September 30, 2025 • 20 mins
We open with gratitude and confession, then settle into a plain, sturdy vision for prayer, marriage, and civic virtue rooted in Titus 2 and Psalm 99. Along the way we honor a Civil War sailor, consider John Adams and Lincoln on affliction and hope, and challenge the distractions that steal our devotion.
• simple prayer as a daily anchor
• marriage fidelity and actions proving love
• Titus 2 roles and lived integrity
• Psalm 99 holiness, justice, and grateful discipline
• Proverbs 26:17 on restraint and meddling
• grace that trains us to say no to sin
• Asa Betham’s courage and ordinary duty under fire
• John Adams, Lincoln, and virtue forged by hardship
• reordering loves away from sports, screens, and noise
• celebrating liberty with devotion to God
If you're looking for a family fun middle grade read, I would humbly recommend Countryside. You can get it Amazon, Barnes Noble, pretty much any bookstore can order it hardback, paperback, ebook. And if you enjoy it, if you'd leave a review somewhere and share it with somebody else, I'd be very grateful for that.
The American Soul Podcast
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Transcript
Episode Transcript
Available transcripts are automatically generated. Complete accuracy is not guaranteed.
SPEAKER_00 (00:02):
Hey folks, this is Jesse Coates, back with another
episode of the American SoulPodcast.
Hope y'all are doing well,wherever y'all are, and whatever
part of the day you're in.
Sure do appreciate y'all joiningme, giving me a little bit of
your time and a little piece ofyour day.
I will try and use it wisely.
For those of y'all who continueto tell others about the
(00:24):
podcast, share it with people,thank you.
For those of y'all who continueto pray for me and for the
podcast, thank you.
Very, very grateful for yourprayers.
Father, thank you for today.
Thank you for you, Father, andyour son Jesus Christ, of your
Holy Spirit.
Thank you for your love and yourmercy, your grace and your
(00:44):
forgiveness of sins through themerit of your son Jesus Christ.
Forgive us our sins, Father.
Forgive us our greed, ourselfishness, our pride, our
arrogance, judgment of others,rash words, actions, adulterous
(01:05):
thoughts, covetousness, lust.
Cowardice and unbelief help usto overcome what we do believe.
Forgive us our sins as a nation.
Forgive us for our support ofabortion, feminism, sexual
(01:26):
deviancy of every kind,rejection of you and your son.
Please bring us back to you,both as individuals, as a
nation.
Help us to find those who arelost and lead them to you as
well.
(01:47):
Help us to be men and womenafter your own heart, Father.
Thank you for those who listento the podcast.
Please be with them and theirfamilies.
Bless them, guide them, surroundthem with your angels, protect
them from evil of any kind.
Be with our leaders.
(02:08):
Father, please, both in thepulpit and in the state, give
them wisdom and courage and astrong faith.
Help them to lead and rule infear of you.
President, vice president,admirals, generals, senators,
representatives, judges,governors, pastors, priests.
(02:31):
Bless our marriages across thenation, Father.
Help us to fulfill the roles andresponsibilities that you have
given for us as husbands orwives.
And guide my words here, Father,please.
In your Son's name we pray.
Amen.
Have you made time for Godtoday?
(02:54):
Have you made time to read hisword?
Have you made time to pray, totalk to him?
Prayer doesn't have to be fancyfolks.
And if you don't have anythingelse, excuse me, I ought to do
this on the podcast more.
Right?
You just pray the Lord's prayer.
Our Father, who art in heaven,hallowed be thy name.
(03:15):
Thy kingdom come, thy will bedone on earth as it is in
heaven.
Give us this day our dailybread, and forgive us our
trespasses as we forgive thosewho trespass against us.
And lead us not to temptation,but deliver us from evil, for
thine is the kingdom of thepower and the glory forever and
ever.
unknown (03:32):
Amen.
