled: ye believe in God, believe also in me.
Jhn 14:2 In my Father's house are many mansions: if [it were] not [so], I would have told you. I go to prepare a place for you.
Jhn 14:3 And if I go and prepare a place for you, I will come again, and receive you unto myself; that where I am, [there] ye may be also.
Jhn 14:4 And whither I go ye know, and the way ye know.
Jhn 14:5 Thomas saith unto him, Lord, we know not whither thou goest; and how can we know the way?
- How is He or has He prepared a place for us?
What is it to believe in God. It is much more than believing on God. Many say they trust a god and cast their lots and works to him as sacrifices of their faith. It is more to believe God. Believe Him at His words despite your worst. To pick what ails you and to go to a doctor with a minor illness and then say, you are confident in his skill to heal you, is no great declaration. But if you are very sick with an incurable disease which torments you daily and say, Sir you and only you can cure this and I rest my life and joyful yield my whole body to your hands, is a much greater honor and trust.
Still what is it to believe. What is it to take Christ at His word. There are two things in these verses we should take note of. (I go to prepare a place) He has went before us and has prepared and perfected the means of eternal security for His children. When we were His enemies, before the foundation of time He elected those to be made righteous. He provided an honorable sacrifice who went willing to the cross and bore the sins of those the father had given Him. In that act He satisfied their dept completely that they may, through His blood, inherit their place in the Fathers house. Believe this in that He has gone before you and prepared your salvation. Believe this and trust Him when the scriptures say that redemption was completed and satisfied by Him and Him alone and there is a place for all that will believe. Next (I will come again) We have a promise and faith that He will return (I Thes 4:13-18). Believe this that there is a day appointed that our Lord Himself will descend from Heaven with a shout, with voices of the angles, and with the trumpet of God. And on that day the dead will rise and we that are living will be caught up together with them and shall meet the Lamb. What comfort these promises are to the troubled heart. That we that are sick, incurable, and with no hope with in ourselves joyfully yield everything to Him that has gone already before us and prepared our way and healing. That we that are in the world and are subject to temptations and pain that He shall return and in that time where He is there ye may be also.
