1-27-21 You've Got to Stand for Something

You’ve Got to Stand for Something :: By Grant Phillips Published on: January 22, 2021 by RRadmin7 Category:General Articles, Grant Phillips In 1990 Aaron Tippin, William Brock and William Calhoun Brock Jr. wrote a song called “You’ve Got to Stand for Something.” Aaron Tippin sang the song, and some of the words are: You’ve got to stand for something Or you’ll fall for anything You’ve got to be your own man Not a puppet on a string Never compromise what’s right And uphold your family name You’ve got to stand for something Or you’ll fall for anything As I was listening to this song the other day on the radio, it got me to thinking about the words. You got to stand for something, or you’ll fall for anything – This is a broad statement since it really depends on what you are standing for. My first thought is standing up for Christian values given to us by God in a book we call the Bible. Now, that’s something worthwhile to stand for. It is also the reason so many Christians fall for anything because they don’t faithfully read the Bible. Therefore, they don’t know what to stand for. On the other hand, one could stand for abortion … for example. That certainly isn’t anything reputable to stand for. Stand for butchering babies because having a child might disrupt your life? I don’t think so! It’s true that if you don’t stand for something, you’ll fall for anything, but it would be wise to closely examine what you stand for. You’ve got to be your own man, not a puppet on a string – Now, this makes more sense. Most people are like a puppet on a string because they are afraid to be different. I have witnessed countless people in this mode. They just compromise and go along with what everyone else says to avoid any confrontation. Instead of being “our own” man, though, wouldn’t it be wiser to be “God’s” man? For the Bible says, “The heart is deceitful above all things, And desperately wicked; Who can know it?” (Jeremiah 17:9) Hebrews chapter 11 provides us with a list of people who were God’s men (and women) and definitely not puppets. The apostles were God’s men, and they definitely were not puppets. Just think if they tried to be their own man. They would have eventually become puppets to the squeaky wheels of the religious crowd and Rome. Take, for example, Jesus. Did He try to be His own man? Even though He was God, He came to do the will of the Father, and He accomplished just that. “I can of mine own self do nothing: as I hear, I judge: and my judgment is just; because I seek not mine own will, but the will of the Father which hath sent me“ (John 5:30). So, being our own man really isn’t the answer, simply because none of us are qualified to be our own man. As I have already said, Jesus was certainly qualified to be His own man, but He chose to do the will of the Father. We could totally eliminate the puppets if we would just choose to be God’s man or woman. Never compromise what’s right, and uphold your family name – Now we’re making more sense. Every true Christian has the family name of the one true God of Heaven, and this is the name we need to cherish. Whatever we do, say or think reflects on that family name. Since the true Christian is a child of Almighty God, then it stands to reason that “compromising” God’s Word is totally out of the question. But here’s the problem … if we aren’t in the Word (the Bible), how can we know what not to compromise? Every Christian is a disciple, and this word “disciple” simply means we are a student of His Word. Unfortunately, far too many Christians are not attending class, and then there are others showing up for class but fail to listen. Now we’re back to: You’ve got to stand for something, or you’ll fall for anything – More and more, the world we live in is becoming anti-God. It hates God and wants nothing to do with Him or His true followers … you know, those stiff-neck Christians who cause so much friction. God sent Daniel a message by the angel Gabriel about a period of 490 years – which is for Israel, by the way, not the Church. In Daniel 9:24-27, Gabriel explains this to Daniel. 24 “Seventy weeks are determined For your people and for your holy city, To finish the transgression, To make an end of sins, To make reconciliation for iniquity, To bring in everlasting righteousness, To seal up vision and prophecy, And to anoint the Most Holy.” This verse covers the period through the end of the 7-year Tribulation we talk so much about. It will be completed at the Lord’s 2nd Advent (2nd coming). 25 “Know therefore and understand, That from the going forth of the command To restore and build Jerusalem Until Messiah the Prince, There shall be seven weeks and sixty-two weeks; The street shall be built again, and the wall, Even in troublesome times.” This verse begins with the decree of Artaxerxes, in the twentieth year of his reign, to rebuild Jerusalem (Nehemiah 2:1-8), and follows through to Jesus riding into Jerusalem on a donkey (Matthew 21:1-11). 26 “And after the sixty-two weeks Messiah shall be cut off, but not for Himself; And the people of the prince who is to come Shall destroy the city and the sanctuary. The end of it shall be with a flood, And till the end of the war desolations are determined. This verse speaks of Christ being crucified a week after He rode into Jerusalem on a donkey, then the Romans destroying Jerusalem in 70 A.D. 27 “Then he shall confirm a covenant with many for one week; But in the middle of the week He shall bring an end to sacrifice and offering. And on the wing of abominations shall be one who makes desolate, Even until the consummation, which is determined, Is poured out on the desolate.” Today we are sitting between verses 26 and 27, in what is called the Church age. It amounts to a long parenthesis that will close with the Rapture. Beginning with verse 27, the 490-year prophecy will continue when the Antichrist confirms a covenant with Israel for seven years. This last seven years will complete the 490-year prophecy. My point in quickly showing this prophecy in Daniel is to emphasize that verses 25-26 have been fulfilled (483 years of the 490), and only verse 27 remains (the final 7 years of the 490). The objectives listed in verse 24 will be accomplished by the end of the seven-year Tribulation period. My next point is to emphasize that we are ever so close to the beginning of the final seven years of Daniel’s prophecy. Once the Church is removed, events will rapidly happen to start the Tribulation period. My final point is that we need to decide now where we stand with God. Tomorrow may be too late. Grant Phillips Email: Phillip5769@twc.com Pre-Rapture Commentary: http://grant-phillips.blogspot.com Rapture Ready: https://www.raptureready.com/featured/phillips/phillips.html