Chris Grainger: 1:22

Welcome to the Lion Within Us, a podcast serving Christian men who are hungry to be the leaders God intends you to be. I'm your host, chris Granger. Let's jump in. All right, fellas, let's get right into it. This is your meat episode. I'm ready to go. I hope you are. I'm excited. Let's just get right into it. So look.

Chris Grainger: 1:39

Scripture of the Week Psalm 1, 1,. Very beginning of Psalms. This is the one that's not walking the step of the week Psalm 1 1. Very beginning of Psalms. Blessed is the one who does not walk in the step of the wicked, stand in the way of the sinners, take or sit in the company of mockers. This is the one, guys.

Chris Grainger: 1:53

This is the one verse we need to take some time thinking about Now in the spiritual kickoff. I really went through it at a high level, kind of just give you a look, unpack some things to think about. We're going to drop the play out. We're going to go a little bit deeper today, Because I really the circle of influence, the people that influence you and your walk, is such a big deal, and this could be good and bad, because it's not just a bad thing, right, if you have these positive Christian men who are speaking to your life. That's going to help build you up and help you grow that way as well. But too often the converse happens. These negative things start speaking and eating away at us. They start bending our personalities. The next thing you know, we're flexing and we're bending based off the room we're in or the people that we're sitting around ourselves with, versus our convictions. And when we start compromising those values, that's when destruction happens. So I'm going to think I'm going to break through. We're going to break this down into three different days, or three different areas, if you will, that you need to consider as to examine what the scripture is showing us. So start thinking about the leading indicators that we need to consider for our environment to grow, to be better disciples. Okay, now the very first one walk. Scripture starts right there. Walk. We're going to look at the three verbs of this Psalm 1. Because when we start understanding these three verbs, it's going to change everything about everything, particularly if we start thinking about our social setting and we use Scripture as a spiritual lens. That's going to help us.

Chris Grainger: 3:37

Before we go too far, let's get just a grammatical baseline on what a verb is. What is a verb? It's a word used to describe an action, a state, an occurrence and forming the main part of a predicate, of a sentence. Okay, now shake off, get those bad third grade memories out your brain. I know I brought up a lot of cobwebs for you guys, okay, but this is what it is Now. My third grade teacher her name was Mrs Hodges. She taught me the baseline of the verb she did, but that only touches the surface of what we're going to explore together here. Okay, you feeling good guys? All right, so let's get into it.

Chris Grainger: 4:11

So this first verb that needs to be examined is walk. Mrs Hodges would define that verb, going back to my third grade, as to guide, accompany or escort someone on foot. However, when we start thinking about it a little bit deeper, that definition from Webster just doesn't give us enough context. Upon reflection on this, one common theme kept emerging when we walk with people, particularly with a group of people, essentially what we're doing people, particularly with a group of people essentially what we're doing is going along with them in unison. Okay, now think about this when was the last time you went to a sporting event? There's lines at sporting events right Sections, seats combinations and they're all there to have the same goal To watch the event with our own eyes. And they all there to have the same goal to watch the event with their own eyes and to unite with others for a common purpose. And we do that around this shared experience of the event right, and that lasts longer because, think about it you can remember certain things from sporting events. Every time I close my eyes and I think about the Derm Bulls. I close my eyes, I see the bull out there, the lights flashing, tail wagging and smoke coming out of his nose. Because they've created that experience. Because when we head to a venue, a common theme emerges that we may not be cheering for the same team, because there's people that go to the Durham Bulls games and don't pull for the Durham Bulls, but guess what? They're enjoying the spectacle. They just are. They still are enjoying the baseball game, even though they're not pulling for the same team I am.

Chris Grainger: 5:51

And what Psalm 1 is telling us right here is indicating that who we are walking and step with impacts us directly. And we need to think about this because, as leaders, this is glaringly true Because so many of these quote unquote great individuals suffer tremendously from a moral position based on their surroundings, surrounding influences they have in their life. Unfortunately, at the time of this recording, we've had several prominent pastors fall out of grace or fall out of their positions and have basically had life-altering, career-ending morality failures, and they all have their level of complexity and we're not here to unpack them. We're definitely not here to judge them. I mean, we're supposed to and we're definitely here to judge them. There's a common thread, and a lot of that common thread comes back is their unwillingness to objectively look around and see who they were right walking life with.