SPEAKER_00 (03:35):
One of the little prayers that my father offers
often throughout his life,right, is just the saying, the
Bible verse, here over Israel,the Lord our God, the Lord is
one.
Amen.
Sometimes that's all you've got,folks, and that's just fine.
And God and the Holy Spirit willtake care of the rest.
(03:56):
And if you're married, do youact like it?
Do you actually implement theseverses that we read each day?
Do you claim that you want thisgreat marriage, but you're doing
nothing about it?
Or are you actually acting theway that God tells you to as a
husband or a wife?
Right?
Because that's all that reallymatters, folks.
(04:17):
Actions tell you everything.
You follow the scripture, youfollow these scriptures in your
marriage, it shows that you loveyour spouse.
You don't, it shows that youdon't love your spouse.
It's that simple.
(04:38):
Marriage should be honored byall and the marriage bed kept
pure, for God will judge theadulterer and the sexually
immoral.
It doesn't mean you can't haveeternal forgiveness for those
sins, folks, if we actually turnaway from them just like the
woman caught in adultery.
(04:59):
Right.
But we do need to turn away fromthem.
Turn back to God.
Seek His forgiveness, His grace,His mercy.
Yeah.
I think we'll leave it there fortoday.
(05:20):
Alright, so the Bible verse,scripture reading for today.
We're going to start with Tituschapter 2, verses 1 through 15.
As for you, Titus, promote thekind of living that reflects
wholesome teaching.
Teach the older men to exerciseself-control, to be worthy of
respect, and to live wisely.
They must have sound faith andbe filled with love and
(05:43):
patience.
Similarly, teach the older womento live in a way that honors
God.
They must not slander others orbe heavy drinkers.
Instead, they should teachothers what is good.
These older women must train theyounger women to love their
husbands and their children, tolive wisely and be pure, to work
(06:03):
in their homes and to do good,and to be submissive to their
husbands.
Then they will not bring shameon the word of God.
In the same way, encourage theyoung men to live wisely, and
you yourself must be an exampleto them by doing good works of
every kind.
Let everything you do reflectthe integrity and seriousness of
(06:25):
your teaching.
Teach the truth so that yourteaching can't be criticized.
Then those who oppose us will beashamed and have nothing bad to
say about us.
Slaves must always obey theirmasters and do their best to
please them.
They must not talk back orsteal, but must show themselves
to be entirely trustworthy andgood.
(06:47):
Then they will make the teachingabout God our Savior attractive
in every way.
For the grace of God has beenrevealed, bringing salvation to
all people, and we areinstructed to turn from godless
living and sinful pleasures.
We should live in this worldwith wisdom, righteousness, and
devotion to God, while we lookforward with hope to that
(07:08):
wonderful day when the glory ofour great God and Savior, Jesus
Christ, will be revealed.
He gave his life to free us fromevery kind of sin, to cleanse
us, and to make us his very ownpeople totally committed to
doing good deeds.
You must teach these things andencourage the believers to do
(07:29):
them.
You have the authority tocorrect them when necessary.
So don't let anyone disregardwhat you say.
He sits on his throne betweenthe cherubim.
Let the whole earth quake.
(07:52):
The Lord sits in his majesty inJerusalem exalted above all the
nations.
Let them praise your great andawesome name.
Your holy, your name is holy.
Mighty King, lover of justice,you have established fairness,
you have acted with justice andrighteousness throughout Israel.
Exalt the Lord our God, bow lowbefore his feet for he is holy.
(08:15):
Moses and Aaron were among hispriests.
Samuel also called on his name.
They cried to the Lord for help,and he answered them.
He spoke to Israel from thepillar of cloud, and they
followed the laws and decrees hegave them.
O Lord our God, you answeredthem.
You were a forgiving God tothem, but you punished them when
(08:35):
they went wrong.
Exalt the Lord our God andworship at his holy mountain in
Jerusalem, for the Lord our Godis holy.
Proverbs 26, 17.
Interfering in someone else'sargument is as foolish as
janking a dog's ears.
