Prayer, Perseverance, And The Duty To Prepare

We ask whether our past 24 hours would convict us as followers of Christ, then move from prayer to practical preparation for our families, churches, and towns. Scripture guides our marriages, our honesty about sin, and our gratitude for God’s providence in history.

• daily audit of faith and conduct 
• persecution abroad and the urgency of “yet” 
• practical steps to strengthen local resilience 
• Ephesians 5 on love, respect, and marriage 
• 1 John 1 on walking in the light and confession 
• thanksgiving proclamation and national gratitude 
• sharing, service, and steady preparation rooted in prayer

If you are looking for a family-friendly middle-grade read, I would humbly recommend Countryside. There’s two books in the series. You can get it on Amazon, Barnes and Noble, a lot of places. Any bookstore ought to be able to order it. And if you enjoy it, if you’d leave a review, that helps tremendously.
If you feel like you have three or four or five dollars that you can donate each month, there is a website on the Buzz Sprout website page or webpage for the podcast where you can do that.

Transcript

Welcome And Opening Prayer

SPEAKER_00 0:01

Hey folks, this is Jesse Cook, 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 to appreciate you joining me, giving me a little bit of your time and energy, a little piece of your day. I will try and use it wisely. Hopefully, it'll draw us all a little bit closer to God and Jesus Christ, even if just a little bit. For those of y'all who continue to pray for me and for the podcast and to share the podcast with others, thank you so much. Very grateful for that. 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 sin. Thank you for all the blessings, Father, that you bestow upon us. So many that we we often overlook them or even consider them as a right or something we're entitled to, as opposed to a blessing from you. Thank you for health for those of us who have it. Thank you for clean water to drink, take showers in for food to eat. Please be with those around the world who don't have clean water, clothes to wear, or food to eat. Help us to care for them as best we're able, Father. Help us to share the blessings that you have bestowed upon us with others. Be with those who have lost loved ones. Guide them, comfort them, help them to feel your presence. Help us to comfort them, to weep with those who weep, to mourn with those who mourn, and to be joyful with those who are joyful. To be glad with those who are glad. Help us to set an example to others, Father. By following the example that your son set for us. Be with our leaders and the pulpit and the state, in the military, and law enforcement, firefighters, schools, education. Give them wisdom and courage and a strong faith, Father. And help us to encourage, in particular, those who follow you, Father, who strive to follow your commands. Be with those who listen to the podcast, Father, thank you so much for them. Be with them and their families, their marriages, surround them with your angels. Protect us all from evil again, Father. God, my words here, please. In your son's name we pray. Amen. How have you spent the last 24 hours, folks? Are you pleased with it? If somebody accused you of being a Christian, would there be enough evidence to convict you? If somebody accused you of being a good spouse if you're married, would there be enough evidence to convict you? We ought to ask ourselves those questions at the end of each day, folks. I got one piece of business I want to cover real quick before we get into our normal routine. Our pastor gave a sermon last weekend, and he was talking about the Christians in Nigeria being executed by Muslims. And he made the comment that, you know, we really don't know persecution here in America, for the most part, as far as being Christians and being persecuted for it, because our founders sacrificed so much blood, money, tears, for us to have that liberty. And we we forget that often. We forget that there was huge sacrifice at the beginning of our country, specifically for that reason, not for what so many say to build this secular deist's supposed utopia, but to build a place where Christians could come and live and worship freely, regardless of their denomination. Not where any impostor could come, because there were plenty of places around the world where impostors could live freely, but where people who truly followed Scripture and the principles of Christ, regardless of their denomination, could come and get away from persecution by state or church. Because you've got to remember there was a lot of persecution by the church, uh, Anglican, Roman Catholic, otherwise across Europe for hundreds of years. But at the end of his little, our preacher's little commentary, when he was talking about uh the Christians in Nigeria and really encouraging us to pray for them and to realize what blessings we had here, he ended with the word yet. And I could spend we we talk about this frequently, so but but we could talk about that alone each day, folks. You need to make sure that you understand, we