The American Soul
The American Soul
Soul Food: Why Your Spiritual Diet Determines Your Destiny
We explore the vital importance of making time for God daily and ensuring your spouse knows they are your second priority, right after God.
• Making time to read God's word, pray, and listen to Him daily
• The dangers of neglecting your marriage and how it invites temptation
• Reading from Song of Solomon, a book that deserves more attention in churches today
• Comfort from Colossians reminding us Christ is the visible image of the invisible God
• Medal of Honor tribute to Edward Clyde "Ted" Benfold, who sacrificed his life saving fellow soldiers
• Brief reminder that America's founding was deeply influenced by biblical principles
If you're looking for a family-friendly, wholesome, middle-grade series, check out my book series "Countryside." It's 99 cents for a few more days on Amazon Kindle, and I'd greatly appreciate a review if you enjoy it.
The American Soul Podcast
https://www.buzzsprout.com/1791934/subscribe
Hey folks, this is Jesse Kilp, 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. Sure do appreciate you joining me, giving me a little bit of your time, potentially a little piece of your day, potentially a little feast of your day. I will try and use it wisely. For those of y'all who continue to share the podcast with others, tell others about it. Thank you Very grateful for that. For those of y'all who continue to pray for me and for the podcast, thank you Very, very grateful for your prayers. Father, thank you for today. Thank you for this day that you have made. Help us to rejoice in it. Help us to be glad in it. Thank you for all the many blessings that you bestow upon us, the ones we admit and acknowledge and the ones we don't, for whatever reason. Thank you for the people that you've put in our lives, that help us draw closer to you both the good and the bad and the ugly. Thank you for those who have gone before us, who have set such a wonderful example for us to follow in the way that they lived their lives and how they served you. Thank you for those who have gone before us that have suffered so much so that we have the ability to worship you and your son in peace, without fear of persecution. For those who have gone before us that have suffered so much just so that we today could have the Bible, your word, to read, help us not to take those blessings for granted and not to treat them indifferently. Help us not to treat you ind. Be passionate Father for you and your Son, jesus Christ. Be with those who are listening to the podcast, wherever they are, around the world, across the nation here in America. Be with their families. Bless them. Bless their marriages, if they're married. Surround them with your angels and protect them from evil of any kind. And God, in my words, here is Father's place. In your son's name, we pray Amen. Have you made time for God today? Have you made time to read his word? Have you made time to talk to him, to pray, to listen? And, if you're married, are you working hard to make sure that your spouse goes to bed each day knowing that they are your second priority? We talked about this a little bit on the previous podcast. Instead, we might flesh it out, so maybe this will help.
Speaker 1:I went through these analogies in my head and I went through two or three of them. I was thought about cleaning the house, and that didn't work, and thought about tools, and that didn't really work. And then I thought about pets. And it's not the best analogy, folks, but maybe it'll make a little sense.
Speaker 1:If we have this dog or cat or whatever animal that you really love in your house and we don't take care of that animal, there's going to be problems. They're going to get sick, malnourished, whatever it is. There's going to be problems. They're going to get sick, malnourished, whatever it is. There's going to be problems. And maybe think about the relationship that most people have with their dogs. If you're treating your pet, your animal, really poorly and somebody else comes along each day and they feed them and they water them and they spend time with them and they care about them, eventually what's going to happen is that that pet is going to start to go to that other person's home. Right, and I don't like the idea of comparing a person to a pet, but I'm just trying to make the analogy here.
Speaker 1:Folks, if we don't care for our spouse every day, they're just a human person, they're not Jesus Christ, they're not perfect. And if somebody else comes in each day and we're treating them like trash, we're inviting disaster into our marriage, we're inviting temptation, we're inviting Satan in. If we are not fulfilling our God-given roles and responsibilities each day, we're just opening the door for somebody else to come in and really care about our spouse and love them and treat them well, and we're just asking for heartache, folks, because we've chosen to treat our spouse indifferently. The verse for today is the first chapter in the book that I think doesn't get near enough attention inside the church, particularly because of the state of our marriages today inside the church, and that is Song of Solomon, and so I'm just going to read through chapter one the young Ptolemaic bride and Jerusalem's daughter, the Song of Songs, which is Solomon's.