How many of us do that, stickour noses in where it doesn't
belong?
(08:57):
And then you go back up here toPsalm 99, verse 8, you were
forgiving God to them, but youpunished them when they went
wrong.
Folks, there's a proverb inthere too, maybe a couple that
talk about the fact that weought to be grateful for God's
discipline, because just like afather that really truly loves
his son, he disciplines him.
(09:17):
God truly loves us, hedisciplines us.
And we ought to be grateful forthat.
Titus 2, we read some of thoseverses pretty often on the roles
and responsibilities of men andwomen.
(09:49):
Grace of God has been revealed,bringing salvation to all
people.
We are instructed to turn fromgodless living and sinful
pleasures.
We should live in this evilworld with wisdom,
righteousness, and devotion toGod while we look forward with
hope to that wonderful day whenthe glory of our great God and
Savior Jesus Christ will berevealed.
Right?
That's the hope that we have.
(10:10):
That's what we ought to lookforward to each day.
The only other thing that Ithought while reading these
scriptures this morning, folks,is don't add burdens to your own
life or to the lives of othersthat aren't in Scripture.
Don't make things up, don't addthings.
Don't take things away either,folks, but don't add burdens to
(10:31):
yourself or to others thataren't here in Scripture.
Medal of Honor for today is AsaBetham.
Coxwain, U.S.
Civil War, USS Fontusic, U.S.
Navy, December 24, 1864 throughJanuary 22nd, 1865, Fort Fisher
(10:57):
and Wilmington, North Carolina.
Served on board the USS Fontusicduring the capture of Fort
Fisher and Wilmington, 24December, 1864 to 22 January
1865.
Carrying out his dutiesfaithfully during this period,
Betham was recommended forgallantry and skill and for his
cool courage while under thefire of the enemy throughout
(11:19):
these various actions.
Accredited to New York, NewYork, not awarded posthumously.
Born 1838, New York, location ofmetal, American Nemismatic
Society.
I know I'm saying that wrong,sorry.
(11:39):
New York.
New York.
Asa Betham.
These citations that are older,they're not as long, and you
know that there must be a lotmore to the story than what
we're getting.
History quotes for today.
(12:02):
July 3, 1776, the day afterCongress approved the
Declaration of Independence,John Adams wrote to his wife,
Abigail.
It is the will of heaven thatthe two countries should be
sundered forever.
It may be the will of heaventhat America shall suffer
calamities still more wastingand distresses yet more
(12:23):
dreadful.
If this is to be the case, itwill have this good effect at
least.
It will inspire us with manyvirtues which we have not, and
correct many errors, follies,and vices which threaten to
disturb, dishonor, and destroyus.
The furnace of afflictionproduces refinements in states
(12:47):
as well as individuals.
This kind of echoes Lincoln'scomment about the Civil War and
the fact that as much as peoplewanted it to be over, and as
much as people didn't think itwas going to last as long as it
had already, and be as horrible,that that just it was God's
(13:09):
will, and it might be God's willthat it continued until every
drop of blood and every pennythat had been taken from slaves
was repaid, right?
I think both of those, thisquote from Adams here on July of
1776, and that quote fromLincoln, they're very relevant
(13:32):
to today, folks.
There's gonna have to be a timeat which we acknowledge that
peaceful coexistence withindividuals who follow leftism,
socialism, communism, Nazism,fascism, and Islam is just not
possible.
And we don't know what that'sgonna look like.
(13:53):
It might tear the countryasunder.
It might mean that calamity isstill more wasting and distress
is yet more dreadful, as Adamsays, are yet to come.
It's hard to see that that's notgonna be the case, minus a
miracle by God Almighty, whichwould be wonderful.
(14:14):
But the point is to trust God,to trust His will, right?
To look at it from an internalpoint of view.
And also this is a great parthere by Adams that will inspire
us with many virtues which wehave not and correct many
errors, follies, and vices whichthreaten to disturb, dishonor,
and destroy us.