as Christians, as Americans, as patriots, we need to understand that word yet. Whether you're talking about Islam or you're talking about the bucket of isms, as we say on the podcast: leftism, socialism, communism, Nazism, fascism, right? They're all just different shades of the same evil, and they all go hand in glove with Islam. If they get total power, we will see persecution like those Christians are seeing in Nigeria. Do not doubt it for one single second. Don't live in that fantasy world of thinking that peaceful coexistence is possible. It's not. There's not a single example throughout history, not one, where you have total power given to either any of those ideologies in that bucket of isms or Islam, where Christians have liberty to worship God and Jesus Christ without fear of reprisal and persecution. I just I can't over-emphasize this, folks. It's why in conservative areas across the nation and Christian areas, we ought to be doing all we can right now to strengthen our local law enforcement, our local firefighters, our local EMS, our communication between communities, churches, and our militia at the state level, if we live in a majority Christian conservative state, we ought to be increasing the numbers. We ought to be increasing the training, the standards required. We ought to be increasing the quality of equipment. You know, I'm spending more time on this than I really wanted to, but it that right there reminded me of our founders. And we've talked about this, but you know, they sent one more letter at the end, uh one more delegation back to the king and parliament to try and talk to them. Uh, I think toward the end of 1775. I can't remember right now, folks. Don't hold me to that date. But at the same time they did that, they also approved raising an army of 20,000. They wanted peace, but they were preparing for war. They hoped and prayed for peace, but they were doing all they could to use the resources and talents that God had given them to prepare for the alternative. We should pray for peace. We should hope for peace. There's nothing wrong with that. And we should hope that it changes the hearts and minds of those who follow those bucket of isms, ideologies, or Islam that changes them, their hearts and minds toward God and Jesus Christ. But we should prepare for the alternative. We should prepare for that not happening. Not in a year or two years or five years or 10 years or 20 or 30. We should be doing that now. And so you say, okay, cope, that sounds great. How do I actually do that? You talk to people in your community. You may not think that you have a sphere of influence, but I promise you that you do. And it doesn't matter whether you're male or female, mom or dad, husband or wife, whatever your role is, you have a sphere of influence. Even if all you do is talk to one good friend about that and say, hey, you know, I think we really ought to be doing this. At least the conversation is moving in the right direction, folks. Talk to your county commissioners if you live in a state where that's the way that your government's set up. Talk to your local sheriff, talk to your police chief, talk to your fire chief, the head of your EMS. Talk to somebody, anybody, folks. Write a letter to your state representative or senator. Talk to your pastor. I mean, that's huge from the pulpit. Both the first and the second great awakenings that that were before the Revolutionary War and the Civil War were led to a huge degree from the pulpit by men who feared God. And of course, that's that's the best thing, and we'll move on. I know I took so much time here, folks. I'm sorry. But there is nothing really that we can do better than spread the gospel of Jesus Christ to help our country turn around. So the marriage verses today, we'll see how much of this we get through. It's probably this podcast is probably gonna be long today, folks, but I really felt like I needed to talk about that. So if you can't listen to all this today, I totally understand. Um I'm sorry if that's the case. Uh if you can listen to all of it, great. Ephesians 5, 22 through 33. For wives, this means submit to your husbands as to the Lord. For a husband is the head of his wife, as Christ is the head of the church. He is the Savior of His body, the church. As the church submits to Christ, so you wives should submit to your husbands and everything. For husbands, this means love your wives just as Christ loved the church. He gave up his life for her to make her holy and clean, washed by the cleansing of God's word. He did this to present her to himself as a glorious church without a spot or wrinkle or any other blemish. Instead she will be holy and without fault. In the same way, husbands ought to love their wives as they love their own bodies. For a man who loves his wife actually shows love for himself. No one hates his own body, but feeds and cares for it just as Christ cares for the church. And we are members of his body. As the scriptures say, a man leaves his father and mother and is joined to his wife, and the two are united into one. This is a great mystery, but it is an illustration of