Chris Grainger: 1:10

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, on Friday time, I don't know, I'm just pumped up, let's go. Okay, so we're in the book of Philippians this week, guys, chapter 3, verse 7. But whatever were gains to me, I now consider loss. For the sake of Christ. Beautiful little verse right there to Philippians Go back, listen to the spiritual kickoff, unpack that at length to help you simplify and apply that to your life.

Chris Grainger: 1:39

And then the last episode, guys. That's where I had our friend, nick Stumbo, on really unpacking the dangers of pornography, how to address it. What does a pure life look like? How you can be equipped if you have. Maybe you're struggling with pornography in your life and you don't know how to address it. You don't know where to start. Okay, we'll give you some insights here. Maybe you're thinking about okay, maybe I need to talk to my wife about this and actually go ahead and just bring it out. Before you do that, listen to that conversation. I'm not saying don't do that, I'm just saying get equipped right. Get equipped first so that you'll be ready to have that conversation in a meaningful way, because if you just go to her and you just dump all this stuff on her, you just confess everything, she may not be ready to handle all that. So you need to be to get prepared, and Nick and I went through some tremendous steps that you can take to equip yourself or equip others to be able to combat this pornography issue head on. And we know it's such a big deal.

Chris Grainger: 2:37

75% of guys, 50 something percent of girls, it ended up being like 52% overall. 54% overall people Christians in the church who are struggling with pornography. Now you tell me that's that. And then you walk into a church and basically just split it in half. It's like, okay, this half isn't, this half is right, and just start thinking about that. And then, not to mention, churches aren't equipped. They don't know how to have these conversations, they're just not doing it.

Chris Grainger: 3:06

Pastors, run from this stuff. We can't run anymore. We just cannot run anymore. We've got to lean in. If they're not going to get equipped, then we're going to equip you. This is what the land within us is all about. We're going to help lean into these hard conversations, these hard areas that you need help with. The one pastor I know that talks about this stuff pretty openly is Pastor Joby Martin. He's one of the rare diamonds in the rough who talks about this stuff. It helps you understand a biblical stance on what this means, how we can move forward. So I really enjoyed the conversation with Nick and hopefully you will too. So go back and check that one out. Okay, all right For our fun Friday.

Chris Grainger: 3:47

Guys, you know what we do. We're going to do a health, wealth and a self tip. Okay, the line within us is about those three pillars. Health is how do we build stronger minds and bodies? Because it's not just about being physically fit, but we have to be mentally fit as well. Okay. Wealth is all about stewardship being better stewards of our finances in general as well as our careers. So we'll mix some stuff in. Now. The selfip is what can we do to equip ourselves to be more effective husbands and fathers Got to be both. Maybe you're not a father. We talk about lots of tips that are just being better husbands. Okay.

Chris Grainger: 4:24

Now, from a health tip, and lots of these things are really tied into this idea of breaking free from these destructive habits. Health tip I'm just going to keep this one super simple. You got to have some accountability in your life. You just do, because that is the key to breakthrough. If you have destructive tendencies or habits, yes, you need a support system, and that isolation is the enemy of excellence. You guys heard me say that over and over and over, and anytime you isolate, that's just like a breeding ground for addiction.

Chris Grainger: 4:54

Accountability is where it breaks the cycle. It just does. Maybe it's a mentor or friend or a community like the Lion Within Us who will help you, journey alongside you in that whole pursuit of purity, of breaking free, because what that accountability partner can do for you guys is what we find in our discipleship masterminds. We see this all the time. You'll find that encouragement. You'll also find prayer and direct and honest feedback that's going to help you stay locked in on your goals, because there's so many tools out there that you can use. But I'm telling you, if you just lean in and use tools like the Lionel Dennis around accountability, it's going to be right there to be ready to equip you. Because if you confess those struggles the way James tells us to, you're going to find that God's grace is going to start flowing and that's going to be part of the healing process, because accountability doggone it is not a sign of weakness, it's a step forward towards strength and restoration and we have to know that, we have to believe that. We have to cling to that. Then we have to seek that in our life.

