How Daily Choices Shape Faith, Family, And A Nation

We press into the hard question of evidence for our faith, then apply Scripture to marriage, leadership, and national repentance with readings from Ephesians 5, 3 John, Psalms, and Proverbs. Historic Thanksgiving proclamations sharpen the call to gratitude and confession today.

• examining daily priorities that reveal the heart
• Ephesians 5 on love, respect, and one flesh
• testing marriage advice against Scripture
• leadership defined by service and example
• actions over claims as a measure of truth
• face-to-face connection over screens in homes
• support for faithful teachers and ministries
• historic calls to national thanksgiving and repentance
• naming cultural idols and consequences
• practical steps for families to realign under God

If you are looking for a family-friendly middle-grade read, check out Countryside. If you enjoy it, please leave a review. If you feel like you have three or four or five dollars a month that you can donate, there’s a web page on the Buzz Sprout website where you can do that.

Chapters

• 0:01 Welcome, Thanks, And Opening Prayer
• 2:43 Daily Priorities And Faith Check
• 3:55 Ephesians 5 And Marriage Roles
• 6:36 Following Truth And Leading By Service
• 9:23 Real Connection Happens Face To Face
• 12:11 Medal Of Honor Spotlight: Blasdell
• 13:27 Thanksgiving Proclamations And National Repentance
• 17:30 Cultural Sins, Idols, And Consequences
• 20:22 Book Recommendation And Listener Support
• 21:00 Closing Prayer And Blessing

