Faithful Priorities For Busy Lives

Eternal life, daily discipline, marriage, national hardship, and personal humility all collide in one short stretch of scripture and reflection. We start with John 3:36 and the uncomfortably clear claim that belief in God’s Son brings eternal life while refusing the Son leaves us under judgment. That is not background noise, it is the foundation under everything we talk about afterward.

From there, we get practical about spiritual growth and real life. I share a lesson from a training partner that hit me hard when I felt like I was not progressing: showing up consistently matters when you have a job, a spouse, and kids depending on you. “Do what you can when you can” is encouragement, but it is not permission to drift. We also check our priorities, because losing hours to distractions is different from being faithfully stretched thin.

We read a marriage passage from Song of Solomon that celebrates devoted love, then move into John the Baptist’s words that keep pride in its place: “He must become greater and greater, and I must become less and less.” Along the way we worship with Psalm 104, get challenged by Proverbs 14 on work versus talk, remember service through a Medal of Honor citation, and close with FDR’s reminder of duty in arduous days and a call to turn back to God.

If you value Bible teaching that connects faith, family, work ethic, and American history, listen through to the end. Subscribe, share this with a friend, and leave a review so more people can find the show.

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Transcript

Scripture Warning And Welcome

SPEAKER_00 0:01

John three, starting with verse thirty-six. And anyone who believes in God's Son has eternal life. Anyone who doesn't obey the Son will never experience eternal life, but remains under God's angry judgment. July 6th, 2025, Born Method Seafront, UK. Nineteen-year-old girl was raped in a public toilet after being offered a ride on an e-bike by Mohammed Abdullah, 19-year-old Muslim Syrian national. 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. Sure do appreciate you joining me, giving me a little bit of your time and attention, a little piece of your day. I will try and use it wisely. For those of y'all who continue to pray for the podcast and for me, thank you. Very, very grateful for your prayers, need them and want them.

Prayer For Others And Leaders

SPEAKER_00 1:10

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 merit of your son Jesus Christ. Thank you for the people that you have put into our lives to give us a little bit of light, a reflection of your son. Help us to share that light in this dark world, Father. To remember that we are only passing through here, that this is not our home, and to do all we can to share that with others. Please be with those who are injured and ill, who are battling cancer or other diseases, injuries, brokenness. Be with those children who are alone and abandoned, whose mothers or fathers have walked out on them, who are abused. Help us to comfort them. Be with those around the world who are suffering, watching loved ones die for the name of your son Jesus Christ. And be with those here at home who are suffering because they follow your son Jesus Christ and refuse to bow down to the world. Be with our leaders. Help us to elect and appoint men who rule in fear of you, Father. Pastors, priests, president, vice president, admirals, generals, senators, representatives, sheriffs, police chiefs, fire chiefs, etc. And guide my words here, Father, please. Your son's name we pray. Amen.

Doing What You Can Consistently

SPEAKER_00 3:09

Wanted to share something real quick before we get to the marriage verse. Uh there's a gentleman that has trained me for years now, hasn't become a good friend. And uh I think I've shared this on the podcast, but for whatever reason it popped into my head again while I was getting ready for the podcast today. It was a while back I was kind of getting down on myself about my level of progress, my lack of progress uh training, and he said, you know what? He said, You don't get to come in and train hours each day, like a lot of these other men, kids do. He said, You know, you're you're married, you have a wife, you have kids, you have a job. And he said, you know, you come in week after week, even though it's only for an hour. And he said, You need to be very pleased with that. You're you're doing what you can, and and that's a big deal. And I and so I just assure that whatever you are are trying to do, and you feel like it's not enough. Uh and I'm reminded of a quote that my mother gave me when I was getting ready to go into the Marine Corps, and she said, you do what you can when you can't. So whatever it is that you're working at, working toward, do what you can when you can. Now, that's not an excuse to not do what you're supposed to, right? That's not an excuse to not fulfill your roles and responsibilities. And and that's not an excuse to reprioritize your life if you've gotten too much junk, right? If you're sitting there watching TikTok for two hours a day, which I have been guilty of for sure, and and then you're saying, Oh, I don't have time to pray, I don't have time to work out, I don't have time for my spouse, I don't have time for my kids. That's not the same. But if you are busting your rear end, doing X, Y, and Z work, you know, caring for people, et cetera, et cetera, and there's whatever it is, and you're not getting done exactly what you think you need to get done. You know, you're not running five miles, go run a mile. But but make sure your priorities are the right order first. But if they are, then know that you're doing a great job doing what you can when you can.

