Who's On Your Side?

As seen in the HEARTbeat and Village Voice

Who’s On Your Side?

            Standing alone against a matter is not fun.  We go through life making friends, those who support us and have our backs in matters.  I’ve stood alone and the outcome wasn’t fun.  My resignation was even requested by a superior because I would not do something illegal, immoral or unethical.  As the old proverb says, I stood up for something even though I was the only one standing.  How could I do that, you might ask?  I knew who I had on my side.

            We are seeing a huge schism in our world today.  The difference between right and wrong has never been so clear.  Why are drugs being allowed to flow into our country and kill our youth.  Teens are taking pills they are told will sharpen their minds and help them score better on college entrance exams and therefore get into better colleges.  There is even a school who has approved an after-school group whose focus will be the promotion of Satan.  I believe it will be called the Sympathy for Satan group.  For all that is happening, the explanation is easy.  It is all anti-God.

            Lucifer was one of the most beautiful angels ever created.  Somewhere along the way he developed an attitude.  He saw all the adoration and worship God was receiving and he became jealous and wanted a piece of that action.  He developed many followers, those who would have his back in heavenly matters.  Eventually, Lucifer didn’t just want some of the action, he wanted all of it.  He didn’t want to be like God, he wanted to be God.  It caused his expulsion from heaven, along with all those angels who “had his back.”

            The apostles stood and preached about the risen Jesus in the temple courts.  They were arrested by the jealous Sanhedrin and put in prison.  An angel of the Lord let them out during the night, and they returned to the temple at daybreak.  Once again, they were arrested and brought before the Sanhedrin and were told not to preach about this man Jesus.  They stood against them and said they didn’t have a choice.  They were removed for a short time from the court of the Sanhedrin.  One man stood, a man whose friend on the high court had an encounter with “this man Jesus.”  This man who stood was Gamaliel.  Who was his friend?  None other than Nicodemus.  Nicodemus had been changed by his encounter and quite possibly it rubbed off on Gamaliel.  He stood and told the members of the Sanhedrin, “Leave these men alone.  If their undertaking is of man, it will fail.  But if it is of God, you will not be able to stop them.  In that case you will be found fighting against God.”

            What we are seeing today is a fight against the forces of God and the forces of Satan.  What was once unseen is now being revealed in our lifetime.  I urge you, stand for the goodness of God.  There is no middle ground.  He will never leave you nor forsake you.  Who is on your side?  God will always stand with those standing alone who stand for His purpose!