Die To Self And Live In Light

A child abuse arrest, a culture drowning in distraction, and a Savior who says a seed must die before it can multiply, all of it forces the same question: what are we clinging to that’s costing us our soul? I start with Jesus’ words from John 12 about losing our life in this world to keep it for eternity, then I slow down on the parts that sting: suffering, fear of people, and the temptation to ask God to remove the hard hour instead of letting Him use it for His glory. 

From there, I bring it home to Christian marriage and family. Genesis 9 calls us to be fruitful and multiply, not as a random suggestion, but as a blessing and a form of service. I talk candidly about how screens and social media can become a coping mechanism that replaces real relationships, keeping us from the honest conversations, repentance, and effort that healthy families require. If you’re looking for faith-based marriage advice, Christian parenting encouragement, or a gut check on digital distraction, this part will hit close. 

We also honor courage and leadership through history by reading Dwight D. Eisenhower’s D-Day Order of the Day, plus his private “in case of failure” statement where he takes full responsibility. That kind of accountability feels rare today, and it’s a powerful reminder that duty, humility, and trust in God can coexist even when outcomes are uncertain. I close with a clear anchor: our job is obedience, the results are God’s, and there’s real peace in that. 

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Transcript

A Hard Saying From Jesus

SPEAKER_01 0:01

John twelve, starting with verse twenty-five. Those who love their life in this world will lose it. Those who care nothing for their life in this world will keep it for eternity. Anyone who wants to serve me must follow me, because my servants must be where I am. And the Father will honor anyone who serves me.

Crime, Borders, And Broken Systems

SPEAKER_01 0:29

June 2025. Walvin Victor Hugo Garcia, Fairfax County, Virginia, raped uh a child under the age of thirteen. Used a computer to distribute drugs and to rape to contact. He was a Guatemalan national in the U.S. illegally was arrested June 2025. But local authorities released him.

Welcome And Why We Gather

SPEAKER_01 1:12

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 share the podcast with others and tell others about it. Thank you. For those of y'all that are joining us on the other podcasts now, the American Christian Heritage Podcast, thank you. And for those of y'all who continue to pray for me and for the podcast, thank you very, very much.

Prayer For Courage Over Fear

SPEAKER_01 1:48

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 all the blessings that you bestow upon us as individuals and as a nation, the ones we admit and the ones we don't for whatever reason. Forgive us our sins, Father. Pride, greed, selfishness, judgment of others, corruption, covetousness, lust, gossip, slander, cowardice, unbelief. Forgive us when we don't forgive others as you have forgiven us. Help us to love you with our whole heart, mind, soul, and strength to love our neighbors as ourselves. Help us to hate our lives in this world in the sense that we are willing to lose our lives to follow you and your son Jesus Christ. Not just physically, but putting you first just in general, mentally, emotionally, Father. Help us to fear you, Father, and not men. Give us the courage to do that, the wisdom, perseverance. Be with those listening to the podcast, surround them with your angels, protect them and their families. Be with our military, our law enforcement, firefighters, EMS. Please do the same. Guide our leaders in the pulpit and in the state. Help them to rule in fear of you, to lead in fear of you, Father. And help us to do your will each day. And God, my words here, please. Your Son's name we pray. Amen.

Fruitful Multiplication As A Calling

SPEAKER_01 3:31

Marriage verse verses for today. Genesis 9:1. Then God blessed Noah and his sons, saying to them, Be fruitful and increase in number and fill the earth. 9 7. As for you, be fruitful and increase in number, multiply on the earth and increase upon it. Being fruitful and multiplying for us as Christians, folks, is not just some random suggestion of God's. It's a call to blessing, it's a call to service. There's so many. You look at the damage that we've done through abortion, for example, over the last half century in America, which blatantly goes against this command. And there's there's so many secular consequences for not following God's commands. And there's something that is often on my heart almost on a daily basis. I just don't share it that often here.

Screens And The Slow Erosion

SPEAKER_01 4:35

But it's hard to imagine something that's done more damage to families and marriages in particular than screens. And yeah, I know there's a lot of good that comes from that technology. You talk about medical fields, right? And you can keep in touch now better with people spread out across the world. But folks, if you're allowing a screen to serve as a distraction to prevent you from dealing with something that needs to be dealt with in your marriage, in your family. Don't. And I'm I'm talking to myself here too. I allow myself to be sucked into so many different things so easily that have to do, you know, social media, TV shows, movies, used to be computer games. I don't get sucked into those too much anymore. But a screen cannot replace a real person, folks. And no matter it's just like any other addiction or drug, no matter how much we pour into it, there's no amount of social media or sports or movies or TV that can replace those loved ones in our lives or compensate when we refuse to pour our energy and our time and our effort into our spouse, into those people who we're supposed to love in our lives.

