Welcome to a new week, my friends! Over the past few days, I have been overwhelmed with the fact that some things just need to be said! So, posts over the next few days will likely catch flack, but I am compelled to share what needs to be said! The aim is not to offend, and these are not personal attacks on those who hold different positions. Everyone has a right to their own opinion and position. If you disagree, that’s okay. It is not my purpose to convict or convince anyone of anything. That’s the Holy Spirit’s job! But we are to be ready always to give a defense for the hope that is in us. (1 Peter 3:15) That hope is Jesus, and His Word instructs us in truth! We must speak it forthrightly. So, here is the first of a mini-series called, It Needs to be Said!

It needs to be said: “Quit talking about deals and get the job done!”

I can hear it already…the hawks are saying, “Yeah…that’s right! Blow Iran into oblivion!” Meanwhile, the doves are aghast, thinking gas prices are going to the moon! Don’t worry, I’ll probably be an equal opportunity offender today, so stick with it and hold your fire!

Glenn Beck recently said out loud what everyone already knows but won’t talk about: Iran is NOT going to make a deal unless they con you into nukes, terror proxies and money! (Just ask Obama!) Eventually, they will wear you down, talk you into a little bit of this and a little bit of that, sign an agreement, and proceed to violate it before the ink dries! That’s what they have done for almost 50 years as the modern Islamic Republic of Iran! They are an evil regime, likely possessed by Satan himself, hellbent on destroying Israel and then America.

But Glenn Beck crawled even deeper under the skin of some:

This is the master key to this entire thing: America has never lost a war it has actually fought. We only lose the wars we get tired of!

So absolutely true…and we all know it! But catch what else he says in this reposted Telegram:

Yes, our greatest enemy is internal! Admit it, America…we no longer know how to finish what we start!

Friends, the blockade is a great tool, but the Iranian regime will starve its people before it will give up. Meanwhile, they will continue shooting rockets at American bases and, God-forbid, increase their chances of a direct hit the more time and opportunities you give them. A truce simply means the weaker party is winning.

Now, before you think this is all about war, cool your jets! War would obviously have its consequences as well, including the need to kill every single member of the IRGC to keep them from reconstituting with fathers, sons, cousins, children and friends! (That’s how Hamas and Hezbollah were built!) I have my own thoughts about how I think the war can be won, but just like you, until we’re promoted to the Pentagon or somewhere with a whole lot more clout than we have, our opinions aren’t worth much!

Instead, I want to turn off the geopolitical spigot and turn on the spiritual one. (Again…an equal opportunity offender!) Here are some random thoughts! Perhaps you’ll like some and hate others, but ultimately, we’ll come around to the “God part!” Hang in there…you’ll understand!

It needs to be said that while President Trump plays footsie under the table with the Iranians, Israel is partially hung out to dry. Just as Obama tied Israel’s hands behind their back by selling out to Iran and their proxies, and just as Biden tied Israel’s hands behind their back by not releasing weaponry they had already purchased and badly needed in Gaza, so President Trump is tying Israel’s hands behind their backs against Hezbollah because he has allowed Hezbollah to become a pawn on the chessboard of the Iranians.

As long as the two were split, Israel had the freedom to go into both Gaza and Lebanon to do what they needed to do. But now that our illustrious negotiators allowed Iran to successfully include Lebanon in the ceasefire agreement, Israel must cease offensive efforts to rip the tenacles off the Hezbollah octopus. Instead, now they must wait for Hezbollah’s rockets to explode in the homes of Israelis in the north before they can respond with military action of their own. Of course, Hezbollah is all too obliging to fire those rockets, so at least Israel gets a crack at the bad guys after they shoot!

As usual, there is international backlash against the IDF (Israel Defense Forces) for operating in Lebanon. But what nation on earth would just sit there while a terrorist organization fires missiles into their cities, rather than attempt to push them back from the border? No nation would sit still for that! Yet, when Israeli troops go into highly concentrated areas of known terrorists and drop leaflets, make phone calls, and send texts to tell the population to clear out before the IDF destroys the terrorist lair, the world goes crazy!

And President Trump is currently making it much more difficult because he accuses Netanyahu for being “_____ crazy” for fighting in Lebanon. That was the statement that proceeded the “if not for me, Israel wouldn’t be here” comment! Thus, it needs to be said again: While Trump plays footsie with the mullahs, Israel pays a price because Netanyahu cannot take care of business with Hezbollah!

Let’s stay on the geopolitical side of things for another moment. Netanyahu is fighting for his political life. I’m not saying I’m for him or against him, but an American president that doesn’t allow Israel to protect their people is not only standing on the wrong side of the blessing/curses scale (Genesis 12:2, Joel 3:2), but is interfering with Israeli elections. Whatever Trump decides to do regarding Iran, Hezbollah needs to be uncoupled from the equation so Israel can do what they believe is best for them (right, wrong, or indifferent).

As for Trump, of course, he runs the risk of costing his party majorities in Congress…which means his agenda dies on the vine.

So, here is the really big “It has to be said”: The US is walking away from the Lord just as Old Testament prophets warned Israel of doing, and we’re seeing the consequences play out right before our eyes. A day is coming soon when we will no longer recognize America. It will not hinge on political parties, but largely on how we, as a nation, treat Israel.

This really is a “God thing,” it is not a geopolitical or foreign policy thing! God has clearly told us:

1. Bless Israel and be blessed, curse Israel and be cursed. (Genesis 12:3) It doesn’t require agreeing with everything the Israeli government or military does. What it does require is that we must bless the people of Israel. (Comfort, pray, stand, provoke to jealousy)
2. Entire nations will be judged on account of what they did to God’s uniquely called people and their uniquely provided land. (Joel 3:2)

Choose this day who you will bless!

UPDATE: Since I wrote this, Iran has fired rockets at Israel and it appears the war has resumed. In response, President Trump spoke to PM Netanyahu, supposedly instructing him not to respond. In other words, “Don’t jeopardize the peace deal.” The reality: there will be NO peace deal and America’s failure to respond appropriately might cost us dearly. Here is a statement from Amir Tsarfati that is difficult to refute:

The Iranians have spent the past month sensing what they perceive as weakness from President Trump and testing his resolve again and again. They appear convinced that he has no intention of resuming the war, and that perception is emboldening them.

When a regime like Iran concludes that there is little risk of a serious response, it becomes more aggressive, not less. As a result, Israel and the Gulf countries could find themselves facing increased threats and attacks from an emboldened Islamic Republic.

Netanyahu sees an existential threat to Israel. Trump seems to want a peace deal so bad he will succumb to clever Iranian shenanigans. Is it possible we will see a critical break between the US and Israel? It is too early to know. However, the Bible tells us for certain that Israel will stand alone in the end.

⁹ For from the top of the rocks I see him,
And from the hills I behold him;
There! A people dwelling alone,
Not reckoning itself among the nations.
~Numbers 23:9