Chris Grainger: 1:38

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, meet episode time. Let's get right into it, okay? So the scripture of the week this week is Hebrews, chapter 3, verse 13. It says but encourage one another daily, as long as it's called today, so that none of you may be hardened by sin's deceitfulness. So, guys, go back, listen to the spiritual kickoff episode. I took some time to unpack that. Try to really give you a good charge in this SKO, in particular, to how you can simplify and apply that verse to your life, because it's all about application. Boys, you can know all the Bible verses in the world, but if you don't apply them, you completely are missing it. And that's what we're here to help with at the Lion Within Us, to the point where we do this Monday through Friday within our community at the Lion Within Us, our daily spiritual kickoff. So, if you enjoy these, if you want some exclusive content that no one else will ever get to hear each and every week and you can actually take part of the conversation, engage directly and ask questions and just be part of it. Live head over to thelinewithinus to get started.

Chris Grainger: 2:43

Okay, so today's guest is Daniel Ocho. He is a dedicated Bible teacher. He wrote the book Time is Running Out Wonderful book. He's got 25 years of experience guys studying and teaching God's word in God's word and he really started with a nice reflection and realization around salvation and that led him to teach across many different church settings and types of environments. And he's really big fellas, just so you know, on end times, prophecy, eschatology, and that's what inspired this book. So anyways, fellas, this is going to be a fun conversation. Daniel's a great guy. Fun fact, he was a former bodybuilder as well, so he still hits the gym pretty hard, but hopefully you're going to enjoy this conversation. Thank you guys. Well, daniel, welcome to the Lion Within Us. How are you doing today, sir?

Daniel Ochoa: 3:41

I am doing well, Chris. How are you doing? I'm doing good.

Chris Grainger: 3:44

Doing good. It's a beautiful day here in North Carolina. What was it like there in Texas today?

Daniel Ochoa: 3:49

Oh, we had a very hard. My God, I messed up. You're good Start over. Okay, oh, we had a severe, give me a second. We had a severe thunderstorm come in last night so we had a little bit of damage with some trees and some bushes and stuff like that, but other than that, the sun's out now and things are looking good.

Chris Grainger: 4:16

There you go. There you go. Well, looking forward to hearing talking with you about your book and unpacking some of the things I know is important to you. But before we do any of that, maybe what's something fun about you that not many people know about? Daniel.

Daniel Ochoa: 4:30

Oh man, I guess I love to drive my Harley Davidson.

Chris Grainger: 4:35

Okay, Well, I'm a Harley guy too. I used to be. We moved to the farm, so I'm a John Deere guy right now. What kind of Harley do you ride? I have a Heritage. That's what I used to ride I've had a couple of. Heritage Softails. I'd love it. I'm thinking about trading it in for a Fatboy. Okay, I like the windshield man. I don't know if you keep the windshield on your heritage or not but well, that's the thing.

Daniel Ochoa: 5:03

That's the reason I didn't buy the fat boy. It's because it didn't have the windshield, didn't have the saddlebag.

Chris Grainger: 5:07

So if I do exchange it for a fat boy, I want one that already has the windshield and the saddlebag well, man, in that case just keep your heritage buddy I just like the big fat tire in the back of the fat boy oh yeah, oh yeah, I'm just picking, but I think, harley, when they, when they put the heritage soft chair together, whatever that group of engineers was, when they designed it, they hit it on the head. I mean, it's a beautiful bike and it rides so good it is, love it.

Chris Grainger: 5:36

My dad still has a heritage, by the way. I love, I just love those bikes. Awesome man. Well, it's good to have a fellow harley rider one day. When my kids get out the house that's my wife and I say so. Our littlest one is two, so we say, you know, when he's out of high school then we're gonna get back on the harleys you know, so there you go.

Chris Grainger: 5:54

Well, I'm super pumped to have you here and you know you took the time to write this book. Time is Running Out. Am I really in good standing with God? And maybe walk the listeners through? You know why the urge to write a book like this and what you know what was the drive behind it?

Daniel Ochoa: 6:12

Well, in my early thirties I found myself attending church, and I had been attending church for about six years and one Sunday morning I was sitting during the sermon and the pastor was talking about the road to heaven and hell, and for some reason I pictured like an eight-lane highway during rush hour and all the traffic on that eight-lane was the road to hell and the off-ramp was the road to heaven. And I kept hearing a voice. It was my own voice, so it wasn't a voice from God or anything, but my conscience just kept asking myself what makes you think you're on that off-ramp? Because you go to church, because you own a Bible and you go to Sunday school class. And it really bothered me for a long time. And then one day I asked my pastor if we could meet for lunch and we met and he explained the gospel to me. But then he said something that no one else has ever explained to me. He said you have to understand there's a cost to follow Jesus, and he used a couple of scripture verses to back that up. And then he said now, living in America, it may not cost you your life like it does in other parts of the world, he said, but it could cost you some of your friends, it could cost you some of your family members, could cost you your job. You know a certain job, he said. But there's a cost to follow Jesus. And I'm telling you, chris, the light bulb went off and that night I got on my knees, I prayed to God to be fully committed to start following him and I realized, yeah, there was a cost, you know, because now it was costing me my time, it was costing me my finances, it was costing me some of my friends.