Song Of Solomon On Marriage Love

SPEAKER_00 5:48

Marriage verse is for today. Song of Solomon 4, 8 through 15. Come with me from Lebanon, my bride, come with me from Lebanon. Descend from the crest of Amana, from the top of Seneer, the summit of Hermon, from the lion's dens and the mountain haunts of the leopards. You have stolen my heart, my sister, my bride, you have stolen my heart with one glance of your eyes, with one jewel of your necklace. How delightful is your love, my sister, my bride, how much more pleasing is your love than wine, and the fragrance of your perfume more than any spice. Your lips drop sweetness as the honeycomb, my bride, milk and honey are under your tongue, the fragrance of your garments is like the fragrance of Lebanon. You are a garden locked up, my sister, my bride, you are a spring enclosed, a sealed fountain. Your plants are an orchard of pomegranates with choice fruits with henna and nard, nard and saffron, calamus and cinnamon with every kind of incense tree with myrrh and aloes and all the finest spices. You are a garden fountain, a well of flowing water streaming down from Lebanon.

John The Baptist On Humility

SPEAKER_00 7:03

Where did I go? John 3, 22 through 4.3. Then Jesus and his disciples left Jerusalem and went into the Judean countryside. Jesus spent some time with them there, baptizing people. At this time, John the Baptist would was baptizing at Anon near Salem, because there were where there was plenty of water there, and people kept coming to him for baptism. This was before John was thrown into prison. A debate broke out between John's disciples and a certain Jew over ceremonial cleansing. So John's disciples came to him and said, Rabbi, the man you met on the other side of the Jordan River, the one you identified as the Messiah, is also baptizing people, and everybody is going to him instead of coming to us. John replied, No one can receive anything unless God gives it to him from heaven. You yourselves know how I plainly told you I am not the Messiah. I am only here to prepare the way for him. It is the bridegroom who marries the bride, and the bridegroom's friend is simply glad to stand with him and hear his vows. Therefore I am filled with joy at his success. He must become greater and greater, and I must become less and less. He has come from above and is greater than anyone else. We are of the earth and we speak of earthly things, but he has come from heaven and is greater than anyone else. He testifies about what he has seen and heard, but how few believe what he tells them. Anyone who accepts his testimony can affirm that God is true, for he is sent by God. He speaks God's words, and God gives him the Spirit without limit. The Father loves his son and has put everything into his hands, and anyone who believes in God's Son has eternal life. Anyone who doesn't obey the Son will never experience eternal life, but remains under God's angry judgment. Jesus knew the Pharisees had heard that he was baptizing and making more disciples than John, although Jesus himself didn't baptize them, his disciples did. So he left Judea and returned to Galilee.

Praise In Psalm 104 And Proverbs

SPEAKER_00 9:16

O Lord, what a variety of things you have made. In wisdom you have made them all. The earth is full of your creatures. Here is the ocean vast and wide, teeming with life of every kind, both large and small. See the ships sailing along and Leviathan which you made to play in the sea. They all depend on you to give them food as they need it. When you supply it, they gather it, you open your hand to feed them, and they are richly satisfied. But if you turn away from them, they panic. When you take away their breath, they die and turn again to dust. When you give them your breath, life is created, and you renew the face of the earth. May the glory of the Lord continue forever. The Lord takes pleasure in all he has made. The earth trembles at his glance, the mountains smoke at his touch. I will sing to the Lord as long as I live, I will praise my God to my last breath. May all my thoughts be pleasing to him, for I rejoice in the Lord. Let all sinners vanish from the face of the earth, let the wicked disappear forever. Let all that I am praise the Lord. Praise the Lord. Father, help us to praise you as long as we live to our very last breath. Help all of our thoughts to be pleasing to you. Help us to praise you, Father, forgive us when we fail. Your Son's name we pray, Amen. Proverbs 14, 22 through 24. If you plan to do evil, you will be lost. If you plan to do good, you will receive unfailing love and faithfulness. Work brings profit, but mere talk leads to poverty. That one hits home a lot of times. Wealth is a crown for the wise. The effort of fools yields only foolishness.