Chris Grainger: 6:05

I also just want to say lots of people you know want to talk about accountability, want to give accountability, but no one wants to receive it. Right, just be real for a second. Can't be that way. You're going to be a leader doing what God's called you to do. You got to have people in your life that are holding your feet to the fire. Just do it, or else nothing's going to get done. All right Now, wealth tip this is more of a moral thing to consider here as you move forward with your finances.

Chris Grainger: 6:41

But integrity the integrity you have as a man is non-negotiable. Okay, your work is an extension of your faith, totally get. You should know that by now. So you better not compromise any integrity at work. I'm telling you this. When I did this in my past, it just blew up every time. Okay, this could be. This is what this could look like, fellas, let's see if this stuff resonates.

Chris Grainger: 7:04

Dishonesty, just not lying. How about cutting corners. Okay, how about this one? You tolerate unethical behavior. I mean, let's just be real. There's lots of unethical behavior. I used to be a big part of it inside our break room, outside, on our shop floor, guys would pull up stuff and guys would talk about stuff or show me pictures of stuff and stuff I shouldn't see. Let's be real. I didn't say anything about it.

Chris Grainger: 7:37

Not doing something is, in effect, doing something, fellas, and the Colossians is right and we believe it to be true. Whatever you do, work heartily as for the Lord and not for man. No-transcript. You know, we can't, guys, I can't even express this enough. You have to be extremely diligent around what you tolerate and what you allow in from a content standpoint or distractions. Okay, that stuff doesn't honor God, fellas. You can't allow it. You can't allow it. You have to strive to make your workplace the place that you're earning your career, your ministry, where Christ is driving every one of your decisions, and integrity, fellas, kind of going back to the main thing, this is how you have to lead, and when you do that, you honor God, you inspire others and you build a legacy that lasts long beyond. When you do that, you honor God, you inspire others and you build a legacy that lasts long beyond when you stop collecting paychecks at this organization. No, you're making a bigger impact. So just keep that in mind.

Chris Grainger: 8:50

Maybe do a little self-reflection today. Where are you compromising your integrity at work and what are you going to do to self-correct that? All right, now self-tip, kind of go to the home front you need to be focusing on, or you should be building, a fortress of trust inside your home. Let's just be real. Home should be sanctuary, safe place where you can kick your shoes off, sit back, chill out. It should not be a place where people are on edge, and you do this by creating vulnerability and growth through open communication about the challenges that we all face in life. So maybe you need to initiate some conversations, as nick and I talked about, about technology or temptations or just hey, what's been going on lately you think you want to talk about, because if you know, rather if your people on your house know, that they can come to you about anything and they ain't gonna get some big judgment speech, no, or you can project your ideals on them. You're just gonna going to actually listen, bro. You realize that's going to do for you. It's going to open up conversations and opportunities you've never dreamed about before. It's going to help you create some boundaries right, that will be in place, for that will actually be leaned into, because the conversations you've had built up to that point, and if you lean in to building a trust-filled home, you're equipping your family directly to fight the world's challenges. You just are, and you're doing it by keeping Christ at the center. But see, I can't do this for you, no one can do this for you. You can't outsource it, fellas. Unfortunately, it has to be all on you. You can't hire some dude to come in and build trust in your home. No, bro, that's your job, you got to do that. So how are you going to stand up or start showing up, rather to be that leader that they desperately need you to be? So hopefully, those three tips helped this week, fellas Health, wealth, self. That health you need that accountability, let's just be real. You need that accountability to build a stronger mind as well as a stronger body. Wealth tip you need to remember that. Integrity, that's a non-negotiable. And that self tip build that fortress of trust at your home. Okay, all right.

