To Be With Me Where I Am

John 17:24

"Father, I desire that they also whom You gave Me may be with Me WHERE I AM, that they may behold My glory which you have given Me; for You have loved Me before the foundation of the world. O righteous Father! The world has not known You, but I have known You; and these have known that You sent Me, and I have declared to them Your name, and will declare it, that the love with which You loved Me may be in them, and I in them."

"WHERE I AM" is not refering to a physical place (not earth; nor heaven, not yet) but the place of oneness in spirit, soul, mind and strength with the Father. Where Jesus was when He made that statement was here on earth. Therefore, our becoming "one" with "Them" produces the same fruit that Jesus produced right here on earth. Truly, He is the Firstborn (first made) of many made brethren! 

He was predestined to be the Savior of mankind: the Jew first and then the Greek; He was called, and He heard that calling, learning odedience BY the things which He suffered, becoming what the Father had in mind in the first place: the author of eternal salvation to all who obey Him. Man was blessed to behold the glory of God on His life and still talk about it two thousand years later!

The Father loved Him, showing Him what love IS in front of those who love themselves: the poverty of soul in every man and woman. The Father showed Jesus how to keep His commands; how to lay down His life for His friend; how to become "the called" according to the His purpose. Jesus wants those who the Father gave Him in the present day church to understand that the Father intends to love them just as He loved Jesus, in front of the the foundation of the world and how it works, so they (those in the world) may have the opportunity to decide to receive.