Chris Grainger: 1:01

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, guys, it's your fun Friday episode. Let's get right into it, okay? So the scripture of the week we've been talking about all week Matthew 28, verse 19,. Therefore, go and make disciples of all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit. Beautiful verse, guys. You definitely should know this verse. But go back If you want some more encouragement. Our two episodes to go. You'll find our spiritual kickoff, where we unpack this scripture at length to give you some insights on how you can simplify and apply it to your life. So you may enjoy that. Lots of guys listen to the spiritual kickoff episodes every week. So you may enjoy that. Lots of guys listen to the Spiritual Kickoff episodes every week. Now, if you like the Spiritual Kickoff, we do the same similar format Monday through Friday live in the Lion Withinist community. So you'll find all the ways to get started there by heading to the Lion Within and start your community experience, because inside there you'll be able to be part of our daily spiritual kickoff. It's a wonderful way to get that little boost you need every morning. You can also chat, you can engage and if you missed a live feed, don't worry, they're posted every day. So they're there for you to watch, for you to consume at your leisure. Okay, all right.

Chris Grainger: 2:18

So now this week has been a heavy one. I know We've been talking so much about pornography and how our lives can be transformed after that pornography. We had Brandon McCray on. Loved the conversation with Brandon, obviously, all the mission that God has laid on his heart and how Brandon's just leaning into it. He's leaning into the very difficult thing that God's called him to do. He's doing a great job. They're growing, they're helping. He's doing a great job. They're growing. They're helping, they're making an impact in men's lives. That's really just healing so much in their marriages and their relationships with their kids, how they show up at work.

Chris Grainger: 2:52

I'm telling you this is such a big topic that churches, so many, just have no clue how to touch, no clue, so to that point they just don't. When you look at the statistics out there 70% to 75%, depending on the study that you look at, of men in churches are struggling and regularly looking at pornography. That number guys should alarm you. I'm not trying to call anybody out. I'm just trying to say we've got to do something. We have to do something here. I'm just trying to say we got to do something, we have to do something here. Hats off to guys like Brandon who are taking steps every day to push back, to fight, to stand firm and to help bring other brothers along. So, man, it was a great one.

Chris Grainger: 3:35

Go back to the last one in your podcast feed will be Brandon's conversation. If you know a fellow brother in Christ who struggles with this, please, please, please, send him this podcast so that he can listen to it. And I'd also encourage you guys out there. So many of us guys are in different group text messages for men. We've got a bunch of brothers and stuff like that. Maybe it's basketball or some type of sport thing or fantasy football league, whatever it may be. Drop this podcast in there. You don't have to say anything, just drop in here and say hey for you guys. You never know just how taking that one little step may open up a conversation point for you to help another man. If you've overcome, if you have defeated pornography in your life, think about giving back, particularly through the ministry that Brandon has set up, you could be a coach very easily and help other men in their struggle. So, again, go to the last one, check it out and thanks Brandon for coming on the show.

Chris Grainger: 4:35

All right, so for a fun Friday, we always do a health, wealth and a self tip, okay. So three pillars, in line with Dennis. The health is how do we build stronger minds and bodies? A self tip Okay, so three pillars in alignment, dennis. The health is how do we build stronger minds and bodies. Wealth is how can we be better stewards of our finances and our careers. And self is how can we improve? Ultimately, as husbands and fathers, it's a big calling to do all those things. We want to help you each and every week.

Chris Grainger: 4:55

Okay, so for the health tip kind of keeping on that theme, for for pornography and battling against, but you better start guarding your eyes and your mind, okay, because that mind's a battlefield, fellas. It just really is, and what you allow in it directly impacts your thoughts, your emotions and your behaviors. So your inputs reflect your outputs. This is old engineering terminology, right here. So in a world that is saturated with distractions and temptations out there, this is a critical component, fellas, to stay spiritually and emotionally healthy. And you start by doing a content audit. Okay, on your phone, your TV, your tablet, your computer, I don't care. Ask yourself when you're looking at this stuff, whatever you're looking at, has this drawn you closer to God or pushing him further away? Okay, and then you can start replacing some things Once you audit it. What do you do with it? You replace those unhelpful inputs with some more positive ones. Read some scripture, listen to some worship music or do like you're doing right now, listening to uplifting, encouraging podcasts.

