Speaker 1: 0:53

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. Spiritual kickoff time is my favorite time of the week. Fellas, let's get into it. Okay? So the scripture of the week this week is in the book of Ephesians, the sixth chapter of the 14th verse. Okay, so Ephesians 6, 14 says Stand firm, therefore, having belted your waist with the truth and having put on the breastplate of righteousness. So, guys, we're going to unpack this verse and we're going to see how we can simplify and apply this to our life. Okay, and again, if you enjoy these and we know lots of you guys do we do a spiritual kickoff every day, monday through Friday. We call our daily spiritual kickoff, or daily SKO if you will. That's within our Lion Within Us community. We do it completely free. It's an easy way to get connected with us. It's an easy way to get into our platform as well, just to kind of see how we serve at the Lion Within Us. So if you enjoy these, I just encourage you head over to the Lion Within dot US and start your daily spiritual kickoff experience. You're going to have a lot of fun with it. It's going to give you so much, again, nothing to lose. It's completely free and it's just a fun way for us to be an encouragement to you in your walk, All right, so, right here, this week it's going to be a big week for the Lion Fellows. By the way, this week I'm not going to give you an insight to who the guest is. He's just, let's just say he's going to be a repeat guest and you're not going to be disappointed. How about that?

Speaker 1: 2:15

But we see, in Ephesians, right here, the reason I pulled this verse is because we talk about this a lot, but we see the call to that that we ultimately have to stand firm. And oops, I forgot something, fellas Before we even get into this, we need to understand in God's word where we can find these books in the Bible. So, ephesians, it's a little tricky. So you're going to get into your New Testament, okay, then you'll go past all your Gospels 1 and 2 Corinthians, romans, all the stuff there. But it comes right after Galatians and just before Philippians. So it can be a little difficult to find in your New Testament, but that's where you're going to find it, okay, so it's one of Paul's epistles, but that's where you're going to find it. And we see right here the call placed directly on us as Christian men that we can't ignore To stand firm. It sounds very bold, it sounds very strong, it sounds very resolute.

Speaker 1: 3:15

But does standing firm always feel natural? Probably not. It's easy. Think about it this way. I'm recording this right now.

Speaker 1: 3:24

It's at the end of August, 1st of September. The days are nice. It's been a lot of nice weather lately, sun is shining. Let's just say that things, you know, things are going well in life for you. Let's say your bills are paid, your, your family's smiling, you and your wife are getting along. Uh, everybody at the dinner table, nobody's yelling at each other. It's easy to stand firm then. Let's just be real, okay. But uh, what about when a storm hits? Okay, what about when the, uh, the, calls you that news that you didn't expect? Or your child hits a rebellious streak and they don't want nothing to do with what you've got to say? Or when your wife comes in and says she's had enough? Or what do you do when a tree hits you in the back of your leg and breaks your ankle and you can't walk anymore and you're fully reliant on others, it's hard to stand firm right and in fact, in those moments, standing firm feels impossible. And the truth of the matter is it is impossible without Christ, without Christ, without Christ. And we see right here in Ephesians, paul begins by anchoring us in the belt of truth. Okay, and I think this is a super important for us. And if we go back and we start thinking about the Roman times and the armor that they wore, the belt wasn't just to look cool, right, it was foundational. It held everything together. Right, it gave a soldier confidence to move without fear of losing his gear, because if he moved and his pants fell down, or he moved and his sword wasn't where he wanted it to be, guess what? He potentially could die. This is a big deal. So he had to make sure that that belt secured everything in place.

Speaker 1: 5:18

And for us, our truth cannot be found in our feelings or what the world tells us it should be, or even our own logic. Truth has to be rooted in God's word. We talk about his truth, not ours, because the world's going to shift, but his truth is firm. So what we can't afford to do, fellas, at least what I'm learning, more and older and older. I guess we can't keep the Bible at arm's length. We can't just pick that thing up on a Sunday, dust it off and then hopefully that's going to be enough. No, if it's his truth that holds us everything together, then we better know it, we better internalize it, we better walk in it, we better use it, because without his truth you're like that soldier running through the battlefield and next thing you know, your pants are around your ankles and at this point, buddy, you're done, you're unprepared. We can't afford to do that.

Speaker 1: 6:15

And then you look at what Paul does next. In this verse he describes the breastplate of righteousness. Now, think about what a breastplate does, right. So again, go back to it. Like, envision a Roman soldier. Or think through, like, what's the movie 300, right, those breastplates job was very important. And what was my primary job? Well, I want to protect my organs and primarily my heart. Okay, I mean, as a soldier you could take a hit from the arm or the leg. Hey, it's got to. Again. Ankle got taken out. You know, I can keep fighting. I can still, I'm still here, right. But if that tree, for instance, would hit me in the chest, I'm done.