Daniel Ochoa: 7:58

But I started thinking how many other people are just like me, thinking they're in good standing with God, when they're not? And so I had this desire to reach more people because, from that moment of becoming a true follower of Christ, I witnessed to everybody I could, and I felt that I had a gift for it, because I never offended people and I never just walked up to people and started witnessing, but anybody I would talk to if a door opened up. I was sharing the gospel and I just wanted to do it on a bigger scale. And so I wrote the book. But the reason I added Time is Running Out, because originally the book was just going to be am I Really in Good Standing with God and I started the book about 15 years ago and then I had a job opportunity that I had to move my family to Georgia and I was so busy with work.

Daniel Ochoa: 8:53

The book sat on a flash drive for about 15 years. But the last eight years of those 15 years I got into eschatology and the more I studied, the more I realized that God does want us to know when the end times will happen, and that's why I devoted a whole chapter to end times, and so the book is called Times Run Now. But the main title, the original title, was Am I Really in Good Standing with God?

Chris Grainger: 9:24

Okay, so for your personal background, did you grow up in the church? I mean, just kind of give us a little bit of that too, Like when did you really start to begin?

Daniel Ochoa: 9:34

My mother was Catholic. She actually has two uncles who were monks in the Catholic Church in Mexico. I grew up here in the States, though, and you know we didn't go to. We went to church occasionally. We weren't fully committed, but my mother was very committed to the Catholic faith, but she was more committed to the traditions and some of the history of the Catholic church, but she really didn't know any of the Bible, you know, and in my book I described how it was Christmas morning when I discovered there was no Santa Claus, and then that night, my, my mother, told me the true meaning of Christmas, but it was so limited because of her knowledge, and so for the next 30 years, I believe that Jesus, that God, was like Santa Claus, that as long as you live a decent life according to what you think is a decent life, you're fine, and in order to go to hell, you would have to do something terribly wrong.

Daniel Ochoa: 10:38

I mean, you always hear people say that most people think that they have to earn their way to heaven, but I come to find out as I was witnessing to people, because I've witnessed to hundreds of people I come to find out that's not true. Most people believe you have to earn your way to hell, meaning that you have to do something horribly wrong in order to go to hell.

Chris Grainger: 11:01

Yeah, isn't that crazy that the evil one has tricked so many people thinking that man. Yeah, I remember I was at a recent event talking with some guys. Afterwards we just got to talking about you know what happens when you die, and they had questions and one of them was like the way I see it, I just got to be good man. I'm like all right, well, what's good enough? He's like what do you mean? I'm like, well, what's good enough? Define good, bro, because my definition of good is probably different than yours. It's very subjective, and that opened up a really good conversation. But I hadn't thought about you're right, though, man. People think that you just like get in free to heaven and hell's reserved just for the special. You know really bad offenses and what a terrible thinking man. Wow, well, I definitely appreciated you sharing that Santa Claus story, because it's easy for us to think that he's very distant. You know that it's almost like he's just mystery. Maybe walk us through how that conversation went with your mother.

Daniel Ochoa: 12:12

Well, like I said, she didn't know much, so she just explained that Christmas is really about the birth of Jesus and then how he died on the cross for our sins. So that's why Jesus felt like Santa Claus to me. I feel he already died for me. I'm okay and as long as I live a decent life, I'm not hurting anybody, I'm not killing anybody, I was fine, and that's why that passage that Jesus spoke in Matthew about the road to heaven and hell, that's why it hit me so hard when Jesus said the road to heaven is very narrow and only a few find it. I mean, think about it, chris. If you were to put a percentage on that, what would it be?

Daniel Ochoa: 12:55

Yeah Five, oh yeah Ten of that Right, you know, and that's why it kept hitting me. Why do you think you're on that narrow road?

Chris Grainger: 13:05

yeah, yeah, it's definitely got it's. It's worth thinking about and having that self-reflection over, and you talked about a men's bible study. That really helped reframe some things for you. So just kind of walk through that a little bit. How did that help you in your journey?

Daniel Ochoa: 13:24

Well, once the light bulb went off, I kind of was on fire. It was perfect timing because a friend of mine at my church asked me if I wanted to attend a men's BSF class called Bible Study Fellowship. It's only for men. Well, they have it for women, they have it for men, but the one that he invited me to was just for men. And I told him I would go. But he told me he said look, just make a six-week commitment. If after six weeks you don't like it, you know, stop going. He said, but do me a favor and make six-week commitment. I told him I would. And make six-week commitment? I told him I would.