Chris Grainger: 6:01

Because we have to take these thoughts captive, guys. We have to and we have to redirect unhealthy patterns towards a Christ-centered one. And if you're intentional here, you'll be on the front lines protecting your own heart and your mind and equipping yourself for victory. Because this is a physical battle. This is also a spiritual battle that we're in each and every day, and I want you guys to win. I want you to win. So doggone bad I just know. We have to take this for real, we have to be serious about this and we have to guard our eyes. So it's. I mean, I think the evil one's just looking for every corner he can to trip us up and we want to help you Now for the will tip.

Chris Grainger: 6:43

Set some boundaries for balance. As you pursue stuff in your career. You're chasing success and that hamster wheel you're just going faster and faster and faster. It can be an all-consuming, never-ending, just relentless pursuit if you leave it unchecked. So you have to have some clear boundaries, because work has a I'm just going to be real it has an easy way of overshadowing your family. It just does. Work can take over things that you wouldn't do for your family, take you away from things you wouldn't do for your family, take you away from things you wouldn't do for your church, and it can take things you wouldn't do for yourself, like take care of your health.

Chris Grainger: 7:21

So for guys, that means we have to establish these right boundaries in place. We do that by taking some intentional acts here and, if we need to think through, potentially a great place to consider is a transition ritual, like when you're leaving work to go home. Or if you're like me, you work from home and you leave the work environment that you have at home to the home itself. Right, how do you transition that? Okay, maybe it's prayer, maybe it's a ride, and during that ride you could have a talk to yourself or talk with God. Maybe you just need to actually do something physical, like a short walk. Before you had that engagement with your family, okay. But whatever it is, what we have to do in some way is we have to say no to the unnecessary commitments. But if we say no to those, it allows you to say yes to the things that really do matter the most, like your family, your health, your faith, all that stuff.

Chris Grainger: 8:24

So what I'm not saying is like look, we're first setting boundaries for balance. I'm not saying you got to do less. No, because you guys are driven, you're going to crush it. I know you are. It means doing the right things well. Does that make sense? If you do the right things well, by that you are honoring God, you are showing him the glory he deserves. But it starts by recognizing that the boundaries that you have in your life are yours. You have to do them. I can't set these for you. All right Now, self-tip Again, sticking on the theme of pornography this week Lead by example and purity.

Chris Grainger: 9:07

Okay. So lead by example and purity. So, as a husband or father, your actions are so much louder you guys know what I'm saying so much louder than your words. So this doesn't mean if I'm talking about being purity, it doesn't mean just about being perfect. No, you're never going to be perfect, but you can be honest, you can be intentional and you're sure going to be accountable. So have some integrity by having open conversations with your spouse and your children about some challenges and victories that you've experienced walking with God.

Chris Grainger: 9:33

Use your own testimony to teach the importance of relying on God's strength and grace and be proactive here. And for some reason, when I met my wife before this, I would have opportunities. Just like every other guy who grew up, I felt like I was around. You know, you'd had the magazines, you'd had the porn sites and stuff like that from time to time. But since meeting her, the desire is just not there. So I can use that conversation as a reference point as I teach my kids. But I have to be proactive here, right, and I show them directly what it's meant to me, and that's going to be so much more than anything that you read from a book or a podcast or things like that. No, it wants't mean to you, because when your family sees you striving for purity, I'm telling you not just by the stuff you're saying, but what you're actually doing, man. That's going to change the game.

Chris Grainger: 10:28

You talk about changing the culture in your home. It starts with you, man. It starts with you. You can't outsource this stuff. You can't be running around checking out all this crazy stuff on your phone or your tablet or like you know the test. I always tell guys all the time Like, look bro, if you can't take your phone, unlock and hand it to your wife or your kids without your heart rate going up, like something's wrong bro, like seriously, something's it's wrong bro, like seriously, something's wrong. But many guys, many guys, that's an anxiety point Because you know you're doing stuff that you shouldn't be on that and I'm just telling you, if you lead by example, impurity and it'll have a much bigger impact and influence on your kids and your spouse than anything you could ever say. So there you go, guys. They're your three tips this week as we go through the health, wealth and self that health is guard your eyes and your mind Wealth, set those boundaries for balance. And then self lead by example and purity, all right.

