We Must Be With Jesus

Now when they saw the boldness of Peter and John, and perceived that they were unlearned and ignorant men, they marvelled; and they took knowledge of them,
​that they had been with Jesus. Act 4:13

We must be with Jesus, if we would bear a good testimony for Him in the presence of the world. To have heard of Him, to have read of Him, is not enough: we must be with Him; walk with Him in a consenting will, love Him as having first loved us, be joined to him in one spirit. Thus alone can consistent testimony be borne to Him by His people. They who have been with Jesus do not fear the pomp, nor the scoffs, nor the threats of men.

But we stand not merely in the presence of foes without, we have other and more powerful foes within. Many a man could bear testimony for Christ, before a world in arms, who yet is hushed into silence in the council chamber of his own heart. Would you find a remedy for this? Would you uplift the spiritual part of a man, so that it may give bold testimony for Christ within him, assert Christian motives, press Christian rules of action, put forward Christ as His pattern? Then must that man be with Jesus; Christ must dwell in that heart by faith. Till that is so, while Christ is absent, heard of, read of, talked of, but not present, there will be no testimony at the heart’s fountain, no Christ in the thoughts, words, actions.

Yet again, we all have to grapple with sorrows. Ere we have gone on long in life, they stand thick around us: hopes betrayed, fears realized, joys dashed with bitterness—these are every man’s companions by the way. Would you arm the man for a successful conflict with adversity? Would you enable him to bear a consistent testimony in the presence of sorrow? Once more, he must be with Jesus. Here, above all, he requires his Savior's presence.

There will come a day when each one will be called on to wrestle with the last foe; to bear in the presence of his past life, and in the presence of those who are to outlive him, his witness to Christ. Would we meet death fearless, and in humble assurance that we have a part in One who has robbed him of his terrors? There is but one way, and that way is to have been with Jesus during our lives here.
(H. Alford, Quebec Chapel Sermons, vol. ii., p. 77.)

BRAVING MEN TO OBEY GOD

Do people realize that there is something about us which cannot be accounted for except that we have been with Jesus? Our company always influences us. A man is known by the company he keeps. Good manners are caught by association with the well-mannered. What, then, will not be the effect upon us, if only we live in fellowship with Jesus! Our faces will shine with a reflection of His purity and beauty; and the ancient prayer will be answered, “Let the beauty of the Lord our God be upon us,” Psa_90:17. Our converts are our best arguments. The man which was healed (was) standing with them-his face suffused with the light of a new energy and hope. That fact answered all the sophistries of these Jewish leaders. It was as impossible to stay the effect of that miracle as to bid the sun cease shining. Note the exuberance of the life of God! We cannot but speak, Act_4:20. When once we have got the real thing, we cannot and dare not be still; we must speak. As the swelling seed will break down a brick wall, so when the love of Christ constrains us, though all the world is in arms, we must bear witness to our Lord. (F.B. Meyer)

Personal Testimony
(excerpt from my book The NightWatchman)

"This morning, after I knew she was on her way to school, I started down the regular route to work, it was still before dawn, and the headlights needed to be on. As I drove along the river to my right that had a deep embankment, and the road curved sharply in and out of high rock ledges, I saw headlights coming at me before the vehicle actually made the curve; I got over as far as I could, and slowed down. It was a livestock truck, but it was in my lane, and I had nowhere to go, I closed my eyes, waiting for the impact. I heard a slight crack to my left, and saw the truck just going past me, and taking my side mirror off as it went; I looked out my rear view mirror to see it continue down the road. I knew who it was, he lived right in the town I was going to. He never stopped to see if I was alright, he kept on going. I started driving, it sunk in, just how close I came to being killed; again. As I kept driving, the several other times I’d come close to death went through my mind, this time the thought came to me “Why is God allowing this, and what does He want me to do?”
 
When I reached the mill I went upstairs to the supervisor’s office, told him what had happened, and that I needed to go home. He nodded, “Sure, see you tomorrow.”
 