the way Christ and the Church are one. So again I say each man must love his wife as he loves himself, and the wife must respect her husband. Bottom line is, folks, if we really want to help ourselves with our marriage, we follow God's commands. I mean, that's that is the bottom line. Scripture reading for today comes from what? Not Daniel. We proclaim to you the one who existed from the beginning, whom we have heard and seen. We saw him with our own eyes and touched him with our own hands. He is the word of life. This one who is life itself was revealed to us, and we have seen him, and now we testify and proclaim to you that he is the one who is eternal life. He was with the Father, and then he was revealed to us. We proclaim to you what we ourselves have actually seen and heard, so that you may have fellowship with us, and our fellowship is with the Father and with His Son, Jesus Christ. We are writing these things so that you may fully share our joy. This is the message we heard from Jesus and now declare to you. God is light, and there is no darkness in him at all. So we are lying if we say we have fellowship with God, but go on living in spiritual darkness. We are not practicing the truth. But if we are living in the light as God is in the light, then we have fellowship with each other, and the blood of Jesus, his son, cleanses us from all sin. If we claim we have no sin, we are only fooling ourselves and not living in the truth. But if we confess our sins to Him, He is faithful and just to forgive us our sins, and to cleanse us from all wickedness. If we claim we have not sinned, we are calling God a liar, and showing that His word has no place in our hearts. Look upon my suffering and rescue me, for I have not forgotten your instructions. Argue my case, take my side, protect my life as you promise. The wicked are far from rescue, for they do not bother with your decrees. Lord, how great is your mercy. Let me be revived by following your regulations. Many persecute and trouble me, yet I have not swerved from your laws. Seeing these traitors makes me sick at heart, because they care nothing for your word. See how I love your commandments, Lord. Give back my life because of your unfailing love. The very essence of your words is truth. All your just regulations will stand forever. Powerful people harass me without cause, but my heart trembles only at your word. I rejoice in your word, like one who discovers a great treasure. I hate and abhor all falsehood, but I love your instructions. I will praise you seven times a day, because all your regulations are just. Those who love your instructions have great peace and do not stumble. I long for your rescue, Lord, so I have obeyed your commands. I have obeyed your laws, for I love them very much. Yes, I obey your commandments and laws because you know everything I do. O Lord, listen to my cry. Give me the discerning mind you promise, listen to my prayer, rescue me as you promise. Let praise flow from my lips, for you have taught me your decrees. Let my tongue sing about your word, for all your commands are right. Give me a helping hand, for I have chosen to follow your commandments. O Lord, I have longed for your rescue, and your instructions are my delight. Let me live so I can praise you, and may your regulations help me. I have wandered away like a lost sheep. Come and find me, for I have not forgotten your commands. Proverbs twenty-eight verses twenty-three through twenty-four. In the end, people appreciate honest criticism far more than flattery. Anyone who steals from his father and mother and says, What's wrong with that is no better than a murderer. I think the one thing here, folks, real quickly, is at the very beginning of 1 John 1, we proclaimed the one to you who we proclaimed to you the one who existed. And we have heard and seen. We saw him with our own eyes, touched him with our own hands. He is the word of life. The apostles, the disciples, Jesus wasn't a theory to them. They had seen him in real life, they had seen the miracles. They knew that he was the Son of God because they had seen that. That ought to be a comfort to us. And also the fact that some of them still had doubts. You think about Thomas, that ought to be encouraging to us as well. All right, we're gonna skip the Medal of Honor for today, and we're gonna go into our Thanksgiving proclamation for today. This is by the United States and Congress and Congress assembled, a proclamation, 1783. Whereas it hath pleased the supreme ruler of all human events to dispose the hearts of the late belligerent powers to put a period to the effusion of human blood, by proclaiming a cessation of all hostilities by sea and land, and these United States are not only happily rescued from the dangers, distresses, and calamities which they have so long and so magnanimously sustained, to which they have been so long exposed, but their freedom, sovereignty, and independence ultimately acknowledged by the King of Great Britain. And whereas, in the progress of a contest on which the most essential rights of human nature depended, the interposition of divine providence