The American Soul
The American Soul
Your Time Reveals What Truly Matters to Your Soul
Faith is revealed through our actions, not just our intentions, as how we spend our time demonstrates what we truly value and prioritize in life.
• Making time for God and our spouse shows they are genuine priorities
• Faith and works aren't opposed—salvation comes through Christ alone while our actions reflect our beliefs
• Marriage requires mutual fulfillment and agreement, especially regarding physical intimacy
• Paul's letter to the Philippians demonstrates joy and purpose despite imprisonment
• Church should focus on drawing closer to God rather than entertainment
• The founding generation, including John Adams, dedicated significant time to spiritual growth
• What we give our time to ultimately shapes who we become
The American Soul Podcast
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Hey folks, this is Jesse Cope, back with another episode of the American Soul Podcast. Hope y'all are doing well, wherever y'all are, whatever part of the day you're in. Start to appreciate y'all joining me, giving me a little bit of your time and a little piece of your day. I will try and use it wisely. For those of y'all who continue to share the podcast, tell us about it. Thank you Very grateful for that. For those of y'all who continue to pray for me in the podcast, thank you Very, very grateful for your prayers.
Speaker 1:Father, thank you for today. Thank you for you, father, and your Son, jesus Christ and your Holy Spirit. Thank you for your love and your mercy, your grace and your forgiveness of sins through the marriage of your son, jesus Christ. Thank you for the people you have put in our lives that draw us closer to you and your son. Thank you for those who have come before us, who have given and sacrificed so much so that we might have liberty, so that we might be able to worship you and your son without fear of retaliation, that we might be able to read your word, to even own a copy of the Bible without fear of retaliation, punishment, imprisonment, torture, rape, execution. Be with those around the world who don't have that ability, father. Help them to feel your presence. Give them courage, wisdom, strong faith. Help us to ease their burden in any way that we can to comfort them, to come to their aid. Be with the children in our nation, father, wherever they are, at school, at home. Help us to draw them close to you. Help us to teach them your statutes, your commands, your will. Help us to meditate on your word, to think about your word throughout our day, to pray continuously. Most of all, though, father, to do your will, and please guide my words here and watch over those listening to the podcast. Father, be with them, be with their families, bless them. Indeed, in your son's name we pray, amen.
Speaker 1:Have you made time for God today? Have you made time to read his word, to pray, to talk to him, to listen and, if you're married, have you made time for your spouse? Do they know that you're actually married? Do you act like it? Are they your top priority each day, second only to God and Jesus Christ and the Holy Spirit? How are you spending your time? Because that tells the world, folks, however we spend our time. That tells the world what our priorities really are what's really important to us, what we really care about and what we don't, what we don't really care about, what's not really that important to us, and it doesn't matter what we say, and it really folks our intentions. Thank God that they matter, that he knows that we're going to fail. Thank God that they matter, that he knows that we're going to fail.
Speaker 1:But the point is still if we're not making an effort, if our actions don't line up you know that's the argument that you hear so often is about faith versus works. There is no faith versus works. You can't work your way into heaven, into salvation, into eternal life. It's impossible. That's why Jesus Christ came. You can't join a particular denomination Roman Catholic, protestant, orthodox and get salvation. It doesn't work that way.
Speaker 1:Regardless of what anybody or any denomination says, the only way is through Jesus Christ. Anybody or any denomination says the only way is through Jesus Christ, and it doesn't matter if you're Roman Catholic or Protestant or Orthodox or non-denominational. If you confess with your lips and you choose to believe in your heart that Jesus Christ is the Son of God, that died for our sins and that was raised, that's your salvation, that's eternal life. But our works will show that If we really believe in God and Jesus Christ, we're going to try to follow them. We're going to strive to follow their commands. If we really love our spouse, we're going to strive to show them each day, in every way. Our marriage verses for the day come from 1 Corinthians 7, starting with verse 1.