(14:36):
The furnace of afflictionproduces refinements in states
as well as individuals, right?
One of the reasons that theIsraeli military is so good is
because they don't have achoice.
Their back's literally againstthe ocean and they're surrounded
by enemies.
They have to be good.
There's nowhere else to fallback to.
(14:58):
And in these moments with thesestorm clouds that are gathering
on the horizon for us inAmerica, that affliction.
And I think you see it already.
You look at the response to theCharlie Kirk assassination.
People are realizing thatthere's there's a lot of pain
that's coming.
(15:20):
And it makes you really focus onwhat's important.
I I didn't really mean to getoff into this, but but it fits
here.
I had the thought recently.
I've thrown myself in thehistory of the podcast under the
bus for watching sports.
That's one of one of my foiblesover the years.
Uh I don't do it as muchanymore, thank you, Lord.
(15:42):
But there was a time, folks,where I could sit and watch 12
hours of college football on aSaturday, and that would not
bother me at all.
I that was a great way.
Uh and I was married and hadkids, and you know what?
That was just sounded like agood plan to me.
So it must be for everybodyelse, right?
(16:04):
And I would get so wrapped up.
It and it didn't even have to bea team that I really cared
about, folks.
That was the sad part.
It could have been just somerandom team, but I would get so
wrapped up.
I would pick somebody I wantedto win.
And man, all of a sudden, mywhole life depended on whether
that team was going to win orlose.
And I think that's one of thereasons I've actually stepped
(16:27):
back, is because it it just mademe so anxious, so uptight.
And it was a sporting event.
It didn't matter in the grandscheme of things at all.
We get so wrapped up, we we'vehad so many blessings and so
much from God.
(16:47):
He's given us so much that it'salmost like we're looking for
things to be concerned about.
We have food, we have clothing,we have health, you know, we've
got a phenomenal healthcaresystem, despite what people say
relative to the rest of theworld.
And we get so wrapped up inwho's being engaged to who and
(17:10):
what the latest sports team isdoing.
And folks, I'm telling you rightnow, if you get more excited and
more emotionally tied up in asporting event, if you're more
concerned, if you know morestatistics about that team, or
if you've talked moreemotionally and longer about the
(17:31):
team, you know, your team lostfrom whenever the other night,
then you've put that same amountof energy and effort into God or
your marriage, you're wrong.
And you're just asking forheartache and trouble.
And it's just that simple.
If you're getting, and and ifit's not sports that that your
(17:52):
weakness is, if it's socialmedia or shopping or Netflix or
Hulu or Prime or whatever, ifyou're more excited about your
TV show or your sports team,more emotionally engaged than
you are God or your spouse,you're wrong.
And you're just opening the doorto evil.
(18:15):
Got one more quote from Adams.
Uh same day, writing again tohis wife Abigail, july third,
seventeen seventy-six.
The second day of July, 1776will be the most memorable epoch
in the history of America.
I am apt to believe that it willbe celebrated by succeeding
(18:37):
generations as the greatanniversary festival.
It ought to be commemorated asthe day of deliverance by solemn
acts of devotion to GodAlmighty.
It ought to be solemnized withpomp and parade with shows,
games, sports, guns, bells,bonfires, and illuminations from
one end of this continent to theother, from this time forever
(19:00):
forward.
You will think me transportedwith enthusiasm, but I am not.
I am well aware of the toil andblood and treasure that it will
cost to maintain thisdeclaration and support and
defend these states.
Yet through all the gloom I cansee the rays of ravishing light
and glory.
I can see that the end is worthmore than all the means, that
(19:22):
posterity will triumph in thatday's transaction, even though
we may regret it, which I trustin God we shall not.
You go back to his comment overand over again, his son's
comment, duty is ours, resultsare God's.
We should celebrate America,folks.
We should celebrate theDeclaration of Independence.
(19:43):
It ought to be a great holiday.