Chris Grainger: 7:02

Because if you're walking life and you're doing going through the steps of your everyday life with people that are drawing you closer to Christ, you'll make better decisions. Because no one wakes up in the morning and would make the statement that today is the day I'm going to ruin my marriage, or today's the day I'm going to begin embezzling money, or you know no Like today's a day I'm going to begin embezzling money, or you know no Like today's the day I'm going to start being addicted. Never happens, but yet every day that does happen, doesn't it? Because this part of Psalm right here is screaming at us, screaming we have to be on guard. We have to be on guard, particularly with the ones we're walking in step with.

Chris Grainger: 7:47

Now just to clarify, because I know we always got these listeners out there who are listening very intently this is not saying that we should never walk with sinners. That's ridiculous. On the contrary, we're supposed to walk with them when we're sharing the gospel and glorifying God. What the psalm writer is telling us here is we can't have them influence our walk. Two different things, two different things. So for sure, you're supposed to go out and be in the world and go out there and share the goodness of the gospel.

Chris Grainger: 8:19

The Great Commission point as many people to Christ as we can Absolutely, to Christ as we can Absolutely, but with the people that are in our life, that are. What are they? Are they drawing us further, further away, pushing us closer to God? That's what you need to think about. And when you start doing that self-audit hmm, that's a big deal Think about that. Have you ever done a self-audit to see if you're walking in obedience? I think maybe, through the last five text messages that you have on your phone, through those text messages, are those individuals helping you grow spiritually? I can't answer that for you. I dare you to take your phone out and look at the last five, though, and truly ask yourself and if your answer is well, I don't know? There's your answer that's a no, they're not helping you answer is well, I don't know? There's your answer that's a no, they're not helping you grow closer to Christ. If you don't know. If they're a Christian, you need to know these things. Quit putting these rose-covered glasses on and see what it is. I'm telling you, this audit's a big deal.

Chris Grainger: 9:21

Then you have to take some action with that audit, though, and then start thinking when's the last time you were walking in step with a group Any group and how did that influence you? How did that influence your behavior? I'm telling you, you start thinking about stuff like that, but oh, wait a minute now. I think I am going along with the flow a little bit too much. It's going to change. It's going to awaken some things inside of you that need to be awakened. I encourage you, I implore you, I just beg you to think about this who are you walking with? What are you doing to make sure that those people that you're walking with are walking towards the cross, all right? So, guys, let's take a quick break. We'll come back and we're going to look at the second verb as we keep digging into this.

Chris Grainger: 10:21

If you're a man who's looking for greater spiritual guidance into how to become a better leader, finding resources that you can trust and then implement can be daunting For me personally, I thought it was a lost cause and I decided to take the action, knowing that I wasn't alone. It was because of this wide gap that we created our line within this community, and the areas that we're helping Christian men grow are incredible. Lying within this community and the areas that we're helping christian men grow are incredible. For instance, we've built ways for guys to lean in and grow through fun events like our daily spiritual kickoff, where you get that much needed boost directly from god's word, our bible studies that always focus on how to discern and apply what we learn, and even our amazing form, where you can speak your mind without fear of getting shut down or judged by the extreme rules of modern day social media. On top of all that, we know that many men want help overcoming issues and becoming stronger in many different areas. That's why we created several mastermind groups, where the iron truly sharpens iron. Our community is about having a growth mindset, accountability, intentionality and transparency. In other words, just leave, fake you at home and come to community just as you are. I fully believe what we feel. I see the impact it's making on men right now and I would love to have you check it out. So start your very own 30-day free trial today to see how we can help you be a better leader. So if you're ready to take that first step, head over to thelinewithinus and get started. Your journey begins here. Visit thelinewithinus and I'll see you inside the den. All right, guys, welcome back.

Chris Grainger: 12:02

So we just covered the first verb in this psalm. Just to recap, psalm 1-1, blessed is the one who doesn't walk in the step of the wicked or stand in the way of sinners or sit in the company of mockers. So we just walked through walk. Now we're going to walk through stand. How about that? So right here. Second verb really is stand. Think about go back to third grade. Whatever your third grade teachers was, teachers was. And they tell us stand means to have or maintain an upright position supported by one's feet, and that is correct. All right, I get it. That's right. There's something deeper here, though. When we stand, we choose to not show opposition to items, particularly that are not in alignment to God's will. So when you're standing, in some sense you're being an active participant in those acts. This kind of takes me back to the way I teach this with the kids, or even with adults. It's a great way to teach this.

Chris Grainger: 13:00

Think about this question which is worse for you when you do something that you know God doesn't want you to do, or when you don't do something that you know God wants you to do? Okay, let's think about that again. I'm going to just lay those questions out when you do something that you know God doesn't want you to do, which is outright sinning, or you're not doing something that God wants you to do? Now, when I thought about that, I started reflecting and just pondering and getting my bucket out and just putting that over my head and thinking. For you, andy Griffith fans, you'll get that.