Transcript

SPEAKER_00: 0:01

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 in whatever part of the day you're in. Sure do 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. Hopefully, y'all are getting to listen to it with someone else. For those of y'all who continue to share the podcast with others and tell others about it, thank you. For those of y'all who continue to pray for me and for the podcast, thank you very much. Very grateful for your prayers. Need them and want them. Father, thank you for today. For this day you have made. 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 mercy of your Son Jesus Christ. Thank you for the people that listen to the podcast and share it. Please be with them. Be with their families. Guide them and bless them. Surround them with your angels. Protect them from evil of any kind. Help us to do your will, Father. Above all else. Not our own will, but thy will. To follow the commands of your Son Jesus Christ. To love you with our whole heart, mind, soul, and strength. To love our neighbors as ourselves. Give us wisdom and courage and a strong faith. Forgive us our cowardice, forgive us our unbelief, help us to overcome it. We do believe. Be with those in our military and our law enforcement. Firefighters, EMS. Please keep them safe, protect them from evil. Help us to care for their widows and orphans. Help us to care for them, Father. Be with our leaders. Help them to rule in fear of you, both in the state and in the pulpit. Help us to turn away from idols, away from false God's false religions, and back to you, Father and your Son Jesus Christ as a nation. Be with those who are hurting, Lord. Comfort them. And please God, my words here. Your son's name we pray. Well How did you spend the last twenty-four hours so? Are you pleased with it? If somebody who accused you of having your priorities in line with God accused you of being a Christian, would there be enough evidence to convict you? And for those of you who are married, if somebody accused you of being a good spouse, would there be enough evidence to convict you? How did you what what did you give time to? God? Your spouse? Social media? Sports? TV, YouTube. Workout. Reading. We ought to ask ourselves those questions each day, folks, and see if we're pleased with how we spend our time. Marriage verse or verses for today. Ephesians chapter 5, starting with verse 22. Wives be subject to your own husbands as to the Lord, for the husband is the head of the wife, as to Christ also is the head of the church, he himself being the Savior of the body. But as the church is subject to Christ, so also the wives ought to be to their husbands in everything. Husbands love your wives, just as Christ also loved the church and gave himself up for her, so that he might sanctify her, having cleansed her by the washing of the water, of water with the word, that he might present to himself the church in all her glory, having no spot or wrinkle or any such thing, but that she would be holy and blameless. So husbands ought also to love their own wives as their own bodies. He who loves his own wife loves himself, for no one ever hated his own flesh, but nourishes and cherishes it, just as Christ also does the church, because we are members of his body. For this reason a man shall leave his father and mother and shall be joined to his wife, and the two shall become one flesh. This mystery is great, but I am speaking with reference to Christ and the church. Nevertheless, each individual among you also is to love his own wife, even as himself, and the wife must see to it that she respects her husband. At the end of the day, folks, what we say so often on here is if you're getting marriage advice, it has to line up with what God says. And if it doesn't, even slightly, then you need to trash it. You need to throw it out, you need to get rid of it, and you need to not be listening to those people. At least not on that, whatever topic they're talking about. And the only way you you can really do that is if you know what God tells you your role is as a husband or a wife. And I just, if we don't do that, folks, we're just opening the door for the devil. And it's not any more or less complicated than that. So many people look around today and they want to know why their marriage is failing or has failed. And so much of it simply goes back to our unwillingness to make our spouse our second priority each day and follow our particular God-given roles and responsibilities, which are different, vastly different, folks, for men and women. And you see that clearly when you read through scripture. Bible verses for today. Let's see. We're going to start with 3 John verses or 1, 1 through 15. This letter is from John the Elder. I am writing to Gaius, my dear friend, whom I love in the truth. Dear friend, I hope all is well with you and that you are as healthy in body as you are strong in spirit. Some of the traveling teachers recently returned and made me very happy by telling me about your faithfulness and that you are living according to the truth. I could have no greater joy than to hear that my children are following the truth. Dear friend, you are being faithful to God when you care for the traveling teachers who pass through, even though they are strangers to you. They have told the church here of your loving friendship. Please continue providing for such teachers in a manner that pleases God, for they are traveling for the Lord, and they accept nothing from people who are not believers. So we ourselves should support them so that we can be their partners as they teach the truth. I wrote to the church about this, but Diotrephus, who loves to be the leader, refuses to have anything to do with us. When I come, I will report some of the things he is doing and the evil accusations he is making against us. Not only does he refuse to welcome the traveling teachers, he also tells others not to help them. And when they do help, he puts them out of the church. Dear friend, don't let this bad example influence you. Follow only what is good. Remember that those who do good prove that they are God's children, and those who do evil prove that they do not know God. Everyone speaks highly of Demetrius, as does the truth itself. We ourselves can say the same for him, and you know we speak the truth. I have much more to say to you, but I don't want to write it with pen and ink, for I hope to see you soon. And then we will talk face to face. Peace be with you. Your friends here send you their greetings. Please give my personal greetings to each of our friends there. Psalm one twenty six verses one through six. When the Lord brought back his exiles to Jerusalem, it was like a dream. We were filled with laughter, and we sang for joy. And the other nations said, What amazing things the Lord has done for them. Yes, the Lord has done amazing things for us, what joy. Restore our fortunes, Lord, as streams renew the desert. Those who plant in tears will harvest with shouts of joy. They weep as they go to plant their seed, but they sing as they return with the harvest. Proverbs twenty nine verses twelve through fourteen. If a ruler pays attention to liars, all his advisors will be wicked. The poor and the oppressor have this in common the Lord gives sight to the eyes of both. If a king judges the poor fairly, his throne will last forever. Couple things out of three, John. Verse four, I could have no greater joy than to hear my children are following the truth. I think that's a pretty good goal for us as parents. And how do you how do you do that best as parents? You lead by example, right? Your individual life, your life as a spouse, right? Are you following God's example? And husbands in particular, you want to lead. How did Christ lead? He served. You really want to be a leader. You have to be willing to serve. Verse 11. Follow only what is good. Remember that those who do good prove they are God's children. Those who do evil prove that they do not know God. Actions, folks, actions tell us so much, and we ignore them so often to our own peril. Look at what people do, not