Daniel Ochoa: 14:00

The first Monday that I went to class there were about 400 men on a Monday night and it was during football season. So I'm thinking to myself, you know, wow, this is impressive. You got Monday night football going on and there's 400 men here attending a Bible study class. And I made the six-week commitment. But that six weeks turned into 13 years, Just going through the Bible, you know. And they go through one book a year, but they do have some years, like, where they go through most of the Old Testament. They have one year where it goes through all the prophets and then but it's all the meat of the Bible and it's a very in-depth Bible study. Because you're accountable, they take roll call and if you miss too many classes there's a chance they may tell you that you can't come back. And also you have homework every week that you do throughout the week. That you're accountable, so when you show up, you go over your homework with a small group, and so it really forced me to really study the Bible like I never studied it before.

Chris Grainger: 15:09

Wow, that's incredible. So 400 guys, so that's a pretty massive setting. So that was done like in the church sanctuary or something like that.

Daniel Ochoa: 15:16

Yeah, so BSF is an organization. Their main corporate office is in San Antonio, but they find churches all over to host their classes on Mondays, and the women do it on a different day, but for the men it's all Monday and everyone throughout the country, actually throughout the world. So their classes are in every major city in the United States and even in small cities, and they're in like 30 or 40 different countries, but everybody is going through the same lesson for that week.

Chris Grainger: 15:48

Okay, wow, so are the pastors leading that.

Daniel Ochoa: 15:54

No, it's all volunteers. I mean, you have to work your way up. After about six months, somebody approached me and asked me if I wanted to be a children's leader, just because they could see that I just was excited about learning and I was on fire. I wanted to learn more and I was eager. So one of the instructors approached me and said hey, I like the way you come to class, I like the way you speak up. You know you got to have some good insight. Would you think about becoming a children's leader? And so I told him I would think about it.

Daniel Ochoa: 16:30

And that evening I called my older brother, manuel, because my older brother was the one that first got me into reading scripture, because he is very, very smart. And just to give you a quick story, when he was in his early 30s, married, some Jehovah Witnesses came to his house and he let them in and they witnessed to him. He didn't know much about the Bible and he told his wife I think we need to become Jehovah Witnesses. And she didn't know much either and she said look, you need to do some research. So he went to a class that they were given and when they were reading something it didn't match his Bible. And so he pointed out wait a minute, that's not what my Bible says. And they said, well, you need to get a new Bible. Your Bible's incorrect. So then he thought, well, what am I going to do? You know, who do I trust? So he went to college for over a year to study Hebrew and Greek and that's how my brother is and he found out that the original language was correct in his Bible. So he went back to the class about a year later, after he learned all this, with the original writings, and they told them to leave and never to come back.

Daniel Ochoa: 17:39

And so, you know, I trusted my brother. You know when he, whenever I have questions, I will call him. So I asked him hey, they're asking me to be a children's leader. But, man, you know, I said I'm not equipped. I mean, he said, dan, this is an opportunity. They're going to give you all the material that you need to teach. And so I accepted the challenge and I taught for a little over 12 years, and then that led to me teaching in churches with adult classes, and it just grew from there.

Chris Grainger: 18:11

That's incredible, daniel. That's incredible. Hey guys, we'll take our first break. We'll be right back. I've got something big to share.

Chris Grainger: 18:20

We're making a major shift because we know the battle is real and it's time more men had access to the support they need. For too long, guys have been trying to carry the weight alone pressure at work, tension at home, wounds from the past in a world that demands strength but offers no place to rest. We see it, we've lived it, and that's exactly why we built our community. It's a stronghold, a place where warriors can find rest, truth and a band of brothers standing beside them. And starting now, we're making it easier than ever to step in. We've lowered the barrier to just $15.99 a month. That means, for less than the cost of a drive-thru lunch, you can join a brotherhood that's centered on Christ and built for growth. Inside you'll find access to our daily spiritual kickoffs every Monday through Friday, our Lion Lunches, our Bible Studies, our Friday Forge gatherings all that and so much more.

Chris Grainger: 19:12

Every man needs a stronghold and you don't have to fight alone. If you've been waiting for the right time to jump in, this is it. Go to the lion within. Dot us and join the community and see for yourself what happens when iron truly sharpens iron. So, danny, you talked a lot about, you know, eschatology. What got you into that?

Daniel Ochoa: 19:35

Well, once again, it was my brother. We worked for the same company and he got into it just before I did and he was always coming to my office because his office was right down the hall from mine. And he said, dan, let me show you something, let me show you something, and I would always throw out that famous verse Daniel, no one knows the day of the hour. Why do you keep pursuing?