Chris Grainger: 13:34

It appears to me that most people would answer that not doing something is nowhere near as bad as actually doing the action. Doing the action the bad stuff is a whole lot worse than not doing the good stuff. I've got to think about that. I think we're wrong. In reality, they are of equal measure, because they both reflect the self-centered mindset that controls us so much what we do Because we want to be in control. Let's just face it, and often it's easier to recognize what we should stop versus seeing what we need to do. Okay, so again, I'm just telling you this is a big deal, because standing can get you in trouble, and quickly. You'll start hearing these people pull out the victim card or playing the blame game. Okay, think about this.

Chris Grainger: 14:43

Go back to your high school days. In my high school days, growing up in the South, the lure of smoking cigarettes pulled many down that path. Why? Because it was at parties, it was after school, it was wherever you went, all the cool people were doing it right and that. No matter what you did, though, with that smoke even if you weren't smoking, the smoke smell would just be all over you. You'd smell it everywhere, even if you never took a drag or held one in your hand. The fact that you stood in the company of those individuals marked you as one of them. You may have never pulled on a Marlboro in your life, but if you went to our school store and hung out with them, boys, I'll tell you what you smell like one.

Chris Grainger: 15:32

Now, standing in the wrong path can have a negative consequence on us, just like smoking right here, just a smoking example. What should you do? The answer is simple You've got to move. You've got to move out of darkness into the light. Move away from the ways of our prideful selves to His ways, and move from those that are pulling you further and further from Him. Get out of their way, because this may mean a new group of friends, and that's scary for a lot of people. This also may mean think about this some different work relationships.

Chris Grainger: 16:19

Now, the people we work with. They have a huge influence on us. Do those people even have the slightest clue that you're a Christian? And how would they and I'm not saying you need to have a Philippians 4.13 cup just to know that you're a Christian, no, how are they seeing the fruit? Do they see that in what you're doing? How about discipleship groups? What type of men do you have in your life that are going to speak the hard truth to you? They're going to kick you in the butt when you screw up, not because they want to be mean, but because they love you.

Chris Grainger: 17:00

Got to have this stuff, guys. Got to have this stuff in our life, because the reality is we're all created in God's image. You guys know I talk about this all the time. We've got to have this stuff in our life Because the reality is we're all created in God's image. You guys know I talk about this all the time. We just are and we have free will. That means each day you get up, you get to make a choice. You get to make a choice right now. You could flip away from the line within us right now and not have to listen to any more of this convicting stuff. You have that choice. Are you going to flip or are you going to dare to lean in and keep listening?

Chris Grainger: 17:29

My prayer is that you follow God, no matter what you do and as you're making those decisions and what ways you need to take, I pray you consciously choose to stay in the path that brings Him the most glory and make sure that you're doing all you can to stay aligned to him, because the evil one's going to do all he can to pull you away, to get you to drift, to get you to turn your back on him. I just want you to stay aligned, but this takes conscious choices. Avo avoiding certain scenarios, situations that don't glorify him. So you need to start praying for that wisdom in a sermon? How can I avoid standing, just standing, being idle, when I need to take action? And look, this can be scary too, guys.

Chris Grainger: 18:31

I'm not saying this is easy stuff as someone who's leaned into my faith over the last several years. Obviously, with the line within us and things I'm doing and I'm involved with, it gets harder and harder. The more you lean in, the harder it gets, because the evil one, the last thing he, wants, is for you to lean in and be obedient to what God's called for you to do in your life. He wants you to just go right here, go to Staples, hit the easy button. That's what he wants you to do. Some days it'd be fun to do that, wouldn't it? If I'm being honest, guys, if we're trying to grow as leaders that God's called us to be, it's not about hitting the easy button. It's about hitting the Jesus button. You know what Jesus' way is not the easiest way, but it is the best way. All right, guys, we're going to take our last break. We'll come back when we're looking at the third verb. Be right back.

Chris Grainger: 19:29

I find it helps me to have a guide at times when I'm reading and studying the Bible. One way that helps me is by using devotionals to guide not only what I read, but insights into the scriptures themselves. So we were blessed to become an author on the YouVersion Bible app and we saw an immediate opportunity to help others with devotionals around the areas that we spend the most time talking about at the Lion Within Us. So if you enjoy the show, you may enjoy these devos as well. We have some guys that are using them as part of their small groups as well, as they're a great way to get conversations going. So to see the ones that we've created, head over to thelionwithinus slash you version, and that's Y-O-U-V-E-R-S-I-O-N. To learn more. So that's the lionwithinus slash you version. To get started with your own men's devotional today.

