Resource Notes
January 19, 2014
Corporate Prayer Resources
The Year of Promise
A century ago Europe entered the year 1914 with great expectations.
The year 1914 marked 100 years of progress and increasing prosperity after the end of the Napoleonic Wars. The Industrial Revolution had taken its course, as steamships replaced sailing ships; trains, cars and airplanes replaced horse and buggy; electricity lit up the night; and the telegram, telephone, and radios made instant worldwide communication possible. Prosperity rose as international trade reached record heights. Most people believed that there would be no end to human progress and prosperity.
Few people understood the dark forces which were loose in Europe in 1914. The science of the Nineteenth Century (mostly proven wrong in the Twentieth Century) had convinced many that their Christian religion was a relic of the past. Prominent Christian Scholars attacked the veracity of the Scriptures, further undermining the faith of the people. Darwin’s evolutionary theories were applied to people groups as a virulent strain of racism excused the European Colonization the world. And the race for colonies led to militant nationalism and an arms race which turned Europe into an armed camp. It just took spark to set the whole continents ablaze with war, and the progressive world of 1914 with it.
As we look back in amazement at the suicidal First World War, few of us realize the fragility of the world we live in. Trade and technology have taken us to new heights of prosperity, but the forces of darkness are ever present. Militant nationalism is rising as Russia seeks to regain its Empire, China flexes it muscles in East Asia, Iran works to dominate the Middle East and Islamists try to recreate the Caliphate. The colonial spirit of exploitation has morphed into homegrown repression in places like Zimbabwe (And most of Africa) and Venezuela. Even in the United States we see individual rights and religious freedom threatened by an ever growing government.
Yet the prophetic voices tell us that 2014 is a year of promise. Pastor John Hagee’s new book Four Blood Moons makes a convincing argument that God is planning to move in 2014. Our sister organization, The International Star Bible Society, concurs (See their Blog of 1/8/2014 “Blood Moons”). One prophet had a vision of two cities, one prosperous like Dallas and one desolate like Detroit. He was given to understand that the vision showed two alternative outcomes for the same city, with the message given that the choice was ours. Like the Europeans in 1914, we can choose prosperity or desolation.
We believe that 2014 can be a year of a great move of God. We need to repent and prepare our hearts to receive God’s blessings in the midst of the World’s turmoil.
Let us fearlessly take hold of God’s promise as we move into 2014.