And it ought to remind us of Godand his Son Jesus Christ and his
birth and death andresurrection.
Because that's the way we werefounded.
If you're looking for a familyfun middle grade read, I would
(20:06):
humbly recommend Countryside.
You can get it Amazon, BarnesNoble, pretty much any bookstore
can order it hardback,paperback, ebook.
And if you enjoy it, if you'dleave a review somewhere and
share it with somebody else, I'dbe very grateful for that.
God bless y'all.
God bless your families.
God bless your marriages.
God bless America.
(20:26):
We'll talk to y'all again realsoon, folks.
Looking forward to it.
Hey folks, this is Jesse Coates, back with another
episode of the American SoulPodcast.
Hope y'all are doing well,wherever y'all are, and whatever
part of the day you're in.
Sure do appreciate y'all joiningme, giving me a little bit of
your time and a little piece ofyour day.
I will try and use it wisely.
For those of y'all who continueto tell others about the
(00:24):
podcast, share it with people,thank you.
For those of y'all who continueto pray for me and for the
podcast, thank you.
Very, very grateful for yourprayers.
Father, thank you for today.
Thank you for you, Father, andyour son Jesus Christ, of your
Holy Spirit.
Thank you for your love and yourmercy, your grace and your
(00:44):
forgiveness of sins through themerit of your son Jesus Christ.
Forgive us our sins, Father.
Forgive us our greed, ourselfishness, our pride, our
arrogance, judgment of others,rash words, actions, adulterous
(01:05):
thoughts, covetousness, lust.
Cowardice and unbelief help usto overcome what we do believe.
Forgive us our sins as a nation.
Forgive us for our support ofabortion, feminism, sexual
(01:26):
deviancy of every kind,rejection of you and your son.
Please bring us back to you,both as individuals, as a
nation.
Help us to find those who arelost and lead them to you as
well.
(01:47):
Help us to be men and womenafter your own heart, Father.
Thank you for those who listento the podcast.
Please be with them and theirfamilies.
Bless them, guide them, surroundthem with your angels, protect
them from evil of any kind.
Be with our leaders.
(02:08):
Father, please, both in thepulpit and in the state, give
them wisdom and courage and astrong faith.
Help them to lead and rule infear of you.
President, vice president,admirals, generals, senators,
representatives, judges,governors, pastors, priests.
(02:31):
Bless our marriages across thenation, Father.
Help us to fulfill the roles andresponsibilities that you have
given for us as husbands orwives.
And guide my words here, Father,please.
In your Son's name we pray.
Amen.
Have you made time for Godtoday?
(02:54):
Have you made time to read hisword?
Have you made time to pray, totalk to him?
Prayer doesn't have to be fancyfolks.
And if you don't have anythingelse, excuse me, I ought to do
this on the podcast more.
Right?
You just pray the Lord's prayer.
Our Father, who art in heaven,hallowed be thy name.
(03:15):
Thy kingdom come, thy will bedone on earth as it is in
heaven.
Give us this day our dailybread, and forgive us our
trespasses as we forgive thosewho trespass against us.
And lead us not to temptation,but deliver us from evil, for
thine is the kingdom of thepower and the glory forever and
ever.
unknown (03:32):
Amen.
SPEAKER_00 (03:35):
One of the little prayers that my father offers
often throughout his life,right, is just the saying, the
Bible verse, here over Israel,the Lord our God, the Lord is
one.
Amen.
Sometimes that's all you've got,folks, and that's just fine.
And God and the Holy Spirit willtake care of the rest.
(03:56):
And if you're married, do youact like it?
Do you actually implement theseverses that we read each day?
Do you claim that you want thisgreat marriage, but you're doing
nothing about it?
Or are you actually acting theway that God tells you to as a
husband or a wife?
Right?
Because that's all that reallymatters, folks.
(04:17):
Actions tell you everything.
You follow the scripture, youfollow these scriptures in your
marriage, it shows that you loveyour spouse.