Chris Grainger: 20:31

All right, guys, we're back now, so let's get right into it. So look, we've talked about this song Walk, stand, sit. We've covered the verb walk. We've covered the verb stand. Now we're looking at sit. Now, if you just go back to third grade again, you start thinking about the definition of sit. Here's what it says sit is adopting or being in a position in which one's weight is supported by one's buttocks rather than one's feet and one's back is upright. And that's true, I get it, but it is a little bit funny if I want to be honest with you guys. But it only touches the surface of what this actually means in the backdrop of what the Scripture is telling us here. Because Scripture is painting a picture for us of the guard that we have to put up when it comes to sitting in the wrong company. For us, of the guard that we have to put up when it comes to sitting in the wrong company, because when you sit with others, you're demonstrating your desire to participate with the other party. It's just real.

Chris Grainger: 21:27

There's a certain level of intimacy, guys, that just comes when you sit down at a table with someone. Okay, your best buddy, you got to sit down at a table. You start cracking jokes. You're with them. You can't, despite the connection that happens. You got to sit down at a table. You start cracking jokes. You're with them. You can't, despite the connection that happens.

Chris Grainger: 21:42

You and your wife go out on a date. You sit down at a table. It makes a big deal. So anytime that you sit down at a table or a booth or even a couch and you sit with people, you're making a conscious decision to you know what. I'm going to be here with these people, no matter what. And when you start breaking bread and really having that meal, what are you doing? You're talking, you're laughing, you're crying. There's a level of connection that happens that just can't be replaced with anything in this life. That's why I'm so big for you dads out there. Family dinner Don't let that one slip. Okay, because think about when you date your spouse Hopefully you still date your spouse what you typically do you go out to have a meal, because that meal includes typically some form of dining, because that's where you can have authentic vulnerability and that starts manifesting itself. But you're being real Now.

Chris Grainger: 22:47

The issue is is when you start taking this verse and start thinking about okay, when am I not just sitting down, but am I actually being careful about who I sit down with? Because I want you to sit down. I want you to sit down and have these intimate conversations and connections with other people. You just got to be careful about who they are, and I'm not trying to and I also just to get us out of something Again. I'm not saying that you shouldn't sit down with sinners and share the love of Christ to them and prayerfully share the gospel. That's what we're all called to do. Jesus sat with tax collectors at all times, yet he never once, never once, participated in any of that sin. That's the difference and the reason Jesus was so effective in so much of this stuff, and he could do this on a consistent basis because he was God. Let's just be real, something we ain't. So, outside of those opportunities where we're sharing the good news of the gospel with others, you need to have a boundary of who you're sitting down with, because that is a level of spiritual maturity and growth that I really pray that you achieve.

Chris Grainger: 24:04

Think about this You're at a meal right now. Maybe it's a business lunch, or just you and your buddy. You're going out to lunch and you go to a restaurant. You're both married. Okay, waitress comes by, she takes a drink order, gives you a few minutes to think about the menu and your buddy makes a sexually explicit comment about the waitress. You figure out whatever that is to you. What do you do? That's a real scenario, guys. Happens a lot. What do you do? You're both married, but if you choose to just sit or just idly by, or just laugh it off, or just maybe you pretend you didn't even hear it, what you're doing is you're taking action by your inaction and I'm telling you it impacts your testimony as a believer.

Chris Grainger: 25:15

Now, I'm not saying you have to confront everything all the time, but I am saying one thing you better walk with him at all times. Maybe you need to be carefrontational that's a term I use sometimes. One of my mentors taught me that term. Maybe you need to care enough to confront him. I'm not saying you have to turn everything into some big argument, or don't make this some holier than thou type of scenario. No truth and love, because Turn everything to some big argument. Or don't make this some Holder than thou Type of scenario. No Truth and love, because Think about Sitting.

Chris Grainger: 25:50

Sitting, yeah, it's a level of connection and intimacy, no matter where you're at. So think Through the last few meals that you've had and identify when did God show up In the conversation or did he? And think about the relationships in those conversations and those environments. Are they harming your spiritual walk? Now, think about it this way. This is probably the scarier way.

Chris Grainger: 26:16

I'm going to go ahead and say this. You guys can go ahead and tune me out now if you want, but if someone sits down at your table with you, what's their experience going to be? Are you going to pull them closer to God or are you going to push them further away? Or, even worse, are you not going to move them at all? You know what not moving them at all is. That's lukewarm. We got a whole lot of that going on.