in our favor hath been most abundantly and most graciously manifested, and the citizens of these United States have every possible reason for praise and gratitude to the God of their salvation. Impressed, therefore, with an exalted sense of the magnitude of the blessings by which we are surrounded, and for our entire dependence upon that almighty being from whose goodness and bounty they are derived, the United States and Congress Assembled do recommend it to the several states to set apart the second Thursday in December next, as a day of public thanksgiving, that all the people may then assemble to celebrate with one voice grateful hearts and united voices, the praises of their supreme and all bountiful benefactor, for his numberless favors and mercies, that he hath been pleased to conduct us in safety through all the perils and victititudes of the war, that he hath given us unanimity and resolution to adhere to our just rights, that he hath raised up a powerful ally to assist us in supporting them, and hath so far crowned our united efforts with success, that in the course of the present year hostilities have ceased, and we are left in the undisputed possession of our liberties and independence, and of the fruits of our own land, and in the free participation of the treasures of the sea, that he hath prospered the labor of our husbandmen with plentiful harvest, and above all, that he hath been pleased to continue to us the light of the blessed gospel, and secured to us in the fullest extent the rights of conscience and faith and worship, and while our hearts overflow with gratitude, and our lips set forth the praises of our great Creator, that we also offer up fervent supplications, that it may please him to pardon all of our offenses, to give wisdom and unanimity to our public councils, to cement all our citizens in the bonds of affection, and to inspire them with an earnest regard for the national honor and interest, and to enable them to improve the days of prosperity by every good work, to be lovers of peace and tranquility, that he may be pleased to bless us in our husbandry, our commerce and navigation, to smile upon our seminaries and means of education, to cause pure religion and virtue to flourish, to give peace to all nations, and to fill the world with his glory. Done by the United States and Congress assembled, witness His Excellency Elias Bunot, our president, this eighteenth day of October, in the year of our Lord 1783, and of the sovereignty and independence of the United States of America the eighth. Couple things here. I know we're running over or about to. Realize when they're talking about all these different names they have for God, they're talking about God the Father, Jesus Christ the Son, and the Holy Spirit. America doesn't work with Allah or some random gods out of Buddhism or Hinduism or atheism or Satanism or Mother Naturism. It only works with God the Father of Jesus Christ and the Holy Spirit. That's the only way that this works in America, that we have liberty. And you see that when they like in the year of our Lord, that's a reference back to Jesus Christ. You see in the previous, right, when we were going over the 1782, actually, not the 1782, but the 1780 proclamation that part of their request was to build up churches and to cause the knowledge of Christianity to spread all over the earth. So they're talking, our founders in Congress as a political body are talking about giving thanks to God, the Father of Jesus Christ, honoring him, submitting ourselves to him, humbling ourselves before him, seeking his forgiveness. Right? And they talk here, and then we'll quit for the day. Remarkable deliverances, the most signal successes, right? That was from a different proclamation. The wording is similar, though, right? Talking about the interposition of divine providence in our favor, manifested. And we have every possible reason for praise and gratitude to the God of their salvation, we as a people. We have so much to give thanks for to God, not only today, but throughout our history, folks. And turning back to God in Jesus Christ is the only way this is going to work. If you are looking for a family-friendly middle-grade read, I would humbly recommend Countryside. There's two books in the series. You can get it on Amazon, Barnes and Noble, a lot of places. Any bookstore ought to be able to order it. There's hardback, paperback, ebook. And if you enjoy it, if you'd leave a review, that helps tremendously. Also, if you're getting something out of the podcast, I hope you're able to share it with somebody else, friends, kids, parents, etc. But if you feel like you have three or four or five dollars that you can donate each month, there is a website on the Buzz Sprout website page or webpage for the podcast where you can do that. And I will be very grateful for that as well. 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. Amen. God bless y'all. God bless your families, your marriages. God bless America. God bless your nation, wherever you are around the world. Listen, folks. We'll talk to you all again real soon. Looking forward to it.