You don't, it shows that youdon't love your spouse.
It's that simple.
(04:38):
Marriage should be honored byall and the marriage bed kept
pure, for God will judge theadulterer and the sexually
immoral.
It doesn't mean you can't haveeternal forgiveness for those
sins, folks, if we actually turnaway from them just like the
woman caught in adultery.
(04:59):
Right.
But we do need to turn away fromthem.
Turn back to God.
Seek His forgiveness, His grace,His mercy.
Yeah.
I think we'll leave it there fortoday.
(05:20):
Alright, so the Bible verse,scripture reading for today.
We're going to start with Tituschapter 2, verses 1 through 15.
As for you, Titus, promote thekind of living that reflects
wholesome teaching.
Teach the older men to exerciseself-control, to be worthy of
respect, and to live wisely.
They must have sound faith andbe filled with love and
(05:43):
patience.
Similarly, teach the older womento live in a way that honors
God.
They must not slander others orbe heavy drinkers.
Instead, they should teachothers what is good.
These older women must train theyounger women to love their
husbands and their children, tolive wisely and be pure, to work
(06:03):
in their homes and to do good,and to be submissive to their
husbands.
Then they will not bring shameon the word of God.
In the same way, encourage theyoung men to live wisely, and
you yourself must be an exampleto them by doing good works of
every kind.
Let everything you do reflectthe integrity and seriousness of
(06:25):
your teaching.
Teach the truth so that yourteaching can't be criticized.
Then those who oppose us will beashamed and have nothing bad to
say about us.
Slaves must always obey theirmasters and do their best to
please them.
They must not talk back orsteal, but must show themselves
to be entirely trustworthy andgood.
(06:47):
Then they will make the teachingabout God our Savior attractive
in every way.
For the grace of God has beenrevealed, bringing salvation to
all people, and we areinstructed to turn from godless
living and sinful pleasures.
We should live in this worldwith wisdom, righteousness, and
devotion to God, while we lookforward with hope to that
(07:08):
wonderful day when the glory ofour great God and Savior, Jesus
Christ, will be revealed.
He gave his life to free us fromevery kind of sin, to cleanse
us, and to make us his very ownpeople totally committed to
doing good deeds.
You must teach these things andencourage the believers to do
(07:29):
them.
You have the authority tocorrect them when necessary.
So don't let anyone disregardwhat you say.
He sits on his throne betweenthe cherubim.
Let the whole earth quake.
(07:52):
The Lord sits in his majesty inJerusalem exalted above all the
nations.
Let them praise your great andawesome name.
Your holy, your name is holy.
Mighty King, lover of justice,you have established fairness,
you have acted with justice andrighteousness throughout Israel.
Exalt the Lord our God, bow lowbefore his feet for he is holy.
(08:15):
Moses and Aaron were among hispriests.
Samuel also called on his name.
They cried to the Lord for help,and he answered them.
He spoke to Israel from thepillar of cloud, and they
followed the laws and decrees hegave them.
O Lord our God, you answeredthem.
You were a forgiving God tothem, but you punished them when
(08:35):
they went wrong.
Exalt the Lord our God andworship at his holy mountain in
Jerusalem, for the Lord our Godis holy.
Proverbs 26, 17.
Interfering in someone else'sargument is as foolish as
janking a dog's ears.
How many of us do that, stickour noses in where it doesn't
belong?
(08:57):
And then you go back up here toPsalm 99, verse 8, you were
forgiving God to them, but youpunished them when they went
wrong.
Folks, there's a proverb inthere too, maybe a couple that
talk about the fact that weought to be grateful for God's
discipline, because just like afather that really truly loves
his son, he disciplines him.
(09:17):
God truly loves us, hedisciplines us.
And we ought to be grateful forthat.
Titus 2, we read some of thoseverses pretty often on the roles
and responsibilities of men andwomen.
(09:49):
Grace of God has been revealed,bringing salvation to all
people.