Speaker 1:May he kiss me with the kisses of his mouth, for your love is better than wine. Your oils have a pleasing fragrance. Your name is like perfumed oil. Therefore, the maidens love you. Draw me after you and let us run together. The king has brought me into his chambers. We will rejoice in you and be glad. We will extol your love more than wine. Rightly do they love you.
Speaker 1:I am black but lovely, o, daughters of Jerusalem, like the tents of Kedar, like the curtains of Solomon. Do not stare at me because I am swarthy, for the sun has burned me. My mother's sons were angry with me. They made me caretaker of the vineyards, but I have not taken care of my own vineyard, have not taken care of my own vineyard. Tell me, o you whom my soul loves, where do you pasture your flock? Where do you make it lie down at noon? For why should I be like one who bails herself beside the flocks of your companions? Solomon, the lover speaks If you yourself do not know.
Speaker 1:Most beautiful among women, go forth on the trail of the flock and patch through your young goats by the tents of the shepherds. To me, my darling, you are like my mare among the chariots of Pharaoh. Your cheeks are lovely with ornaments, your neck with streams of beads. We will make for you ornaments of gold with beads of silver. While the king was at his table, my perfume gave forth its fragrance. My beloved is to me a pouch of myrrh which lies all night between my breasts. My beloved is to me a cluster of henna blossoms and the vineyards of En Gedi. How beautiful you are, my darling. How beautiful you are. Your eyes are like doves. How handsome you are, my beloved, and so pleasant Indeed. Our couch is luxuriant, the beams of our houses are cedars, our rafters cypresses.
Speaker 1:Bible verses for today. Colossians, chapter 1, verses 1 through 17. This letter is from Paul, chosen by the will of God to be an apostle of Christ Jesus, and from our brother Timothy. We are writing to God's holy people in the city of Colossae, who are faithful brothers and sisters in Christ. May God, our Father, give you grace and peace.
Speaker 1:We always pray for you and we give thanks to God, the Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, for we have heard of your faith in Christ Jesus and your love for all of God's people, which come from your confident hope of what God has reserved for you in heaven. You have had this expectation ever since you first heard the truth of the good news. The same good news that came to you is going out all over the world. It is bearing fruit everywhere by changing lives, just as it changed your lives from the day you first heard and understood the truth about God's wonderful grace. You learned about the good news from Ephorus, our beloved co-worker. He is Christ's faithful servant and he is helping us on your behalf. He has told us about the love for others that the Holy Spirit has given you, so we have not stopped praying for you since we first heard about you.
Speaker 1:We ask God to give you complete knowledge of his will and to give you spiritual wisdom and understanding. Then the way you live will always honor and please the Lord, and your lives will produce every kind of good fruit, all the while you will grow as you learn to know God better and better. We also pray that you will be strengthened with all his glorious power, so you will have all the endurance and patience you need. May you be filled with joy, always thanking the Father. He has enabled you to share in the inheritance that belongs to his people who live in the light, for he has rescued us from the kingdom of darkness and transferred us into the kingdom of his dear Son, who purchased our freedom and forgave our sins.
Speaker 1:Christ is the visible image of the invisible God. He existed before anything was created and is supreme over all creation, for through him God created everything in the heavenly realms and on earth. He made the things we can see and the things we can't see, such as thrones, kingdoms, rulers and authorities in the unseen world. Everything was created through him and for him. He existed before anything else and he holds all creation together. Psalm 76, verse 1 through 12. God is honored in Judah. His name is great in Israel. Jerusalem is where he lives. Mount Zion is his home. There he has broken the fiery arrows of the enemy, the shields and swords and weapons of war. You are glorious and more majestic than the everlasting mountains. Our boldest enemies have been plundered. They lie before us in the sleep of death. No warrior could lift a hand against us. At the blast of your breath, o God of Jacob, their horses and chariots lay still. No wonder you are greatly feared. Who can stand before you when your anger explodes From heaven? You sentenced your enemies. The earth trembled and stood silent before you. You stand up to judge those who do evil, o God, and to rescue the oppressed of the earth. Human defiance only enhances your glory, for you use it as a weapon. Make vows to the Lord, your God, and keep them. Let everyone bring tribute to the awesome one, for you use it as a weapon. Make vows to the Lord, your God, and keep them. Let everyone bring tribute to the awesome one, for he breaks the pride of princes, and the kings of the earth. Fear him. Proverbs 24, verses 21 through 22. My child fear the Lord and the king. Don't associate with rebels, for disaster will hit them suddenly. Who knows what punishment will come from the Lord and the king. Two verses that kind of gave me comfort today out of Colossians. Verse 15, christ is the visible image of the invisible God. He existed before anything was created and is supreme over all creation. He made the things we can see and the things we can't see. Verse 13,. For he has rescued us from the kingdom of darkness and transferred us into the kingdom of his dear son, who purchased our freedom and forgave our sins. His dear son who purchased our freedom and forgave our sins. And I think, the last one here, four and five, for we have heard of your faith in Christ Jesus and your love for all of God's people, which come from your confident hope of what God has reserved for you in heaven. You have had this expectation ever since you first heard the truth of the good news. One day, folks, no more pain, no more sorrow, no more suffering, heartache, illness, injury, just joy with God and Jesus Christ forever in heaven, beyond our imagining, beyond anything that you could think or I could think that would be wonderful. Medal of Honor for today.