Speaker 1:Now, regarding the questions you ask in your letter yes, it is good to abstain from sexual relations, but because there is so much sexual immorality, each man should have his own wife and each woman should have her own husband. The husband should fulfill his wife's sexual needs and the wife should fulfill her husband's needs. The wife gives authority over her body to her husband and the husband gives authority over his body to his wife, body to her husband and the husband gives authority over his body to his wife. Do not deprive each other of sexual relations unless you both agree to refrain from sexual intimacy for a limited time so that you can give yourselves more completely to prayer. Afterward you should come together again so that Satan won't be able to tempt you because of your lack of self-control, to tempt you because of your lack of self-control. I say this as a concession, not as a command. That last verse, verse 6, the commentaries that I've read on it. I have all pretty much said that the concession part there is if you're going to abstain, if you really feel like you need to, in order to devote yourself to prayer and fasting. That's what they're talking about. That's okay if you both agree to do that. They are not saying that it's okay to abstain from sex period, or even frequently, and so if you're not both in agreement, that's not one of your options, all right. And then we're going to get into Philippians 1, verses 1 through 26.
Speaker 1:This letter is from Paul and Timothy, slaves of Christ Jesus. I am writing to all of God's holy people in Philippi who belong to Christ Jesus, including the church leaders and deacons. May God, our Father and the Lord Jesus Christ, give you grace and peace. Every time I think of you, I give thanks to my God. Whenever I pray, I make my requests for all of you with joy, for you have been my partners in spreading the good news about Christ from the time you first heard it until now, and I am certain that God, who began the good work within you, will continue his work until it is finally finished on the day when Jesus Christ returns. So it is right that I should feel as I do about all of you, for you have a special place in my heart. You share with me the special favor of God, both in my imprisonment and in defending and confirming the truth of the good news. God knows how much I love you and long for you. With the tender compassion of Christ Jesus, I pray that your love will overflow more and more and that you will keep on growing in knowledge and understanding, for I want you to understand what really matters, so that you may live pure and blameless lives until the day of Christ's return. May you always be filled with the fruit of your salvation, the righteous character produced in your life by Jesus Christ, for this will bring much glory and praise to God. And I want you to know, my dear brothers and sisters, that everything that has happened to me here has helped to spread the good news For everyone here, including the whole palace guard, knows that I am in chains because of Christ and because of my imprisonment.
Speaker 1:Most of the believers here have gained confidence and boldly speak God's message without fear. It is true that some are preaching out of jealousy and rivalry, but others preach about Christ with pure motives. They preach because they love me, for they know I have been appointed to defend the good news. Those others do not have pure motives as they preach about Christ. They preach with selfish ambition, not sincerely intending to make my chains more painful to me. But that doesn't matter Whether their motives are false or genuine. The message about Christ is being preached either way. So I rejoice and I will continue to rejoice, for I know that, as you pray for me and the Spirit of Jesus Christ helps me, this will lead to my deliverance, for I fully expect and hope that I will never be ashamed, but that I will continue to be bold for Christ, as I have been in the past, and I trust that my life will bring honor to Christ, whether I live or die. For to me living means living for Christ, and dying is even better. But if I live, I can do more fruitful work for Christ. So I really don't know which is better. I'm torn between two desires. I long to go and be with Christ, which would be far better for Christ. So I really don't know which is better. I'm torn between two desires. I long to go and be with Christ, which would be far better for me. But for your sakes. It is better that I continue to live Knowing this. I am convinced that I will remain alive so I can continue to help all of you grow and experience the joy of your faith. And when I come to you again, you will have even more reason to take pride in Christ Jesus because of what he is doing through me.
Speaker 1:Psalm 71, verses 1 through 24. O Lord, I have come to you for protection. Don't let me be disgraced. Save me and rescue me, for you do what is right. Turn your ear to listen to me and set me free. Be my rock of safety where I can always hide. Give the order to save me, for you are my rock and my fortress. My God, rescue me from the power of the wicked, from the clutches of cruel oppressors. O Lord, you alone are my hope. I've trusted you, o Lord, from my childhood. Yes, you have been with me from birth, from my mother's womb, you have cared for me. No wonder I am always praising you. My life is an example to many, because you have been my strength and protection. That is why I can never stop praising you. I declare your glory all day long.