We are instructed to turn fromgodless living and sinful
pleasures.
We should live in this evilworld with wisdom,
righteousness, and devotion toGod while we look forward with
hope to that wonderful day whenthe glory of our great God and
Savior Jesus Christ will berevealed.
Right?
That's the hope that we have.
(10:10):
That's what we ought to lookforward to each day.
The only other thing that Ithought while reading these
scriptures this morning, folks,is don't add burdens to your own
life or to the lives of othersthat aren't in Scripture.
Don't make things up, don't addthings.
Don't take things away either,folks, but don't add burdens to
(10:31):
yourself or to others thataren't here in Scripture.
Medal of Honor for today is AsaBetham.
Coxwain, U.S.
Civil War, USS Fontusic, U.S.
Navy, December 24, 1864 throughJanuary 22nd, 1865, Fort Fisher
(10:57):
and Wilmington, North Carolina.
Served on board the USS Fontusicduring the capture of Fort
Fisher and Wilmington, 24December, 1864 to 22 January
1865.
Carrying out his dutiesfaithfully during this period,
Betham was recommended forgallantry and skill and for his
cool courage while under thefire of the enemy throughout
(11:19):
these various actions.
Accredited to New York, NewYork, not awarded posthumously.
Born 1838, New York, location ofmetal, American Nemismatic
Society.
I know I'm saying that wrong,sorry.
(11:39):
New York.
New York.
Asa Betham.
These citations that are older,they're not as long, and you
know that there must be a lotmore to the story than what
we're getting.
History quotes for today.
(12:02):
July 3, 1776, the day afterCongress approved the
Declaration of Independence,John Adams wrote to his wife,
Abigail.
It is the will of heaven thatthe two countries should be
sundered forever.
It may be the will of heaventhat America shall suffer
calamities still more wastingand distresses yet more
(12:23):
dreadful.
If this is to be the case, itwill have this good effect at
least.
It will inspire us with manyvirtues which we have not, and
correct many errors, follies,and vices which threaten to
disturb, dishonor, and destroyus.
The furnace of afflictionproduces refinements in states
(12:47):
as well as individuals.
This kind of echoes Lincoln'scomment about the Civil War and
the fact that as much as peoplewanted it to be over, and as
much as people didn't think itwas going to last as long as it
had already, and be as horrible,that that just it was God's
(13:09):
will, and it might be God's willthat it continued until every
drop of blood and every pennythat had been taken from slaves
was repaid, right?
I think both of those, thisquote from Adams here on July of
1776, and that quote fromLincoln, they're very relevant
(13:32):
to today, folks.
There's gonna have to be a timeat which we acknowledge that
peaceful coexistence withindividuals who follow leftism,
socialism, communism, Nazism,fascism, and Islam is just not
possible.
And we don't know what that'sgonna look like.
(13:53):
It might tear the countryasunder.
It might mean that calamity isstill more wasting and distress
is yet more dreadful, as Adamsays, are yet to come.
It's hard to see that that's notgonna be the case, minus a
miracle by God Almighty, whichwould be wonderful.
(14:14):
But the point is to trust God,to trust His will, right?
To look at it from an internalpoint of view.
And also this is a great parthere by Adams that will inspire
us with many virtues which wehave not and correct many
errors, follies, and vices whichthreaten to disturb, dishonor,
and destroy us.
(14:36):
The furnace of afflictionproduces refinements in states
as well as individuals, right?
One of the reasons that theIsraeli military is so good is
because they don't have achoice.
Their back's literally againstthe ocean and they're surrounded
by enemies.
They have to be good.
There's nowhere else to fallback to.
(14:58):
And in these moments with thesestorm clouds that are gathering
on the horizon for us inAmerica, that affliction.
And I think you see it already.
You look at the response to theCharlie Kirk assassination.
People are realizing thatthere's there's a lot of pain
that's coming.
(15:20):
And it makes you really focus onwhat's important.