Chris Grainger: 26:46

But what we see here sit is the individual choice that we all get who you sit with. You also get the choice of who you walk and stand with. Right, and the easier path is definitely just to go with the flow. Look, if you're trying to look for the easy path, do the world's way, just go with the flow. Okay, don't worry about it. It often leads to destruction. What, chris? What did you just say? I'm just telling you just go with the flow. I don't want you to choose easy. I want you to choose better, big difference. Big difference. That means making the right choice and surrendering our will to His, picking up your cross, following Him daily and making sure that you do whatever you can to every day walk, stand, sit with the people that he has chosen for you to do that with, to draw you closer to him, to hopefully help you glorify him. And I'm telling you, if you start thinking that way, start thinking about the people in your life, your relationships, the people that you're allowed to speak into your life. Take a real look. Are they drawing you closer to him or further away? And if you start thinking about walking, standing and sitting, and just you start thinking about those scenarios themselves, you can easily see them.

Chris Grainger: 28:13

Okay, when I sit down at work, who do I engage with the most? Some of it may be through digital means right now, these days, right, you've got Microsoft Teams and Google and Slack and all these different types of communication opportunities. But how, when I sit down at my desk, whatever that work scenario is, how am I drawing people to him? What about when I'm walking, just walking? I'm headed to a meeting, or I'm headed to pick up the kids, or I'm coaching? What are you doing in those moments as you're walking, doing life, to draw people to Him? We're standing. Sometimes we just find ourselves just having to wait. Okay, how can I honor and glorify God sitting waiting for practice to be done for my kids, because I don't really have time to drive all the way home and come back? That makes no sense. I'm just going to kind of be here. I'm just going to be standing here kind of just chilling. What can I do to draw people to you in those scenarios?

Chris Grainger: 29:21

So, fellas, I'm telling you these types of topics they're a big deal and thinking about are your friends drawing you closer or further from God? I know that's a hard question to really sit and ponder. It's worth the exercise though. It's worth the calories you're going to burn mentally to think through this, because the evil one does not want you to think through this. The evil one wants you to think you're good. You're not that bad. Look how bad some people really are in this world. We're good, right, it's a trip, it's a lie from the pits of hell. We need to cast that back to where it belongs. So, fellas, I enjoy these.

Chris Grainger: 30:06

So this one, this is actually a devotion that I wrote. It's on the YouVersion Bible app. I have a bunch of them out there. I really I'm a writer first. I guess you could say I haven't always been a writer. I'm learning to write. It's very stress relieving for me just to be able to sit, put a pen and paper and then also the cool part about that is I can take the pen and paper and it turned into some things like right here. That hopefully encourage you.

Chris Grainger: 30:39

So if you want to see some of the other devotions we have out there, you can go to the line within that US. You can click over resources to devotions. You'll see all of them there. So I hope you guys enjoyed this one. I certainly did.

Chris Grainger: 30:51

I think these messages are important. I just want to serve you well, so just let me know if you guys have prayer requests, raise your views. They always help big time Fellas. If you can do that, if you would consider being a monthly donor, that would help tremendously. There's just lots of expenses. There are lots of things we want to do, but ultimately we'd love to have you to join the Lion Within Us community. We have our discipleship mastermind groups, which I'm as excited about this as probably when we started the Lion Within Us. It gives you any sense of wherewithal, of the importance of what this is.

Chris Grainger: 31:25

So lionwithin dot U S, join the community. Daily spiritual kickoff, all the different areas that we try to serve people. For you guys who are in business and trying to incorporate a more business front framework and mindset into the work that you do, summit leadership development I'd love to talk to you about that. Give you some insights Again. The lion within dot U S all our resources are there. I'd love to talk to you about that. Give you some insights Again. Thelionwithinus All our resources are there.

Chris Grainger: 31:50

Support at thelionwithinus that gets in contact with us directly. We can help you, answer your questions you may have and, just again, give you that support, give you that encouragement. Just help you be a leader God intends you to be. So, bottom of my heart, thank you, thank you, thank you for taking the time to hang out with us today. Share this with others. Give us a rating and review because for some reason, that stuff matters. I don't know why I don't get the algorithms on, why that stuff's important. I just know it does. So if all you do is just give us a five-star rating, that's great. If you want to take a minute or two and write a couple sentences, that'd be tremendous as well. So just thank you from the bottom of my heart. Have a great, great day. Let me know if you have any questions. Looking forward to see you on our fun friday episode. You know what's coming next. It's time for you to get out and unleash the lion within.