Chris Grainger: 11:24

So, fellas, the book of the week. You've talked about it all week anyway, with Brandon bold and purity, all right. So, fellas, the book of the week. You've talked about it all week anyway, with Brandon Transformed After Porn, your Guide to Courageous Discipleship that Breaks the Stronghold, fellas. So this is such a great resource right here for you guys out there, you can sit down, you can knock this out in one reading. It's nine or ten chapters, but it gives you a good insight on how to take the strategy that God has given Brandon to combat pornography. And we know that this is such a big deal out there, fellas. So we want to help you along the way, each and every single one of you. So go check that stuff out for sure, and let us know what you think. All right, this will be your book of the week.

Chris Grainger: 12:04

Let's get to our dad jokes, all right. So our dad joke. Let's go right here. Dad joke. Number one what did the ocean say to the beach? What did the ocean say to the beach? It didn't say anything, it just waved. All right, you know, that's the good one, fellas, all right. Number two what did the big flower say to the little flower? Hi, week, that's just me, look. Number one what did the ocean say to the beach? Nothing, it just waved. Number two what did the big flower say to the little flower? Hi, bud, again. Dad jokes. Guys, it's all about the eye roll, right? I found out the other day at one of our couples night is that the guys are judging the quality of the dad jokes and how they vote for the dad jokes each and every week. In the line Within is about if it gets an eye roll from their wife or not, and I don't know. I don't know how to feel about that, but you know that works, fellas. So look, if you've got a dad joke that we need to use that we haven't support at thelionwithinus, send me that dad joke. We can hook you right up and would love to hear it. Okay, all right.

Chris Grainger: 13:03

So now question of the week is who has God placed in your life to disciple? Okay, I know he's put somebody there. Quit running from it and lean into it and just wait and see the power of what God will do. If you're just willing to take a step of obedience, to do again, to do what he's called you to. You can't outsource it. The evil one hopes that you do. He really hopes that you don't take this serious. He really hopes that you say you know what Somebody else is going to do it. I'm just encouraging you guys. You can do this. You can have such a major influence on someone else's life just by taking an intentional act of obedience. So take the step today and serve All right guys. Thanks again, so much for listening.

Chris Grainger: 13:44

This week, go to thelionwithinus for all our resources, all the ways we try to help guys, share our ministry, share the ways that we're helping each other. Again, it's all about discipling leaders. This is what we're here to do. This is what we're here to help with. We have our community, thelionwithinus, that you can join there. We have our discipleship masterminds. We have all different ways. We have our live events, our mission trips, the the different ways that we're serving guys each and every day. I'm telling you, fellas, this is what it's all about. So head over to the Lion Within to get started today. So have a great weekend, get after it. You know guys that are struggling. You know what to do, take some action and remember, keep unleashing the Lion Within.

Chris Grainger: 14:27

I don't know about you, but I used to find Mondays really rough.

Chris Grainger: 14:29

I would find myself trying to reset for work, trying to get my bearing on the family calendar, trying to find time for my own spiritual growth and development, and often I found myself overwhelmed or just flatly ignoring aspects of my life that I know are meaningful to me.

Chris Grainger: 14:48

What I learned was that if I had immediate access to important and impactful spiritual topics and reflections to start my week well, after the allure of a Sunday sermon has passed, I would set my whole week up to be more meaningful and for the opportunity to make a true impact. If you think that getting such a boost would help your week to get started on the right foot, we would love for you to sign up for the weekly roar, which is our newsletter that is produced by the lion within us. Each week will deliver a powerful reflection and practical steps to help you apply scripture with clarity and purpose, all being rooted in light and truth. So in just a few minutes, we hope to arm you with insights for living out biblical leadership with confidence and strength, and maybe even have a little extra bounce in your step. If that sounds useful, head over to thelionwithinus slash ROAR to sign up today. That's thelionwithinus slash ROAR to get your weekly ROAR today.