A Kernel Must Die To Multiply

SPEAKER_01 6:05

John 12, starting with verse 20. Some Greeks who had come to Jerusalem for the Passover celebration paid a visit to Philip, who was from Beth Seda in Galilee. They said, Sir, we want to meet Jesus. Philip told Andrew about it, and they went together to ask Jesus. Jesus replied, Now the time has come for the Son of Man, Son of Man to enter into his glory. I tell you the truth, unless a kernel of wheat is planted in the soil and dies, it remains alone. But its death will produce many new kernels. A plentiful harvest of new lives. Those who love their life in this world will lose it. Those who care nothing for their life in this world will keep it for eternity. Anyone who wants to follow, wants to serve me, must follow me, because my servants must be where I am. And the Father will honor anyone who serves me. Now my soul is deeply troubled. Should I pray, Father, save me from this hour? But this is the very reason I came. Father, bring glory to your name. How much I need to remember that verse right there, folks, when I am really struggling. Are we supposed to ask for God to save us from this hour, this thorn in our flesh? That God has every probability, possibility of using for his glory to show others what it means to follow Christ, what a blessing that is, what hope that is, right? How much hope we would give to others when we're suffering through that situation. Then a voice spoke from heaven, saying, I have already brought glory to my name, and I will do so again. When the crowd heard the voice, some of them thought it was thunder, while others declared an angel had spoken to him. Then Jesus told them the voice was for your benefit, not mine. The time for judging this world has come when Satan, the ruler of this world, will be cast out. And when I am lifted up from the earth, I will draw everyone to myself. He said this to indicate how he was going to die. The crowd responded, We understood from Scripture that the Messiah would live forever. How can you say the Son of Man will die? Just who is this Son of Man anyway? Jesus replied, My light will shine for just a little longer. Walk in the light while you can, so the darkness will not overtake you. Those who walk in the darkness cannot see where they are going. Put your trust in the light while there is still time. Then you will become children of the light. After saying these things, Jesus went away and was hidden from them. But despite all the miraculous signs Jesus had done, most of the people still did not believe in him. This is exactly what Isaiah the prophet had predicted. Lord, who has believed our message? To whom has the Lord revealed his powerful arm? But the people couldn't believe, for as Isaiah also said, the Lord has blinded their eyes and hardened their hearts, so that their eyes cannot see, and their hearts cannot understand, and they cannot turn to me and have me heal them. Isaiah was referring to Jesus when he said this because he saw the future and spoke of the Messiah's glory. Many people did believe in him, however, including some of the Jewish leaders, but they wouldn't admit it for fear of the Pharisees, for fear that the Pharisees would expel them from the synagogue, for they loved human praise more than the praise of God. Jesus shouted to the crowds, If you trust me, you are trusting not only me, but also God who sent me. For when you see me you are seeing the one who sent me. I have come as a light to shine in this dark world, so that all who put their trust in me will no longer remain in the dark. I will not judge those who hear me, but don't obey me, for I have come to save the world and not to judge it. But all who reject me and my message will be judged on the day of judgment by the truth I have spoken. I don't speak on my own authority. The Father who sent me has commanded me what to say and how to say it, and I know his commands lead to eternal life, so I say whatever the Father tells me to say.

Psalm 118 And Steady Gratitude

SPEAKER_01 10:26

Open for me the gates where the righteous enter, and I will go in and thank the Lord. These gates lead to the presence of the Lord, and the godly enter there. I thank you for answering my prayer and giving me victory. The stone that the builders rejected has now become the cornerstone. This is the Lord's doing, and it is wonderful to see. This is the day that the Lord has made, we will rejoice and be glad in it. Please, Lord, please save us. Please, Lord, please give us success. Bless the one who comes in the name of the Lord. We bless you from the house of the Lord. The Lord is God shining upon us. Take the sacrifice and bind it with cords on the altar. You are my God and I will praise you. You are my God and I will exalt you. Give thanks to the Lord, for he is good. His faithful love endures forever.

Proverbs On Greed And Words

SPEAKER_01 11:18

Proverbs fifteen, twenty seven and twenty-eight. Greed brings grief to the whole family, but those who hate bribes will live. The heart of the godly thinks carefully before speaking. The mouth of the wicked overflows with evil words.