Daniel Ochoa: 19:54

this and he goes no, just read this, just read it. And I would read it and brush it off. And then one day he came to my office and said look, I want you to watch a couple of videos. And I said dang. I said, look, they missed the first coming of Jesus. No one knew about his first coming. What makes you think that we're going to know about a second coming? And he said that's not true. And I said who knew? And he said the wise men.

Daniel Ochoa: 20:23

And I'm telling you, chris, when he said that, another light bulb went off in my head and I'm thinking they did know. And it's like God always has a small remnant that knows things. And so you know, I started looking into it and the more I dug, the more I found that we can know the timing of his return. You know, one night I was laying in bed when I first got into this and I started thinking to myself did God really leave us the book of Daniel, the book of Revelation, and then say you're never going to know them? No, I don't think so. And then I kept digging and digging and all the stuff I found I mean we can know when he's coming.

Chris Grainger: 21:03

So what are some of the, based off your research, maybe what are some of the most surprising items that you have uncovered that maybe you want to share, and also just share the definition of eschatology with our listeners, because they may not all understand the terminology here.

Daniel Ochoa: 21:19

Sure, eschatology just means the study of end time.

Daniel Ochoa: 21:25

And the thing that hit me the most is the Hosea, the Zechariah and the Hosea prophecy. You know Zechariah talks about, you know, when the sheep is struck, or when the shepherd is struck, the sheep will be scattered, and we know that that ties into when Jesus died on the cross. 40 years later, israel was scattered among the known nations, among the known world, and that prophecy was fulfilled. But then if you go to the Hosea prophecy, it says you know, after two days he will revive us and on the third day he will raise us up to live in his presence. Now, you know, you look at that and you know great scholars in the past have always said that was Jesus. But it's clearly not Jesus because it says he will raise us up, that we may live in his presence, but they try to use it as Jesus on the cross and other things. But you know, a lot of people will ask me well, dan, what makes you think you're smarter than some of these great scholars? I'm not. But here's the difference Without 1948 and Israel becoming a nation, you would have to find something else to make that fit. Because that is the key piece that shows when we can figure out the second coming of Jesus. And the reason is because you know.

Daniel Ochoa: 22:56

Well, let me back up. You know, I once told a friend of mine who we were talking about this. He asked me, you know, if I thought I was smarter than some of these theologians? And I said let me ask you this how does God, in his infinite wisdom, make everyone think for the past 2000 years that he could come at any day? You know, to motivate us, to keep us in line. You know he could come at any day, but at the same time, the generation who will see his return, let them know. And what he did was brilliant. He kept a fulfillment of prophecy not to be fulfilled until the end time, and that is Israel becoming a nation. So when you look at that passage again, after two days he will revive us and on the third day he will raise us up.

Daniel Ochoa: 23:45

In order to understand that you have to go to Peter. Now Peter, when he's talking about end times, because he says in the end scoffers will come and says where is your Christ? You know, you know where is he. And he says I urge you believers to remember this one thing A day with the Lord is like a thousand years and a thousand years is like a day. So now, if we back up, if Jesus died at 30 AD which I believe he did, because it ties in with 70 AD, 40 years later. And you know, we have to understand that. You know, God doesn't just wake up one morning and say, I think today I'm going to send my son for the first time. I think today I'm going to send my son for the first time.

Daniel Ochoa: 24:28

Everything God does is a prophetic timeline and dates and times have meaning. So 40 always represents a time of repentance. So 40 always represents a time of repentance. And so when you look at now, if Jesus died at 30 AD and you add the first day, which is a thousand years, that's 1030. And then the second day will take us to 2030. What happened at the end of two days? But before the third day? Israel became a nation in 1948. So that's when it says he revived us after two days and then he will raise us up on the third day. Well, the third day is 2030, which means we will spend a thousand years with Jesus. He will raise us up that we may live in his presence. And it also ties in perfectly with the fig tree parable. You know when Jesus? When they asked Jesus. And if I'm talking too much, please cut me off.

Chris Grainger: 25:28

Roll on with it, bud. This is your spotlight, okay.

Daniel Ochoa: 25:31

So you know, when the disciples came to Jesus and asked him about the end time, think about this. Jesus didn't start off with saying about that day and hour no man knows, because if he would have just said that then, yeah, maybe we could think, okay, we're not supposed to know. But he didn't. He went on and on and told them all the events that would happen and then he said about that day and hour no man knows. Why did he say that? Well, we have to go to the book of Daniel to get an understanding.

Daniel Ochoa: 26:02

Daniel asked the angel the same question when will all these things happen? And the angel said it's not time for you to know. Seal up the book until the end. So we know that nobody is supposed to know until the end, because the angel told Daniel to seal up the book. Then what did he say? He said but in the end, many will go to and fro. The wise will understand, but the wicked will not. And then Jesus, after he said no one knows the day or the hour, said the same thing he talked about who is the wise and faithful servant who stored up enough food at the appropriate time.

