Being thankful for our Christian heritage

This time of year, it seems there is plenty to do in getting ready for winter. I am repairing outbuildings and all the stuff that goes with the oncoming winter. Fall with its shortening of days and dropping of temperature is less appealing for those that do not have winter activities. I know because when I mushed dogs for many years there was great anticipation for this time of year, I was always thankful when we have lots of snow.

The word of God tells us to be thankful, and I believe when our forefathers had that first Thanksgiving, they were not only thankful for their harvest that year but for the God of creation and what Jesus Christ did for all mankind. This great country in the past has always looked to God and been thankful for the blessings we had and recognized the Lord Jesus Christ as our Savior or at least did not stymie those that did want to bring Jesus’ name forth.

In his will, Patrick Henry wrote, “I have now disposed of all my property to my family. There is one thing more I wish I could give them, and that is the Christian Religion. If they had that and I had not given them one shilling they would have been rich; and if they had not that and I had given them all the world, they would be poor.”

Thomas Jefferson wrote in the front of his Bible, “I am a Christian, that is to say a disciple of the doctrines of Jesus...”

Our first president, George Washington, in his farewell speech said, “It is impossible to govern the world without God and the Bible...”

These great men were thankful for the Christian heritage of the United States of America, as I am sure the first 108 universities founded in America, of which 106 were distinctly Christian, were thankful for their Christian liberty in this great land.

As I am repairing my out buildings, even thinking about tearing down one and building a new one, I keep thinking about how thankful I am for the Christian nation we have had. Today Christianity is getting harder and harder to bring forth to the public in light of the fairly recent statement: separation of church and state.

That is why it is so important for this day and age to tell people about Jesus and his saving grace with such a great reward for people. Why then is it so hard to reach people and get them to understand that Jesus paid for all mankind sins?

There was a Christian movie made 15 or 20 years ago and in the movie, the unbelievers called the Christians, the haters. Well, today the people that need Jesus are not thankful for the Christian heritage of this great country; what is the unbeliever’s opinion of the Christian? I am sure there are many different answers but the Christians just want to tell people of Jesus’ saving grace, that the Bible is the inspired word of God, never changing because God doesn't change his mind. What was at the beginning when God spoke the world into existence and created man still is, what was an abomination of sin is still sin, His promise of eternal life through Jesus Christ has never changed.

Every Christian is thankful for what Jesus Christ has done for them with eternal life. Christianity is not a oneness group, Jesus does not ask us to do some great works or evil works to inherit the kingdom of God, only believe in the Lord Jesus Christ. (Romans 10:9-10)

Lavon Barve ministers through Cup of Life Ministries in Wasilla.