Chris Grainger: 11:24

Book of the week, guys, this is one of Nick's books I definitely want to bring it up. It's called Setting Us Free An Unexpected Journey of Grace, by Nick. Again, it talks a lot about his struggles and things he went through with pornography, how it almost ruined his marriage and completely wrecked it. It was a 10-year journey working through this with his wife and he was very open and transparent about it. But, guys, lots and lots of insights in here that can help set you free no-transcript, and you don't know the steps to take to move forward. This is a great, great resource for you. So you can go to thelionwithinus, check on the free tools and then you'll find Book of the Week. It's all right there. It's a great way to add to your library. Okay, all right.

Chris Grainger: 12:09

So dad jokes let's get into our dad jokes, fellas. First dad joke this week is why don't fish ever get caught up in some shady business? Hmm, well, because they always keep their scales balanced. All right, I know that got a few eye rolls. Okay, don't shoot me. That's just I deliver it right.

Chris Grainger: 12:32

Number two why was the calendar always stressed out? Because it always because it felt like it was on too many dates. There you go, fellas. I don't know. Number one, number one, number two maybe they both aren't good this week. Don't shoot me, just hey. If you got some good ones, send those in to support at the line within that us, okay? The number one is why don't fish ever get caught up in shady business? Because they always keep their scales balanced. And number two, why was the calendars always stressed out? Because it felt like it was on too many dates. I don don't know. The more you say them, the funnier it gets.

Chris Grainger: 12:58

Maybe this is a couple you just need to say a few times over and over and over, okay, but anyway, fellas, question of the week this week is what are you clinging to that? God is calling you to surrender, and I know so many guys out there. There's something, there's something in our life that we're holding on to, maybe with something in our life that we're holding on to, maybe with those fingernail grip, I'm just encouraging you guys. Whatever that is, if it's drawing, if it's pulling you away from Christ, we have to be bold and courageous enough to surrender it. Just surrender it to Him and let the power of Christ remove that from you. So, fellas, if you need help with that I can't emphasize this enough Go to thelionwithinus, click over. I'm going to go here right now and tell you exactly how to do it.

Chris Grainger: 13:44

Offerings the very first thing under offerings is Lion's Den Community. You click that, okay? And when you click that, it's going to take you to a page where you can join our community. Get started today. Take you to a page where you can join our community. Get started today. You're going to find a group of men who are here helping each other grow to be the leaders that God intends us to be. You're also going to find a bunch of sinners who haven't figured this thing out yet, who are striving every day to get better, who have lots of questions, who need support, need a safe place, want to ask these questions in an environment where they're not going to feel judged. Guys, this is what we've built. We have our discipleship mastermind groups. We have our Friday Forge, we have our Lion Lunches. We have our Bible studies. Guys, can you see Couples nights, all the things that we've built to help you lean in and just truly be that leader that God intends you to be, in a safe environment with no judgment, no condemnation.

Chris Grainger: 14:42

So, again, thelionwithinus click on offerings. Drop down the very first one Lion's Den Community. Get started today. All right, guys have a great weekend. Thank you so much for listening. If you have any questions, if we can support you in any way, please, please, please, reach out. We're here to support. We're here to support, we're here to serve, we're here to help. We can't do that if you do not bring it to us. So again, it's thelionwithinus. If you click on the free tools as well, you get the weekly roar, the Christian leader assessment, our Bible reading plans Again, the book of the week that we talk about, the podcast, guys, articles, all that stuff, fun, fun, fun stuff. All the stuff's there for at your disposal, guys. Once you lean in, once you're going to take advantage of that stuff, you can go ahead and start using some of that to grow as the leader that God is definitely calling you to be. All right, guys, get after it. Have a great weekend. Thank you so much for listening and remember to keep unleashing the lion within.

Chris Grainger: 15:42

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

Chris Grainger: 15:44

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: 16:02

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 sounds useful, head over to thelionwithinus slash ROAR to sign up today. That's thelionwithinus slash ROAR to get your weekly ROAR today.