Books Reviews And Podcast Support

SPEAKER_00 11:08

Countryside. If you are looking for a family-friendly middle-grade read, uh kind of like Narnia, Harry Potter, Percy Jackson, The Hobbit, Fablehaven. If you would check out the Countryside series, this is the first book in the series, The Book of the Wise. And if you get a chance, if you enjoy it, if you would leave a review for it or the second book, those help immensely. A little bit of a five-star review by Diane Burkowski on Amazon. The interaction between the different personalities is well thought out. And in conjunction with plots, the plot's subtle twists and turns makes it hard to put this book down. I particularly like watching Luke, the hero of Countryside, begin to come out of his shell during his stay at his grandparents' estate. Very kind review. Again, if you get a chance, if you leave a review also, I'd appreciate it. And for the podcast, if you feel like you're getting something out of the podcast on a regular basis, if you could leave a review for that. And if you have five or ten dollars, you know, the price of a cup of coffee you can spend each month. There's a link for the book where you can buy the book, hardcover, paperback, ebook in the show notes, and there's also a link to set up a donation for the podcast. So either or all of those I would greatly appreciate. Kenisha Brown, July 2022, Birmingham, UK, 23-year-old black British woman was raped and murdered by Mohammed Iftakar. 38-year-old Muslim man from Pakistan after he lured her into his car.

History Notes Medal And FDR

SPEAKER_00 12:55

Medal of Honor for today. New Mexico, USA. Saved the life of a dismounted soldier who was in imminent danger of being cut off by a loan galloping quickly to his assistance under heavy fire and escorting him to a place of safety, his horse being shot twice in this action. Accredited to Spring Mills, Century County, Pennsylvania, not awarded posthumously, presented July 23rd, 1897. Born April 21st, 1858, Lower Providence Township, Montgomery County, Pennsylvania. Died November 1st, 1908, Lincoln, Nebraska. Buried Arlington National Cemetery, PM3TAC 2193WS Arlington, Virginia. George Ritter Burnett. Just another name, folks, that we need to add. Pay a lot more attention than we do to professional athlete statistics, college, singer, songwriters, actor, actresses, movie lines, etc. We're going to go back in and read the last few paragraphs. We read the first few paragraphs of FDR's first inaugural address from March 4th, 1933. We're going to read the last few paragraphs today. For the trust reposed in me, I will return the courage and the devotion that befit the time I can do no less. We face the arduous days that lie before us in the warm courage of the national unity, with the clear consciousness of seeking old and precious moral values, with the clean satisfaction that comes from the stern performance of duty by old and young alike. We aim at the assurance of a rounded and permanent national life. We do not distrust the future of essential democracy. The people of the United States have not failed. In their need, they have registered a mandate that they want direct, vigorous action. They have asked for discipline and direction under leadership. They have made me the present instrument of their wishes. In the spirit of the gift, I take it. In this dedication of a nation, we humbly ask the blessing of God. May He protect each and every one of us. May He guide me in the days to come.

Turn Back To God Closing Prayer

SPEAKER_00 15:48

We do face arduous days. And the only solution is to turn back to those old precious moral values, the teachings of Christ, which is the foundation of our nation, from the Mayflower Compact on. The only hope we have is to humbly turn to God for his blessings, his protection, his guidance. And you see the president here, FDR, and no, I'm not a fan of everything FDR did. And you shouldn't. This is one of the reasons that you don't stake your support to an individual or to a party, but to ideals. And when an individual or a party lines up with those ideals, great. And when they don't, then you call upon it. Then you fight against that. Folks, we have some dark days coming, and the only hope we have is to turn back to God, Jesus Christ. 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 17:08

Amen.

SPEAKER_00 17:09

God bless y'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.