Chris Grainger: 27:04

He's talking about Joseph Blessed. Is he who my father finds doing so when he returns, or when his master blessed? Is that servant when his master returns and then he talks about the wicked servant? He was just repeating what the angel told Daniel because it wasn't timely. What's your perception here? How has it been received from those within your men's Bible group? Your study? Do you get pushback? Does this engage a good debate? Is it just fully embraced? I'm just curious what type of reception you're getting from this.

Daniel Ochoa: 27:21

Nobody wants to hear it, chris. They all, just they. Everybody wants to just continue to live their life, be comfortable, be left alone. They don't want to think about it. But it also fulfills the prophecy that Jesus said about in time that it's going to be like the days of Noah. When you think about it, jesus said it's going to be like days Noah. Who was the wife? It was Noah and his family. They knew, but everybody else didn't know. Well, I think the reason that most churches do not teach this is because it's to fulfill prophecy that it is going to be like the days of Noah, where only a small remnant is going to know.

Chris Grainger: 28:01

Right, I mean for you. I can feel the passion behind this. For sure You've done the research also. I mean, your book is really around urgency. There's a sense of urgency that you're emphasizing to take action. So just maybe that's your frustration.

Daniel Ochoa: 28:19

You're not seeing that urgency with the christians that you're interacting with yeah, I mean, I'm not really frustrated, I I still believe the main focus, though, that we should be focused on is taking paul's counsel that paul gave us, and examine ourselves to see if we're really in the faith, because I believe there's more urgency there, because I believe that a lot of people go to church. It's just routine. It's not changed. Christ hasn't changed their life. You know, and that's how I was. I mean, you know, I was having one night stands when I was going to church, thinking that it was OK because of the times, you know, doing things I shouldn't do, speaking, saying things I shouldn't say. But I'm telling you, when the light bulb went off, I really saw a transformation in my life man, that's, that's.

Chris Grainger: 29:13

I can definitely tell your passion behind this and I love how you also talk about the narrow road so vividly and I think that's an area that maybe, maybe that could be a good area for for you know, bible studies and and church leaders and faith leaders to start talking about more around. Is that that? How easy it is to miss that.

Daniel Ochoa: 29:32

That narrow your imagery, I think, was just perfect there well, and you know, in my book I talk about the three scariest verses that I believe are in the new testament, and uh, and jesus spoke all three of them and one is the heaven, the road to heaven and hell. The other one is the 10 versions. Think about this, chris, you got 10 versions. Now, also after jesus said about that day and hour, no man knows, he gave the parable of got 10 versions. Now, also after Jesus said about that day and hour, no man knows he gave the parable of the 10 versions. Did the 10 versions know the timing? Yeah, I find that very interesting. They all knew.

Daniel Ochoa: 30:06

Now, five are wise and five are foolish. The foolish ones they went with the wise ones. They were looking for the same Christ that the wise were looking for. So it wasn't that they had the wrong religion or anything. And these are church-going people because they are called virgin, they're pure, and we know they're church-going people because they're doing God's work. Because when Jesus comes, they said didn't we cast out demons in your name? Didn't we profess in your name? And they called him Lord. And yet Jesus says to them I never knew you Away from you, know, think about it. These are people who didn't fall to the temptation of the mark of the beast. They waited patiently. They get to the end when Jesus comes back. And yet Jesus tells them I never knew you. That's another eye opener that you need to make sure that we are the wise and not the foolish. Right, right.

Chris Grainger: 31:07

Man, you're all over it. Guys, we'll take another break. We'll be right back. We're making a big change that I think you're really going to enjoy.

Chris Grainger: 31:17

I spent a lot of time thinking about our spiritual kickoffs and, honestly, I love doing them each week, so much so we started doing them live every Monday through Friday inside our exclusive platform. And here's the best part We've decided to give full access, completely free, so now you can join our daily spiritual kickoff space at no cost. Every day, we go live to read the word, to encourage each other and find simple and powerful ways to apply God's truth to our lives. You'll even have the chance to engage with me directly, and if you missed a live stream, don't worry. The videos are posted the same day so you can catch up whenever it works for you.

Chris Grainger: 32:03

This is exclusive behind-the-scenes content that is not available anywhere else, and now we've removed every excuse. So if you're ready to get started, head over to thelionwithinus and grab your free access today. Let's grow together. I'm super curious, daniel, I mean from your pastor and from what the church leadership where you're at. Have they embraced any of these? Have they started talking about this more openly and you know formal settings to try to bring awareness or just try to put some light you know this again to the sense of urgency or taking this with the seriousness that it deserves.