When I got home, I went to the living room, took a book my sister had given me the last time she visited me, laid it on the stand next to me, and just sat looking out on the water for a long time. 

Then I started reading the book. It was a paperback, and I was able to read most of it quickly. For the first time, it explained to me in terms I could easily understand, why Jesus had to come into this world, die on the cross, and what it meant to me. It explained the great love God the Father has for all people, how Adam and Eve’s sin separated them from God, and that their sin passed down to all of us, to this day. It explained clearly we are all born in sin-because of their rebellion. Jesus came into this world to redeem us from the sin of Adam and Eve, and his sacrifice paid the sin debt for every one of us. And, that He would have come, and died the same death, for only only one. When he rose from the grave, he conquered sin and death, and anyone who repents, asks for forgiveness and for Jesus to come into their heart and life; He will come in, and redeem them from the fall of our first parents. Then it said, Christ would come into our lives, and help us live for Him, and we can have a personal relationship with Him, as a child of God. This it explained, was what being “born again” meant.
 
I closed the book, tears were streaming down my face; I rarely cried. Then as I sat there in silence, I began to sense a Presence, that filled the house. I waited, and it became stronger, I knew I was not alone in the house. A tremendous surge from my soul rose up, and I spoke to this Presence, “Lord, I’ve done so many things wrong, so many sins, please forgive me. I believe in you Jesus, that you died for me, and I ask for you to come into my heart and life, and help me live for you.”
 
The Presence remained, in silence, and an overwhelming sense of peace overshadowed me. I looked at the clock, it was almost 11:30 in the morning; I fell asleep.
 
My eyes opened, and again I looked at the clock, it was past 3:30 p.m. The first thing I did, was say another simple prayer, “Lord, one thing I ask, would you please help me to want to keep on going. Please give me a reason to stay here, or take me home now. I’m so tired, and ready to go, if you don’t need me here.”
 
As soon as I finished this prayer, I looked out the living room window, to see Carrie coming up the driveway, dragging her book bag along behind her. I knew that prayer had been answered.
 
My usual routine each night had been to fix myself a drink, and then start dinner, and help Carrie with her homework, if she had any.
 
I helped her with her school work, cooked our meal, Lynn came home and we enjoyed the night together. Lynn and Carrie went out to the barn to get the chores done, then we watched some television together. It came to the end of the night, Carrie needed to get to bed for school the next day. As I started up the stairs to her room, I realized for the first time in years, I had not taken a drink, or even thought of one. I knew, deep inside, I was free. The same Presence hovered over me, and in my heart heard “Let your first step of obedience to Me be destroying the alcohol and pouring it out.”
 
I went to the refrigerator, there was sherry and several whiskey’s, took all of them to the sink, and poured out the contents down the drain.
 
The next morning, I felt a strong sense I should stay home again, so called work and asked for another day, they said there would be no problem.
 
I had a bible, a black one I’d bought years ago, while still married to my first husband, but never read. I found it upstairs in a drawer, and brought it downstairs. As soon as I had the basic cleaning and mornings dishes done, I got in the chair next to the glass doors and started reading. I didn’t start at the beginning, or the gospels; I went right to the back-the book of Revelation. I wanted to know the end of all of this, what was the bottom line, and purpose of this sin sick world.
 
I began at chapter one, and read straight through it to the end. Being a new believer in Christ, and not knowing any religious types who might try to discourage me, I let my heart tell me what to read. I’ve learned this is the best way to be. Let the Holy Spirit be your guide, not the religious crowd, who may sway you with their unbelief.
 
There were times as I read it, I’d have to stop, my eyes were full of tears, my heart aching for what God was telling me was going to come on this world someday-and it was because of our own rebellion. Even as a brand new believer, I knew this."

​Note: Now, in 2023-I could write another book of the answers to prayer, and testimonies of some people I've had the privilege to pray with who received salvation. There is no replacement for "being with Jesus". And, whom the Son sets free, is free indeed.
Lorna Couillard