Getting on the Elevator

 Greetings to you all in the name of the Lord Jesus Christ,

John 3:36 says, “He that believeth on the Son hath everlasting life: and he that believeth not the Son shall not see life; but the wrath of God abideth on him.” 

  Today’s quote that I received via email was from Charles Spurgeon.  It is too long to repeat, but I would like to paste in just the latter portion.  It  says, “You may believe the most orthodox creed in Christendom, and perish. Do you trust – for that is the cream of the word “believe” – do you trust in Jesus? Do you lean your whole weight on Him? Have you that faith which the Puritans used to call “recumbency” or “leaning”? This is the faith that saves – faith that falls back into the arms of Jesus, a faith that drops from its own hanging-place into those mighty arms."  I can think back to quoting the Apostle’s Creed time and time again.  The crucifix on the rosary was used to prompt one to quote the Apostle’s Creed.  I had said the rosary many times and had quoted the Apostle’s Creed, yet belief was far from my heart.  I also began other catechisms and could answer as I was supposed to.  I memorized those answers but again, belief was far from my heart.

I can still hear Dr. Fred Brown as he preached concerning an elevator.  It was one of his illustrations.  You can believe with all of your strength that the elevator will take you to the top floor, but until you get on, the doors will simply close without you.  Spurgeon seems to have hit the nail on the head with the “cream” of the word “believe” which is to “trust.”  In Whom do we trust?  That’s one of the primary questions.  We have an inward tendency to trust in ourselves that things will work out rather than trusting in God.  Trusting means everything not just the small things that you are trying to accomplish on your own.  It is easy to trust God for your daily bread when you have a thousand dollars at you disposal.  Try trusting God when you have one buck and a candy bar and a bed roll.  This is a true example of a missionary in Bangladesh who was happy and that was all that he possessed at that moment yet he knew that God would provide.  Do you trust God that much?  Would you trust God if you were Job who had lost everything and couldn’t figure out why?  Trusting God is not just for the things of daily life but first of all, to get one to heaven.  The words of Jesus in John 14:6 tell us that the Lord Jesus Christ is the only way to heaven so to trust in Him is the supreme example of believing.  I had thought that I believed for years but it was a superficial belief not much greater than the demons.  They knew who Jesus was  in every case.  Praise God for His being the Reason for our belief.