Bruce Collins, Evangelist

The personal website of Bruce Collins

That They Might Be With Him

Then He appointed twelve, that they might be WITH HIM and that He might send them out to preach, and to have power to heal sicknesses and to cast out demons. (Mark 3:14-15, NKJV)

Being With The Lord
The twelve (including Judas) had the privilege of being “with the Lord.” I notice that when the Lord appointed the twelve, He first appointed them to be WITH HIM and then He sent them out to preach and to heal and to cast out demons.

Most of us would like to have the power to heal. Many of us have been in situations where we would like to be able to cast out demons (and yes, demonic activity is still among us.) But do we appreciate the fact that really the Lord wants us to be WITH HIM? We want the Lord to be with us, but He wants us to be with Him (think about that).

Sleeping and Missing Out
Peter and James and John had the privilege of being WITH HIM when He was transfigured. But instead of enjoying His presence and the scene that was unfolding before them, they slept.. We read, “But Peter and those with him were heavy with sleep; and when they were fully awake, they saw His glory and the two men who stood with Him.” (Luke 9:32, NKJV)

When the Lord was praying in the Garden, agonizing over what was about to take place, Peter and James and John were sleeping. We read, “Then an angel appeared to Him from heaven, strengthening Him. And being in agony, He prayed more earnestly. Then His sweat became like great drops of blood falling down to the ground. When He rose up from prayer, and had come to His disciples, He found them sleeping from sorrow. Then He said to them, ‘Why do you sleep? Rise and pray, lest you enter into temptation.'” (Luke 22:43-46, NKJV)

Is This Us?
Are we like the virgins who were sleeping when they should have been watching? You will notice that those who had oil (likely a picture of the Holy Spirit) were sleeping with the ones who had no oil. Apparently, they did not discern the need of the virgins who picture moral people who are not saved. We read, “Then the kingdom of heaven shall be likened to ten virgins who took their lamps and went out to meet the bridegroom. Now five of them were wise, and five were foolish. Those who were foolish took their lamps and took no oil with them, but the wise took oil in their vessels with their lamps. But while the bridegroom was delayed, they all slumbered and slept.” (Matthew 25:1-5, NKJV)

Those Were Really with Him
There were two discouraged disciples who traveled to Emmaus after the resurrection. We read, “So it was, while they conversed and reasoned, that Jesus Himself drew near and went with them.” (Luke 24:15, NKJV) They were taught by the best teacher ever and were privileged to enjoy the presence of the Lord.

The disciples who saw Him in the upper room after the resurrection were WITH HIM. We read, “When He had said this, He showed them His hands and His side. Then the disciples were glad when they saw the Lord.” (John 20:20, NKJV)

Our Future if We Believe in (or Trust Him)
This is the Lord’s promise to His own. We read, “And if I go and prepare a place for you, I will come again and receive you to Myself; that WHERE I AM THERE YOU MAY BE ALSO.” (John 14:3, NKJV)

Conclusion
Being with the Lord seems to please the Lord more than serving Him. We can’t be WITH HIM if we don’t trust Him. If we trust Him, we can still be sleeping when we should be awake. But if we are awake, (and it is high time to awake out of sleep) we certainly should want to serve Him.

Paul reminds us, “And do this, knowing the time, that now it is high time to awake out of sleep; for now our salvation (from the presences of sin) is nearer than when we first believed.” (Romans 13:11, NKJV)

The Lord wants His own to be “WITH HIM.” If we are WITH HIM we should not be sleeping while we wait for His promise to come and take His own to be WITH HIM.

Bruce Collins

Meditation for the week of February 19, 2023

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