Even among these there were those who were closer to Him, namely Peter, James and John. Others were Lazarus, Mary and Martha (John 11:1-5). Many lessons can be drawn from these close friendships with the Lord. The bold and outspoken Peter thought he would never forsake Jesus, and stood ready to protect Him from His enemies (Luke 22:31-34). However soon after Jesus was taken by His enemies, “...Peter followed afar off” (Luke 22:34), and denied Jesus three times before ‘the cock crew’. Then Peter, when he realized what he had done, “went out and wept bitterly” (Luke 22:62).

We must be willing to stand with Jesus at all times as John did when Jesus was on the cross; when Jesus gave him the blessed privilege of taking care of His mother (John 19:26-27). Also as was true with Mary and Martha, we must take time to sit at the feet of Jesus and hear His word, like Mary did (Luke 10:38-42). On two other occasions we find her at the feet of Jesus when ‘she anointed them with ointment and dried them with her hair’ (John 11:2), and again when she met Him after the death of Lazarus (John 11:32). We must stay near Jesus at all times and assemble to worship Him in spirit and truth on the first day of the week (Acts 20:7; Heb. 10:25; 1 Cor.11:22-29; and 16:1-2).

Where are you now? Are you standing with Jesus, or are you far away? Our only hope in overcoming Satan is standing with Jesus! “There hath no temptation taken you but such as is common to man: but God is faithful, who will not suffer you to be tempted above that ye are able; but will with the temptation also make a way to escape, that ye may be able to bear it” (1 Cor. 10:13).

Love you, David V. Fultz