what they say. Look at how they act, not what they claim. Whether you're talking about a business deal, whether you're just talking about a friendship, whether you're talking about somebody, if you're looking for a spouse and you're thinking about getting married, folks, you need to look at how people act and whether they're following what God says or not. And then the last thing, for some reason, verse 14 struck me again, for I hope to see you soon, and then we will talk face to face. I think that's the second time in a few days we've heard that phrase face to face. And I can't help but again say, folks, us sitting together in a room with our spouse, our children, particularly our spouse, though, and staring at a screen, whether it's a phone or a TV, that's not really connecting. You're not really, you're spending time in the same room, but you're not really spending time together. You have to interact. It doesn't, it can look a lot of different ways. It can be going for a walk, uh, cooking. If you're talking about your spouse, sex, uh sitting on the porch, cleaning, doing a job together. There's a lot of different ways it can look, but you you have to be interacting together with your spouse or with your kids. Medal of Honor for today, if I can find it. Thomas A. Blasdell, private, highest rank corporal, U.S. Civil War, Hotel Company, eighty third Indian Indiana Infantry, U.S. Army, May twenty second, eighteen sixty three, Vicksburg, Mississippi, USA. Gallantly in the charge of the volunteer gallantry in the charge of the volunteer storming party. Accredited to Guildford, Dearborn County, Indiana, not awarded posthumously, presented august eleventh, eighteen ninety-four, born january second, eighteen forty three, Dearborn County, Indiana, died october twelfth, nineteen thirty two, Sylvia, Kansas, United States. Buried Fairlawn Cemetery, four Tac two hundred seventy three, TAC six, Hutchinson, Kansas, United States. Don't you so know that gentleman saw a lot? Born in eighteen forty-three, died in nineteen thirty-two. Thomas A. Blasdell. Thanksgiving proclamation. Thanksgiving Day, eighteen sixty-five, by the President of the United States of America, a proclamation. Whereas it has pleased Almighty God during the year which is now coming to an end to relieve our beloved country from the fearful scourge, scourge of civil war, and to permit us to secure the blessings of peace, unity, and harmony, with a great enlargement of civil liberty, and whereas our Heavenly Father has also during the year graciously averted from us the calamities of foreign war, pestilence, and famine, while our granaries are full of the fruits of an abundant season, and whereas righteousness exalteth a nation, while sin is a reproach to any people. Now, therefore, be it known that I, Andrew Johnson, President of the United States, do hereby recommend to the people thereof that they do set apart and observe the first Thursday of December next as a day of national thanksgiving to the Creator of the universe for these great deliverances and blessings. And I do further recommend that on that occasion the whole people make confession of our national sins against his infinite goodness, and with one heart and one mind implore the divine guidance in the ways of national virtue and holiness. In testimony whereof I have hereunto set my hand and cause the seal of the United States to be affixed, done in the city of Washington this twenty eighth day of October in the year of our Lord 1865, and of the independence of the United States of America, the ninetiet. Andrew Johnson. Do we, folks, are we making confession of our national sins against God's goodness? Are we seeking divine guidance in order to be virtuous and holy as a nation? Feminism, LGBTQ lifestyle, sexual deviancy of every kind, folks, adultery, no fault divorce, abortion. That's huge. That's the modern moral equivalent of slavery, except that it's far worse than slavery ever was. Are we seeking God's forgiveness for these sins that we have followed after for so long, making little gods of sports and entertainment? And public school, you can argue. Are we telling God thank you for the blessings in our lives, in our communities? Are we taking the time to do that? I think we'll read. Yeah, we'll read one more for today. Thanksgiving, Day 1866, by the President of the United States of America of proclamation. Almighty God, our Heavenly Father, has been pleased to vouchsafe to us as a people another year of that national life, which is an indispensable condition of peace, security, and progress. That year has, moreover, been crowned with many peculiar blessings. The civil war that so recently closed among us has not been anywhere reopened. Foreign intervention has ceased to excite alarm or apprehension. Intrusive pestilence has been benignly mitigated, domestic tranquility has improved, sentiments of conciliation has largely prevailed, and affections of loyalty and patriotism have been widely renewed. Our fields have yielded quite abundantly, our mining industry has been richly rewarded, and we have been allowed to extend our railroad system far into the interior recesses of the country, while our commerce has resumed its customary activity in foreign seas. These great national blessings demand a national acknowledgement. Now, therefore, I, Andrew Johnson, President of the United States, do hereby recommend that Thursday, the twenty ninth day of November next, be set apart and be observed everywhere in the several states and territories of the United States by the people thereof, as a day of thanksgiving and praise to Almighty God, with due remembrance that in his temple doth every man speak of his honor. I recommend also that on the same solemn occasion they do humbly and devoutly implore him to grant to our national councils and to our whole people that divine wisdom which alone can lead any nation into the ways of all good. In offering these national thanksgivings, praises, and supplications we have the divine assurance that the Lord remaineth a king forever. Them that are meek shall he guide in judgment, and such as are gentle shall he learn his way. And Lord shall give strength to his people, and the Lord shall give to his people the blessing of peace. In witness whereof I have hereunto set my hand and caused the seal of the United States to be affixed, done at the city of Washington this eighth day of October in the year of our Lord 1866, and of the independence of the United States of America the 91st. Andrew Johnson. That we can somehow continue that way, it's just not going to work. Or maybe better analogy is hanging out with people that you know are bank robbers, living with people that you know are bank robbers and assuming that you're never going to get caught up in, or maybe even better, people that you know are mob members or members of drug cartels living in the same house with them and assuming that you're never going to get caught in the crossfire. It's just illogical. If you are looking for a family-friendly middle-grade read, if you would check out Countryside, I would appreciate it. It's kind of along the lines of Narney and Harry Potter, uh The Hobbit, Percy Jackson. There's a couple books in the series working on the third one. And if you enjoy it, if you would leave a review, I would appreciate that greatly. Excuse me. And if you're getting something out of the podcast, if you feel like you have three or four or five dollars a month that you can donate, there's a web page on the Buzz Sprout website where you can do that. And I would be very grateful for that. Our Father, who art in heaven, hallowed be thy name, thy kingdom come, thy will be done on earth as it is in heaven. Give us this day our daily bread, and forgive us our trespasses as we forgive those who trespass against us, and lead us not to temptation, but deliver us from evil, for thine is the kingdom, the power, and the glory forever and ever.

unknown: 21:13

Amen.

SPEAKER_00: 21:15

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, listening. We'll talk to you all again real soon, folks. Looking forward to it.