Speaker 1:Edward Clyde, ted Benfold, hospital Corpsman, third Class Korean War, attached to Alpha Company of Marines, first Marine Division, us Navy. September 5, 1952, korea. For gallantry and intrepidity, at the risk of his life, above and beyond the call of duty, while serving in operations against enemy aggressor forces. When his company was subjected to heavy artillery and mortar barrages, followed by a determined assault during the hours of darkness by an enemy force estimated at battalion strength, hc.3c. Benfold resolutely moved from position to position in the face of intense hostile fire, treating the wounded and lending words of encouragement, leaving the protection of his sheltered position to treat the wounded. When the platoon area in which he was working was attacked from both the front and rear, he moved forward to an exposed ridgeline where he observed two Marines in a large crater. As he approached the two men to determine their condition, an enemy soldier threw two grenades into the crater while two other enemies charged the position. Picking up a grenade in each hand, hc 3C Binfold leaped out of the crater and hurled himself against the onrushing hostile soldiers, pushing the grenades against their chests and killing both the attackers Mortally wounded.
Speaker 1:While carrying out this heroic act, hc 3C Binfold, by his great personal valor and resolute spirit of self-sacrifice in the face of almost certain death was directly responsible for saving the lives of his two comrades. His exceptional courage reflects the highest credit upon himself and enhances the finest traditions of the US Naval Service. He gallantly gave his life for others Accredited to Philadelphia, philadelphia County, pennsylvania. Awarded posthumously, presented July 16, 1953, philadelphia Naval Base by Rear Admiral John H Brown Jr, commandant 4th Naval District, to his son, edward Joseph Venfold, born January 15, 1931, staten Island, richmond County, new York, died September 5, 1952, korea. Buried Beverly National Cemetery MHDS TAC-12, beverly, new Jersey, united States.
Speaker 1:Edward Clyde, ted Venfold, another name we need to remember, more than a lot of those entertainers and athletes and politicians even that we seem to be so fond of Benjamin Franklin. Just a short quote today. John Adams considered him one of the three greatest of our founding fathers, along with Benjamin Rush and George Washington. He was one of only six who signed both the Declaration of Independence and our Constitution. A number long list of discoveries and inventions, including founding America's first abolition society and a chain of schools to teach specifically Christianity and academics to black Americans. He wrote his own epitaph the body of Benjamin Franklin printer. Like the cover in an old book, its contents torn out, stripped of its lettering and gilding, lies here, food for worms, but the work shall not be lost, for it will, as he believed, appear once more in a new and more elegant edition, revised and corrected by the author. If Benjamin Franklin was one of those who truly was a deist, folks, his whole worldview was still affected and directed by the Bible. When somebody tells you that our founding was secular in nature, they are so far out in left field that they're in a completely different ballpark and time zone. The only way our nation is going to function correctly again, folks, if we turn back to God and Jesus Christ first and foremost.
Speaker 1:If you're looking for a family-friendly, wholesome, middle-grade series, I recommend, at the end of each podcast, countryside. It's a series I've written a couple books in. If you get a chance, check it out. It's 99 cents for a few more days on Amazon Kindle and, if you enjoy it, if you'd leave a review, I would greatly appreciate that. God bless y'all. God bless your families. God bless your marriages if you're married. God bless y'all. God bless your families. God bless your marriages if you're married. God bless America. God bless your nation. Wherever you are around the world, bless them. We'll talk to y'all again real soon. Folks Looking forward to it.