[Editor’s note: this op-ed was submitted before the tentative 2-week cease fire was announced]

Tell a man he is favored by God no matter what, give him unrestricted access to all earthly pleasures, promise him all those pleasures times ten in heaven, convince him that death is a blessing, and you’ve effectively recruited an army fanatically devoted to conquering the whole world. This is Sharia supremacy demanding one of two options: conquer and occupy the whole world or destroy the world.

There is no other option, according to the Iranian maniacs in charge. In this climate there is zero chance for negotiation. For almost 50 years, Tehran has set the terms and outmaneuvered the West time and again, all the while working to develop nuclear weapons and sponsoring murder and torture globally, exhibiting the most vicious cruelty everywhere. With Russia and China, Iran promotes the new axis of evil for as long as possible.

On the other side, representing the God of life, is Christian civilization. What do we see there?

The American church seems most interested in promoting moral decline, political upheaval, economic devastation and destruction of the family. Western ‘spiritually’ is so self-centered it has become irrelevant to the Western mind. Well-developed believers are supposed to be spiritually strong. Instead, weakness rules the day. Many times we see the Third World showing more faith than anyone. Meanwhile the American church focuses on worldliness, neglecting the Gospel while importing fantasies, chief among them, that Islam is a religion of peace.

The time has come to prayerfully outwit the enemy, not repeat past mistakes.

In the middle of all this madness we see a President assuring us all is well despite troubling realities. He promises conditional negotiation which drifts farther away daily. He demands Iran open the Strait, or else. He promises to bomb Iran back to the Stone Age, then assures us civilians love the sound of bombs. He is dismissive when people worry about the global economy, insuring mega outcomes.

We err if we do not have the humility to reconsider.

The God of life and love will have the final word, and we know it will be Wonderful because He is Wonderful.

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