Daniel Ochoa: 32:45

Yeah, actually, you know, my wife and I were searching for a church about a year ago. The church we were attending, uh, I was never really impressed. And then, uh, we felt that they were starting to go a little woke on us and so we said no, we got to find another church. The good thing is we never did become members of that church, because I was, like I said, I was never really impressed. We must have visited a dozen churches before we found the church that I'm attending now. But I do want to share something real quick. One of the churches we were attending.

Daniel Ochoa: 33:13

At the end of this sermon the pastor asked everybody to bow their heads. He asked everybody if you haven't accepted Christ, pray with me. And he said a sinner's prayer. And then, when he was done, he looked up. He said look, if you prayed that prayer, you're in. And that hit me really bad because I'm thinking, no, I mean look, I don't want your viewers to understand or misunderstand me.

Daniel Ochoa: 33:40

Accepting Christ can be that easy, it can be. But to tell someone you're in, I think the more appropriate thing is to do what Jesus did. What Jesus did is, after he taught about the gospel, he told them no one builds a tower without considering the cost. You know and you know he talked about the cost to follow it. I think pastors ought to do that after they pray. Look, it can be that easy, but you need to look at your life six weeks from now. Six months from now, is it changing? Is it aligning with Christ's will and not your will? Because if you're six months from now, if nothing has changed, then there might be a chance that prayer did not come from the heart, that you really didn't make that commitment. Because I believe, chris, and you know this, if you accept Christ and you truly accept him, the Holy Spirit comes into you. I do not believe that the Holy Spirit enters someone's life but never changes them. That means the Holy Spirit failed to do what he was supposed to do and to make that person more Christ-like.

Daniel Ochoa: 34:53

Now back to my pastor. So we did find a church and I asked them if we could meet for lunch, and not just to talk about end-time stuff, but any church that I'm kind of interested. I always ask the pastor if they can meet me for lunch, and I never go to megachurches because I know I'll never have that happen at a mega church. So the churches I usually go to are like a congregation of a hundred, maybe 150 or even smaller.

Daniel Ochoa: 35:24

But he, he met with me and we started talking and he's the one that brought up I guess he did the research on me and he said hey, I see that you wrote a book and he bought it and he was very interested about the end times and he had some knowledge about it and since the past or in the past year, we have met, I think, four times already for lunch, wow. And he's at the point now where he's like I want you to teach a class, okay, so he's going to set something up for me to teach the congregation, but it it's going to be like during a weekday where everybody who wants to come, that way it's not forced on anybody Because, like I said, a lot of people don't want to hear this.

Chris Grainger: 36:04

Sure, sure, I mean, I think one thing that I've noticed, daniel, and I'm not sure maybe you can talk about it from your experiences but many churches and again, we're here to come alongside. We're not replacing church, but we definitely feel like we're a supplement, because our approach is a little different. We want to walk with their guys through their discipleship journey. I almost feel like many at the Big C Church feel like salvation, that point of salvation, that center's prayer that you mentioned, that pastor praying, that's the finish line. And I'm trying to reframe it like no guys, that's the start line, like we got to get them saved, for sure, but walking with them, discipling them.

Chris Grainger: 36:48

You know Jesus talked to the masses and but he, he discipled. You know 12 guys, very intentional. That that takes a different level of intentionality as well as a different level of approach by doing that. You know that's not a Sunday morning sermon, you know there's components of that, so I don't know what discipleship. I'd love to get your insight on what you think discipleship looks like. How have you seen it done effectively, as well as ideas maybe you have for to serve a church in that capacity.

Daniel Ochoa: 37:19

Yeah, you know, when the church I attended in Katy, Texas you know I live in the Dallas area, now Katy's in the Houston area, but I thought they did a great job. It was like a family and you know, deacons would always come up to me and I became a deacon but they would always invite me to things. I think the best class that I ever took was an EE class, evangelist class, and we were forced to go knock on people's doors, talk to them about the gospel. Then we went down downtown Houston and witnessed the people in the street and I'm telling you, Chris, I hated it. I forced myself to do it and it was that training that equipped me to now I can witness Denver Right.

Daniel Ochoa: 38:06

And I think that was great discipleship on the church's part to have the class to men, to come to me, invite me to the class telling me that I think you'd be good at this. And, man, if you would have told me 30 years ago you know that I would write a book and be teaching adult classes and all I would have said no way.

Chris Grainger: 38:27

Oh, eschatology on top of all that.

Daniel Ochoa: 38:30

And I still think. You know I'm not a great speaker, you know I didn't go to college, you know, but you know it really shows me that when God is using me in this way, it's him, it's not me.

Chris Grainger: 38:43

Right, right, amen. I mean, I always say God doesn't call the qualified, he qualifies the called, and you know you're living proof of that. You know that numbering our days is so important. I think if you had one minute in front of a room full of Christians, particularly Christian men, who feel stuck, what would be your encouragement to them? Daniel, I'd love to know what's your ultimate message to guys to try to get them going.