Speaker 1:And now, in my old age, don't set me aside. Don't abandon me when my strength is failing, for my enemies are whispering against me. They are plotting together to kill me. They say God has abandoned him. Let's go and get him, for no one will help him now, o God, don't stay away. My God, please hurry to help me. Bring disgrace and destruction on my accusers. Humiliate and shame those who want to harm me. But disgrace and destruction on my accusers. Humiliate and shame those who want to harm me. But I will keep on hoping for your help. I will praise you more and more.
Speaker 1:I will tell everyone about your righteousness All day long. I will proclaim your saving power, though I am not skilled with words. I will praise your mighty deeds, o sovereign Lord. I will tell everyone that you alone are just, o God, you have taught me from my earliest childhood and I constantly tell others about the wonderful things you do. Now that I am old and gray, do not abandon me, o God. Let me proclaim your power to this new generation, your mighty miracles to all who come after me. Your righteousness, o God, reaches to the highest heavens. You have done such wonderful things. Who can compare with you, o God? You have allowed me to suffer much hardship, but you will restore me to life again and lift me up from the depths of the earth. You will restore me to even greater honor and comfort me once again. Then I will praise you with music on the harp, because you are faithful to your promises. O my God, I will sing praises to you with a lyre, o holy one of Israel, I will shout for joy and sing your praises, for you have ransomed me. I will tell about your righteous deeds all day long, for everyone who tried to hurt me has been shamed. Proverbs 24, verses 9 through 10. If you fail under pressure, your strength is too small.
Speaker 1:Medal of Honor for today William Henry Belpit, also known as William Henry Belfit, captain of the Afterguard Interim 1871-1899, uss Monacacy, us Navy. October 7, 1884, fuchao, china, china, on board the USS Monacasee, fuqiao, china, 7 October 1884,. Jumping overboard from that vessel on the morning of this date, belpit sustained until picked up a Chinaman who had been thrown into the water by the capsizing of a canoe Not awarded, posthumously Presented April 19, 1885, by Commander Francis Higginson on board the US steamer Monocrancy off the coast of Shanghai, china. Born May 3, 1860, right, australia. Died November 30, 1912. Buried Rockwood Catholic Cemetery, rockwood, australia.
Speaker 1:William Henry Belpit, and one more, if we've got time. Today, folks. July 4th 1777, john Adams writing to his wife Abigail, from Patton's at Arundel. We went to meeting at Wells and had the pleasure of hearing my friend upon Be not partakers in other men's sins, keep yourselves pure. We took our horses to the meeting in the afternoon and heard the minister again upon Seek first the kingdom of God and his righteousness and all these things shall be added unto you. There is great pleasure in hearing sermons so serious, so clear, so sensible and instructive, as these Two things, excuse me, strike me from that quote, that letter to his wife.
Speaker 1:One is, we have this misconception today that church is supposed to be for our entertainment, folks, that we need to be entertained, and that's not the point of church at all. The point is to draw closer to God, to worship God, to learn more about God, to be in fellowship with others in the presence of God and the Holy Spirit and Jesus Christ. And the second thing is just how much time our founding generation many of them, gave to God and Jesus Christ. And it gets back to what we talked about at the beginning of each podcast what are we giving our time to? How much time do we give to social media, to workouts, to sports, both in person and on TV, to our TVs and phones in general, right? Versus how much time do we give to God? How much time do we give to our TVs and phones in general, right? Versus how much time do we give to God? How much time do we give to our spouse? We're going to become what we give our time to. What are we giving our time to?
Speaker 1:If y'all have a chance, you can pick up a copy of Countryside online, I would appreciate it. It's a middle-grade fantasy, kind of along the lines of the Hobbit or Chronicles of Narnia, harry Potter, percy Jackson, that kind of stuff. It's very family oriented, though. If you're looking for something for a kid or grandkid, or if you just like that stuff as an adult, and if you enjoy it. If you'd leave a review online somewhere, I would greatly appreciate that too. God bless you all. God bless your families. God bless your marriages If you're married. God bless your nation. Wherever you are around the world listening. God bless America. We'll talk to you all again real soon. Folks Looking forward to it.