1940

A Daily Thunder Series with Eric Ludy

1940

When Change is Desperately Needed

Oftentimes the greatest movements of grace follow close on the heels of the greatest movements of evil. Such is the case of 1939 Great Britain—decadent, self-absorbed and wholly unprepared to stand up against the growing threat of Adolf Hitler on the other side of the Channel. A great evil had cast its shadow upon the sleepy British Isles, and now it appeared that the countdown toward their final days had officially begun. 1939 Great Britain is a stunning reminder to all of us, that no matter how dark it gets, God’s grace is sufficient to meet the task and to turn everything around. Something happened inside that decaying, dying nation that is one for the storybooks. And, though it is nearly impossible to believe—that decadent, self-absorbed, unprepared little nation became— seemingly overnight—a nation full of lionhearted men and women ready to sacrifice everything to see Hitler stopped. Out of the ashes of 1939 grows the beauty and profundity of 1940 Great Britain. And what is most thrilling is that God desires to work this very same miracle in each of us.

Part 1: The Thinness of '39

This is the first installment in Eric Ludy’s winter Daily Thunder series, 1940, which follows the epic storyline of Hitler’s rise to power in Europe in the the ’30’s and Great Britain’s unexpected stand to thwart his progress. In this inaugural episode of the series, Eric goes right to the heart of this series and takes us into the seeming impossible gutter that Great Britain had fallen into by the year 1939. They were pathetic, degenerate, and despicably selfish. But something happened in 1940 that awakened them, as a nation, from their self-stupor and caused them to rise up and become what many people consider the greatest generation ever.

Part 2: The Anatomy of Folly

In this episode, Eric travels back to the Versailles Treaty in 1919 and shows how victory can be gained only to be lost through ease, comfort, and folly. The quality of watchfulness is an essential ingredient in the maintenance of strength and triumph over the passage of time.

Part 3: The Radicalization of Disgust

In this episode, Eric explores the radical disarmament of Great Britian in the very hour they needed to be building up their arms. Hitler was on the rise in Europe, but due to Great Britain’s utter disgust of war, they were corporately willing to overlook Hitler’s aggression and risk extinction itself in order to avoid entering yet another war. This strange and inexplicable propensity toward passivity in the midst of a growing danger is the very same thing we as the modern Church are facing in this hour of history.

Part 4: The Munich Pact

In this episode, Eric focuses on the repurcussions of Great Britain’s appeasment campaign towards Adolf Hitler’s ever-growing list of crimes. When evil is overlooked for the sake of convenience, its the smaller, the weaker, and the least among us that often suffer because of it. In 1938, Czechoslovakia is that smaller, weaker nation forsaken as a result of British appeasement and subsequently swallowed up in the Nazi machine.

Part 5: The Man of the Moment

In this episode, Eric focuses on the character of Winston Churchill. Churchill’s readiness to stand on behalf of Great Britain at her darkest hour is one of the marvelous moments in history that shows the working of Providence in and through men. As believers, we may never be asked to lead a nation through a world crisis, but each of us is intended by the Spirit of God to be readied and prepared to rise up and do that which is right in the moment of greatest need.

Part 6: The Power of the Air

In this episode, Eric zooms in on the Battle of Britain–explaining the importance in WW2 of ruling the air. The Battle of Britain still stands as the longest air battle of history, and it’s parallel with our spiritual lives is uncanny. For we, as Christians, are also in an air battle. Our enemy is not the German Luftwaffe–it’s with the Prince of the Power of the Air (a.k.a. the Devil himself).

Part 7: At the Dire Stretch

In this episode, Eric focuses on how the believer stands in the midst of darkest hour. Winston Churchill’s example in 1940 is a stirring picture of leadership in a time of crushing circumstances. But, Churchill’s example fades into the background when the profound illustration of Jesus Christ’s leadership in the darkest hour is presented. As believers, it is this very Man (Jesus) that dwells in us via the Holy Spirit, so that, we too, can walk triumphantly through the dire stretch.