America's Godly Heritage

President Ronald Reagan was a master communicator. In his 1986 Thanksgiving Proclamation, he reminded Americans of the importance of recognizing God's hand on the founding of our nation and of "offering thanksgiving" to Him. In making these two points, Reagan often referenced our first president, George Washington, who prayed to God, recognized His hand in the colonies' success...

Beloved President Abraham Lincoln guided the United States through the nightmare that was the Civil War. Even as brother fought against brother, Lincoln invited the divided nation to set apart a Day of Thanksgiving and Prayer. Today we are again divided. As we set aside a day to celebrate Thanksgiving, let us listen to Lincoln's Thanksgiving Proclamation of 1863. Then, let us learn how Lincol...

The Constitutional Convention was one of the pivotal moments in U.S. history, and it nearly crashed and burned. Yet, Benjamin Franklin’s speech pushed the quarreling delegates to stop focusing on that which was contentious and served their own interests and to start focusing on what would be best for the nation as a whole. His call for prayer reminded them that even though they were intelligent an...

Christian and Hopeful arrive at the Delightful Mountains, a place of refreshment and teaching. Christian asks the shepherds there some questions and receives cryptic answers. In turn, the shepherds have some questions for the pilgrims and then offer them some hospitality. The next morning the shepherds show them Hill Error, Hill Caution, and the by-way to hell and also let them look through their...

In this episode we will be continuing our series on the United States Constitution. While God is not mentioned directly in the Constitution, His fingerprints are all over it. While God or worshipping God is discussed in all fifty state constitutions, we are going to focus on the governing documents of the original thirteen states that existed when the U.S. Constitution was created. If a state’s fo...

The Articles of Confederation were a disaster and needed to be replaced. However, the public would not accept tampering with them unless the one man they knew and trusted - George Washington - was involved in the process. He had to be convinced to come out of retirement and to oversee the Constitutional Convention. His sense of duty that led him to lay aside what he wanted to do to serve his count...

Between the Declaration of Independence and the Constitution our nation was governed for a few years by the Articles of Confederation and Perpetual Union. Since the Founders abhorred the strong, centralized British government so much that they declared the American colonies independent from Britain, they didn't want to create another strong, centralized government for the new American nation....

John Marrant became a Christian after an encounter with George Whitefield and became an evangelist himself, mostly preaching to the Native Americans. Meanwhile, George Whitefield continued to travel throughout the colonies making friends (such as with Benjamin Franklin) and opponents (such as the querists) wherever he went. Through his faithful ministry, hundreds of thousands of people came to kno...

Through Whitefield's preaching, particularly through his "Father Abraham" sermon, God united the thirteen colonies. Despite division caused by geography and denominationalism, when the colonists were affected by revival, their divisions became inconsequential and they became aware that they were all equal before God and that they were a nation chosen by God for a specific purpose. S...

Learn how God worked through Jonathan Edwards, who was a world-class theologist involved from the early days of revival; through William Tennent, who founded a college for ministers; through Gilbert Tennent, who preached that ministers needed to be saved (really, he did!); through Samuel Davies, who influenced Patrick Henry, made the colonists aware of God's hand on George Washington, and eva...

The American colonies had fallen into spiritual apathy, and they desperately needed to be stirred up again. God answered this need with the First Great Awakening. George Whitefield was a university student who came to know God in a powerful way and then set out to help others know Him too. After helping bring revival to England, Whitefield felt God calling him to preach in the colonies. There, he...

Although the first generation of colonists burned with intensity in their relationship with God, the second and third generations let that fire die. They were so blessed by God that they grew complacent. They needed something to happen to rouse them from their slumbers. Support the show

Celebrate Thanksgiving by hearing Massachusetts Governor Curtis Guild Jr.'s Thanksgiving Proclamation of 1907. Guild encourages us individually to spend time with our loved ones and corporately to be grateful for our blessings and to use them to help others. He reminds us of the example of the Pilgrims, who kept their eyes on God, trusting Him to bring good out of their difficult trials. Let...

Some believe that since God is not clearly named in the Constitution, that it is a humanistic document. However, God's fingerprints are all over it. Our Founders, who created the God-affirming Declaration of Independence and the Constitution, meant for them to work together. 1) The two documents helped unite the fledgling nation. 2) The Declaration outlines why the United States was created,...

Christian and Faithful continue on their path to the Celestial City. They meet Talkative, who seems to be a fellow believer, but upon closer inspection he is found to be wanting in his beliefs and actions. After Talkative leaves them, they meet Evangelist. Evangelist tells them he is proud of them for persevering on their journey, but for one of them, the journey is about to end. Support the show

Christian catches up with the owner of the encouraging voice, Faithful, and they decide to continue their journeys together.  They discuss life in the City of Destruction after Christian left. Then Faithful relates his journey thus far, which includes resisting temptation, being beaten unconscious, and addressing those trying to make him feel discontented and ashamed of his actions and choices. No...

Christian has defeated the mighty Apollyon, but his trials are not over. Now he must face the deadly and terrifying Valley of the Shadow of Death. Despite being warned not to enter the valley, he does so, as he realizes he has no other choice. There, he faces fiends and Wicked Ones, deep ditches and quagmires, and Giants Pope and Pagan. He prays for help, and God answers his prayers in an unexpect...

After the mountaintop high of his stay at House Beautiful, Christian descends into the Valley of Humiliation. There, he is confronted by Apollyon. Like the devil in Matthew 4, Apollyon tries to use words to manipulate Christian into returning to the City of Destruction. When that doesn't work, the gloves come off and the battle begins. Support the show

Christian encounters two lions on the path, but he is able to pass between them safely after some encouragement by Watchful. He then goes to House Beautiful, where he is interrogated. He passes the test and enjoys a meal and a good night's sleep. Then the ladies of the house show him the "excellence of that place," particularly the study and armory. After being suited up in his own...

Tyndale laid the foundation for the Reformation in England through his English translation of the Bible. Henry VIII tore England away from the Catholic Church and created the Church of England, but then Mary I returned the country to Catholicism. Elizabeth I pulled it out again and insisted on uniformity amongst all the churches. James I and Charles I increased persecution of those who didn't...

Without the Protestant Reformation, The Pilgrim's Progress would not exist. Here is a brief overview of how John Wycliffe, Jan Hus, and Martin Luther helped birth the Reformation. Warning:  Discussion of martyrdom Support the show

Bunyan began life by going to the school of hard knocks, and he was known for his coarse language and behavior. Yet, God grabbed ahold of him and guided him safely through a spiritual crisis. Bunyan then became known as a pastor and preacher. After refusing to recant his Puritan beliefs, he spent twelve years in jail, which gave him time to write. Support the show

John Bunyan's The Pilgrim's Progress is a best-selling classic allegory that has influenced Christians for centuries. In the Introduction, we look at what the title means; what allegory is; why Bunyan used allegory; and when, where, and why he wrote his book. Support the show

Instead of being melted down, this broken bell became a powerful symbol of freedom. During the 1800s, it became (incorrectly) linked to the War for Independence, a prophetic symbol for freeing the slaves, and a means to help unify the broken nation after the Civil War. During the 1900s, the bell was used to gain support for causes where freedom was threatened, such as the Civil Rights movement and...

This Thanksgiving, take a few minutes to appreciate all that God has done for the citizens of the United States. Step back in time and learn about President George Washington and his Thanksgiving Proclamation of 1789. Washington wanted Americans to be thankful to God for the creation of the country and to pray for His continued blessing on it. It shines, especially in comparison with President Bid...