New Podcast, Reviews, And Support

SPEAKER_01 11:38

If you get a chance, uh we're going to start that new podcast, America's Christian Heritage, pretty soon. Probably two to three episodes a month. So if you get a chance, come over there and join us. We're going to do a little deeper dive into some of the quotes that we've read over the years on the podcast showing that connection between America and our Christian heritage. And if you enjoy it, or this podcast, or the books, if you've had a chance to read the Countryside Series, if you'd leave a review somewhere, I would appreciate that. And if you have the cost of a cup of coffee these days at most places, if you have five or ten dollars a month, you can donate to the podcast. There's a link in the show notes where you can set that up, and I'd be very grateful for that too. So thank you for any or all of those.

Medal Of Honor Spotlight

SPEAKER_01 12:32

Medal of Honor for today, Ulysses G. Buzzard, private, highest rank sergeant, Spanish American War Charlie Company, 17th U.S. Infantry, U.S. Army, June, July 1st, 1898, El Caney, Cuba. Gallantly assisted in the rescue of the wounded from the front of the lines and under heavy fire from the enemy. Accredited to Pittsburgh, Allegheny County, Pennsylvania, not awarded posthumously, presented June 24, 1899, born January 31st, 1865, Armstrong County, Pennsylvania, died August 2nd, 1939, Philippine Islands. Buried San Nicholas Cemetery, American lot, Cebu City, Philippine Islands.

D-Day Order Of The Day

SPEAKER_01 13:26

So I missed D-Day, and we usually go through, and it's nobody's fault but my own and read uh Eisenhower's comments and FDR. And so we're gonna do that now. I know we're late, but it's obviously important. So we're gonna go through and we're gonna start with the context, uh, the text given by General Dwight D. Eisenhower, his order of the day for June 6, 1944, that he gave to the soldiers, sailors, and airmen preparing for the D-Day invasion of Normandy. Supreme Headquarters, Allied Expeditionary Force. Soldiers, sailors, and airmen of the Allied Expeditionary Force, you are about to embark upon the Great Crusade toward which we have striven these many months. The eyes of the world are upon you. The hope and prayers of liberty loving people everywhere march with you. In company with our brave allies and brothers in arms on other fronts, you will bring about the destruction of the joint German war machine, the elimination of Nazi tyranny over the oppressed peoples of Europe, and security for ourselves in a free world. Your task will not be an easy one. Your enemy is well trained, well equipped, and battle hardened. He will fight savagely. But this is the year 1944. Much has happened since the Nazi triumphs of forty and forty one. The United Nations have inflicted upon the Germans great defeats and open battle man to man. Our air offensive has seriously reduced their strength in the air and their capacity to wage war on the ground. Our home fronts have given us an overwhelming superiority in weapons and munitions of war, and placed at our disposal great reserves of trained fighting men. The tide has turned. The free men of the world are marching together to victory. I have full confidence in your courage, devotion to duty and skill in battle. We will accept nothing less than full victory. Good luck. And let us beseech the blessing of Almighty God upon this great and noble undertaking. Dwight D. Eisenhower. Some of you probably know this, those of y'all that have listened to podcasts for sure.

Accountability And Hope In Dark Days

SPEAKER_01 16:08

Eisenhower prepared a case in case of failure message the previous day as well, and this was the text of that. Our landings in the Cherbourg Harve area have failed to gain a satisfactory foothold, and I have withdrawn the troops. My decision to attack at this time and place was based upon the best information available. The troops, the air, and the navy did all that bravery and devotion to duty could do. If any blame or fault attaches to the attempt, it is mine alone.

SPEAKER_00 16:40

Dwight D. Eisenhower. He was going to take accountability for it. He was the leader. We need quite a bit more of that today.

SPEAKER_01 16:56

And the message there in D-Day from General then later President Eisenhower, right? But we have dark days coming, probably here in America, folks, and it's gonna be really tough and hard. And it's gonna seem overwhelming and hopeless, perhaps at times. But it's not. We have to trust God. Things may not turn out the way that we wanted them to in this world, the way that we would like them to. But we have to remember that his thoughts and ways are not our thoughts and ways, that he has better in store for us, better than we could ever imagine. And that our job, right, our duty, that is our duty, and and the results are God's. And there's a great peace if we can just cling to that. I I can almost cling to it now, and then it almost slips away, right? But but just to trust Him, fear Him, serve Him, and then let the cards fall where they may. You know, we've had to do that so many times throughout the history of our nation, the revolution, uh the D-Day invasion here that we're talking about, civil war, so many different times.

The Lord’s Prayer And Blessing

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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 into temptation, but deliver us from evil, for thine is the kingdom of the power and the glory forever and ever. Amen. God bless y'all. God bless your families, God bless your marriages if you're married, your children if you have them. God bless your nation, wherever you are around the world listening. God bless America. We'll talk to you again real soon, folks. Looking forward to it.