Council Grove Christian Church

4/15/26
Servants of God,
“The Great Commission is not a religious marketing strategy. It is cosmic reconquest. The church—multiethnic, multinational, composed of people from every tongue and tribe and nation—is a living demonstration to the defeated powers that their domination is ending.”
-Dale Moreau (Substack)
“…I will build my church and the gates of hell shall not prevail against it.”
-Jesus (from Matthew 16:18)
 
The forces of darkness are losing. Human beings who want to be on the winning side of life, are  surrendering to the Lord Jesus Christ and receiving the light of life. There is salvation (being made whole as a human) in no other name (Acts 4:12). This is the only way human beings can understand who they are and how they should behave and why they are on this earth. Jesus is at work building his church. That is true whether or not we can fully understand all the things going on in the world around us. It is hard to know exactly what is going on with the war in Iran.
The United States and Israel might be losing the war with Iran and that might be a good thing. At least it will be if it causes some repentance, truth telling and behavior that is more respectful of the nations of the world. Please, do not jump to the conclusion that I am some sort of pacifist. I know war is necessary—if it is a just (righteous) war. I am not at all convinced this war is necessary. If we read the Bible we cannot miss the need for righteous reasons for war and righteous conduct of war.
The powers of darkness are always trying to steal the glory of Jesus the Messiah. I was reminded of this when President Trump’s spiritual advisor, Paula White, recently gushingly (if clumsily) compared Trump to Jesus. Even worse was the President posting on social media a picture of himself dressed to imitate Jesus in the act of healing someone. To paraphrase the late Senator Lloyd Benson, “Mr. President, you are not the Lord Jesus.” Even people who claim to be Christians can steal Jesus’ glory.  As much as I agree with many of the President’s actions, these grandiose glory grabs are disgusting and portend disaster. God will not be mocked—or Trumped!
The world we live in, is largely untethered from spiritual truth. Americans no longer read and believe the Bible. For decades the United States (under both political parties)has been blundering and plundering all over the globe and the chickens of empire are coming home to roost.
Human wisdom and military overreach are not the answers to the problems of the Middle East. Perhaps a small amount of history might help the president. Trump’s Iran war is not dissimilar to the battle of Gallipoli during the first World War (April 1915-January 1916). The brainchild of First Lord of the Admiralty, Winston Churchill, Gallipoli involved a narrow choke point in a sea passage and a massive overestimation of naval power and underestimation of an Islamic enemy. By the time it was over, there were over 100,000 dead soldiers and hundreds of thousands of wounded. In the end, the Turks were victorious and the leader later known as Ataturk came to power. A great power was punished and embarrassed. The soldiers on both sides fought bravely but human pride and political overreach led to disaster.
 The United States and Israel could be looking down the barrel of a similar embarrassment. Benjamin Netanyahu, like Churchill, is likely to see his grand idea meet the harsh truth of geopolitical reality. I hope for better, but it does not look good. Christians cannot put our hope for a better world in bullets and bombs. America’s loss of spiritual vigor has made us stupid.
As righteousness dissipates in our nation, foolishness dominates. It is no accident that Trump has redesignated the department of Defense to the once used title “Department of War.” The president who promised no more “forever wars” appears to be flirting dangerously with just that.
Our military forces might seem formidable but we are largely a nation with a military that is equipped to refight World War II. Much of the world has surpassed us in innovation and technological advancement. We are like a big, dumb giant stumbling into an ambush at the hands of thousands of pygmy warriors. We do not know that our brute strength is now a massive weakness.
There is a better way to change the world that does not involve the costs and brutality of war. The church of Jesus does not conquer with “swords loud clashing or roll of stirring drums.” The gospel changes hearts and changed hearts do not chase after military conquests and the accolades of sycophantic admirers. It is righteousness that exalts a nation and sin is a reproach to any people—including Americans and Israelis.
Blessings,
Pastor John
Coram Deo