Daniel Ochoa: 39:14

Life is short. There's no guarantee that any of us are going to put our heads on a pillow tonight. You know, even in the chapter that I dedicated to end times, at the end I say could I be wrong? Well, of course, but it doesn't change the fact that time is one enough for all of us. Right, you know? No one has ever gone to heaven thinking that their time was coming that day.

Chris Grainger: 39:40

Right, you know, we all think we have more time and we need to make sure that we are right with god, because you know you don't get a second chance yeah, I think I was talking to one of our guys within the lion and he was talking about, I think it was one of the pastors that he had seen, or maybe just one of his brothers, but they had their first child.

Chris Grainger: 40:06

He got a big jar and they filled it up with marbles, I think thousands of marbles, but it represented the number of weeks, the number of weeks, the number of weeks before the child turned 18, filled up that jar and then each week they would take a marble out and that was just for them, a visualization of the time running out for them being parents. Now we don't have that, that thankfully, because who wants to know what your last day is? I think that's a blessing that we don't know what our last day is, but just that mentality, you know what? It's? Not an unlimited set of marbles. Each day is a gift, it's a present we are not promised tomorrow and we should treat it as such. And I just think that that reframe, that simple reframe, could really change the way that we show up as men and as leaders in our community.

Daniel Ochoa: 40:58

Yeah Well, Alexander Sheldon Neeson said this we are always complaining that our days are few, but we live each one as if there's no end to them. There you go.

Chris Grainger: 41:10

There you go. Well, daniel, this has been great. I love to. We always like to wrap up the line within us with lightning rounds. If you'd like to play along with this, we'll have some fun quick fire questions with you here at the end, okay, well, we always start off easy. So what do you enjoy doing for fun? You got any hobbies outside of riding that, harley?

Daniel Ochoa: 41:35

fun. You got any hobbies outside of riding that harley? Yeah, I like working out. Uh, you know, in my early uh, or my early 30s, no, my late 20s, I'm sorry, in my late 20s, I did a little bit of bodybuilding where I uh competed twice. Uh never won or even came in uh third, but I made it to the night show, which is the the top five and uh, but I didn't place.

Chris Grainger: 41:58

So I enjoy still working out. Okay, All right. So pretty much this like free weights type working out.

Daniel Ochoa: 42:03

Yeah, I'm 63, and I still work out bodybuilding workout style. Matter of fact, my nephew at the time he was 17 years old, about four years ago, and he wanted to start working out with me and I was kind of showing off, wanted to show how strong I was, and I tore my tricep off my bone and I have this scar right here. And after that I said you know, I got to start, I'm not young anymore, I still like working out bodybuilding style, you know. But I got to go later on the not young anymore, I still like working out bodybuilding style, you know, but I got to go later on the way.

Chris Grainger: 42:38

There you go, there you go. Good for you, man. That's awesome. So, as a as a bodybuilder, what's what's? What's the food Like? What type of food do you enjoy? I'm sure you have to be kind of selective on what you intake.

Daniel Ochoa: 42:49

Yeah, especially when you're preparing for a show. I mean, I eat a lot of fish, a lot of chicken, some red meat and very, very low carb and you know I still try to do a low carb diet. I cheat now and then, but my wife and I we try to eat everything organic.

Chris Grainger: 43:06

Okay, what's your favorite?

Daniel Ochoa: 43:11

What's your go-to? My go-to would be street tacos, but using lettuce wrap instead of taco shell. Okay, like I said, I do cheat and every once in a while I pull out those corn tortillas and make the street tacos. They taste much better amen to that brother amen to that.

Chris Grainger: 43:33

How about any for you? If you look back over the last year, anything you spent too much time doing.

Daniel Ochoa: 43:42

Well, you know, that's a very good question. You know, two years ago I lost my job, I got laid off and my wife and I were okay financially to where I decided my son after I wrote the book. That's why I wrote the book I had back there at the time. My son asked me to start a YouTube channel and I told him, you know, I don't know anything about YouTube. And he said that's what YouTube is for you can learn everything you need to know. And so, you know, he told me. He said, dad, look, when I was a kid, everywhere we went you would witness the, the people, and I hated it at the time because I get it now he's 35, he said. But you know, this is what you were born to do. So I started the YouTube channel.

Daniel Ochoa: 44:26

I told my wife I'm going to give it a year and, uh, I'm kind of, you know, if I'm touching one person, I mean, praise God. But I was hoping to do it for a living, you know. So I can just do that full time, but it's not going the way I thought. And you know, part of me asked myself, you know, did I waste a year hoping that God would bless me in this and it hasn't happened. And so now I'm going to get my real estate license and I'm going to get into real estate, you know, because I got to provide for the family. But I wonder, you know, should I have done the real estate a year ago?