I I didn't really mean to getoff into this, but but it fits
here.
I had the thought recently.
I've thrown myself in thehistory of the podcast under the
bus for watching sports.
That's one of one of my foiblesover the years.
Uh I don't do it as muchanymore, thank you, Lord.
(15:42):
But there was a time, folks,where I could sit and watch 12
hours of college football on aSaturday, and that would not
bother me at all.
I that was a great way.
Uh and I was married and hadkids, and you know what?
That was just sounded like agood plan to me.
So it must be for everybodyelse, right?
(16:04):
And I would get so wrapped up.
It and it didn't even have to bea team that I really cared
about, folks.
That was the sad part.
It could have been just somerandom team, but I would get so
wrapped up.
I would pick somebody I wantedto win.
And man, all of a sudden, mywhole life depended on whether
that team was going to win orlose.
And I think that's one of thereasons I've actually stepped
(16:27):
back, is because it it just mademe so anxious, so uptight.
And it was a sporting event.
It didn't matter in the grandscheme of things at all.
We get so wrapped up, we we'vehad so many blessings and so
much from God.
(16:47):
He's given us so much that it'salmost like we're looking for
things to be concerned about.
We have food, we have clothing,we have health, you know, we've
got a phenomenal healthcaresystem, despite what people say
relative to the rest of theworld.
And we get so wrapped up inwho's being engaged to who and
(17:10):
what the latest sports team isdoing.
And folks, I'm telling you rightnow, if you get more excited and
more emotionally tied up in asporting event, if you're more
concerned, if you know morestatistics about that team, or
if you've talked moreemotionally and longer about the
(17:31):
team, you know, your team lostfrom whenever the other night,
then you've put that same amountof energy and effort into God or
your marriage, you're wrong.
And you're just asking forheartache and trouble.
And it's just that simple.
If you're getting, and and ifit's not sports that that your
(17:52):
weakness is, if it's socialmedia or shopping or Netflix or
Hulu or Prime or whatever, ifyou're more excited about your
TV show or your sports team,more emotionally engaged than
you are God or your spouse,you're wrong.
And you're just opening the doorto evil.
(18:15):
Got one more quote from Adams.
Uh same day, writing again tohis wife Abigail, july third,
seventeen seventy-six.
The second day of July, 1776will be the most memorable epoch
in the history of America.
I am apt to believe that it willbe celebrated by succeeding
(18:37):
generations as the greatanniversary festival.
It ought to be commemorated asthe day of deliverance by solemn
acts of devotion to GodAlmighty.
It ought to be solemnized withpomp and parade with shows,
games, sports, guns, bells,bonfires, and illuminations from
one end of this continent to theother, from this time forever
(19:00):
forward.
You will think me transportedwith enthusiasm, but I am not.
I am well aware of the toil andblood and treasure that it will
cost to maintain thisdeclaration and support and
defend these states.
Yet through all the gloom I cansee the rays of ravishing light
and glory.
I can see that the end is worthmore than all the means, that
(19:22):
posterity will triumph in thatday's transaction, even though
we may regret it, which I trustin God we shall not.
You go back to his comment overand over again, his son's
comment, duty is ours, resultsare God's.
We should celebrate America,folks.
We should celebrate theDeclaration of Independence.
(19:43):
It ought to be a great holiday.
And it ought to remind us of Godand his Son Jesus Christ and his
birth and death andresurrection.
Because that's the way we werefounded.
If you're looking for a familyfun middle grade read, I would
(20:06):
humbly recommend Countryside.
You can get it Amazon, BarnesNoble, pretty much any bookstore
can order it hardback,paperback, ebook.
And if you enjoy it, if you'dleave a review somewhere and
share it with somebody else, I'dbe very grateful for that.
God bless y'all.
God bless your families.
God bless your marriages.
God bless America.
(20:26):
We'll talk to y'all again realsoon, folks.
Looking forward to it.
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