Chris Grainger: 45:03

Well, I mean, you never know there may have been something that you've learned through that YouTube experience that's going to pay off in this next adventure. That is true.

Daniel Ochoa: 45:13

I've always said, and I told my son this, that every job I've ever had has always prepared me for the next adventure. That is true. I've always said, and I told my son this that every job I've ever had has always prepared me for the next one. Right, Right.

Chris Grainger: 45:20

Amen when you think about God, Daniel, what's your favorite thing about him?

Daniel Ochoa: 45:25

Oh my gosh that he picked me.

Chris Grainger: 45:32

Love that answer Love it when you think about the evil one. What's your least favorite thing about him? About?

Daniel Ochoa: 45:40

Satan, how he twists things and makes us to look in the opposite direction. You know just like we talked about. You know how people think they have to earn their way to hell.

Chris Grainger: 45:58

Right, right, amen. Well, what do you hope the guys last question for you, daniel, remember the most from our conversation today.

Daniel Ochoa: 46:09

Say that again.

Chris Grainger: 46:11

What do you hope that the guys listening remember the most from our conversation today?

Daniel Ochoa: 46:16

To examine themselves and see if they're really in the faith. I mean, you know I hope they buy my book. You know the book is only five chapters, it is over 200 pages, but it's a process. Chapter one is waking up to the truth. After you read chapter one, you'll have a full understanding of who God is and why he had to send his son. You'll have a full understanding of the true story of Christmas. Chapter two is called changing the road I'm on. Once you wake up to the truth, it's a new road that you're on and what that road looks like, the obstacles you're going to find on that road. Chapter three is Relationship. Once you're on that road, it's about building a relationship with Jesus and what that looks like. And then chapter four is Kingdom-Minded. Once your relationship becomes so strong, your mind changes from a worldly view to a kingdom mind and you see things differently. And then chapter five is time is running out and that's about the end time.

Chris Grainger: 47:18

Absolutely, absolutely, daniel. So where do you want guys to go get a copy of the book and then connect with you as well?

Daniel Ochoa: 47:25

Well, you can get a copy on Amazon, barnes, noble, any major book outlet. If they want to contact me, they can go to my website, timeisrunningoutthebookcom, and there's a place to write to the author. And then also I have a YouTube channel called Life on the Narrow Road and I do videos about our relationship with God, but I also do some videos on end time stuff, and I'm actually working on a video this week about the mark of the beast. May not be what you think it is, and I believe that Satan is using the chip technology to deceive us all on what the mark really is. So watch out for that video, because I think this is going to be one of my best ones.

Chris Grainger: 48:13

Life on a narrow road. I'm just typing it in right now, so we'll get this in the show notes for you guys. So, life on a narrow road channel. Okay, got it right here. All right, so we'll get this out for you guys as well in the show notes. But, daniel, thank you so much for coming on today and best of luck to you and your next adventure in real estate and your family and all that. Anything else you'd like to share before we wrap up today?

Daniel Ochoa: 48:37

No, I want to just say thank you for having me on your show, man. I really appreciate it. I love getting God's truth out to people. I mean, I have a passion for this and you know you giving me this opportunity to share it with a wider audience means a lot.

Chris Grainger: 48:51

Amen, brother. Well, it's been a pleasure. Thank you so much, Daniel. You have a great day, sir All right, you too, god bless.

Chris Grainger: 49:00

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Chris Grainger: 49:43

All right, guys, I told you I was going to be a fun one with Daniel, so thankful for him to coming on the show. Look, the question I want you to think about as you're leaving here right now is who is sharpening you right now? I mean Daniel talked about how some of those guys, specifically in his Bible study group, other men in his life, really to speak that truth to him. You got to have that. So, fellas, if you don't have that, I would highly encourage you to head over to thelinewithinus and get started with different ways that we're serving, that we can help. You got to have that band of brothers. Guys, the evil one wants you to think that you can do this thing called life alone. I'm here to tell you that you can't, because if you try to fight the evil one in the dark, you'll get your butt kicked. You just are. So we want to help you prevent that butt kicking that is coming, guys. So head over to thelionwithinus to get started with that.

Chris Grainger: 50:29

Okay, fellas. So look, give us a rating and review. That matters. That helps big time. Check us out on the Bible app. Check us out at thelionwithinus as well, where you can have a free Christian leader assessment. Sign up for the weekly reward. That's a great way to get your week started on a fun, on just a good foot. It's actually an email and you're not going to want to delete. You actually want to read this one. Just give you a little bit of encouragement. And, guys, we have tons and tons of other ways to be served, from our mastermind groups to our live events, but it's all found at the lion within dot us, so look forward to seeing you guys over here. Come back for Friday. We have a good fun Friday episode lined up for you guys.