Speaker 1: 7:04

This is fatal, and our spiritual enemy knows this. That's why so many of these attacks we get are to the heart right. The temptations he throws at us, the discouragement that comes our way, the lies about our worth and the guilt from our past, all that stuff are tools that he throws at us to get us distracted, because if he can corrupt what we desire, he can manipulate what we do. See how that works. All of a sudden, I'm not heading down the path that God wants me to go down. I'm going on this other path that he wants me to go down, because my heart's been corrupted.

Speaker 1: 7:38

And that righteousness look, that's a right standing with God and that means we're going to protect our heart. It reminds us that our actions matter, that our obedience matters, that how we live reflects who we serve. And this doesn't mean we've got to be perfect guys, don't hear me. Please don't take away that with this. Only Christ is perfect. But it does mean we need to pursue that holiness right. It means we need to guard against any compromises that we have in our path and when we feed our hearts. And what we need to remember, rather, is what we feed our hearts eventually flows into our words, into our actions into our choices and, ultimately, to what people remember about us. Right? So if we're chasing these temporary pleasures of the world, guess what Our actions are going to follow. But if we're locked in on Christ, your actions are going to point others to him. See how that works, pat. How that works.

Speaker 1: 8:31

And this verse is really about readiness, because it assumes one thing that you're going to face opposition. Ok, so no soldier is going to put on the armor to just go for a walk in the park. What's armor for? Battle, battle, war. And life's going to hit us back. And Jesus told us that this world, we're going to have trouble. He didn't say you may, he says you are going to have trouble. So it's not a matter of if the battle comes right. No, it's whether we're going to be standing when the battle comes.

Speaker 1: 9:11

So when that doctor's report rattles your confidence, will you anchor yourself in truth or collapse in despair? When that son or daughter rebels, are you going to cling to righteousness and lead with patience? Are you going to get pissed off and give in to anger? If your marriage is slipping, are you going to cower? Are you going to plant your feet firm and fight for her? And I mean fight with prayer, with humility, with love, because, I'm telling you, those moments is impossible, but we can be equipped when we lean on him. Guys, this is such a big deal.

Speaker 1: 9:52

So one of the subtle lies that we're tempted to believe is that our actions probably don't matter that much, you know, and we'll excuse small compromises and we start rationalizing things. Right, and now we tell ourselves that nobody's going to notice. Well, it's not that big a deal. But this verse in Ephesians tells us that our actions do matter. They're connected to our hearts and our hearts reveal what we desire. So if we desire comfort guess what Then your action is going to take you towards laziness. If you desire approval guess what? You're going to drift towards compromise. But if you desire Christ, your actions are going to display conviction, courage, integrity.

Speaker 1: 10:39

So we have to stop living as if the details in our life don't count, because they so much they do, they do matter so much, and every choice is either drawing us closer to the truth and righteousness, the right thing we got, or is pulling us further and further away. So I'm telling you this is not something we can take from the sidelines, fellas, this has to be viewed as a battle cry for Christian men. And again, not just when things are easy, but when that wind is howling, when the ground is shaking, look, we have to stand firm. It means we have to reject passivity. We absolutely have to reject that, because your family needs you to lead. We have to refuse compromise, particularly at work, when the pressures are starting to make you want to bend. We have to be able to speak truth when lies are more popular, because speaking truth is not always easy. And we have to guard that heart, because that will guarantee you one thing, fellas, if you're hearing my voice right now, the enemy is trying to steal, kill and destroy everything good in your life, and he's not going to stop at anything. He's not going to stop.

Speaker 1: 11:48

And this again, this is not just about surviving life storms. It's about showing the world what it looks like when a man anchors himself in truth and righteousness in God's word. So, tighten that belt up, guard your heart, plant those feet and look at the end of the day, when the world pushes, stand firm. Now, if you're listening to this and you've never actually taken a step to stand with Christ, this is your opportunity, because, at the end of the day, we need to know that you are made in his image. You are and you are an image bearer of Christ. So this is God's perfect design.

Speaker 1: 12:28

The problem is, there's this little thing called sin. It's not little, I'm just joking, but sin separated us from God. So we have this gap and we can't overcome it with the things that we try to do in this world. Right, we can't work our way to do a right standing with God. I wish I could tell you that, like, do these five things and you're good, bro. Like it doesn't work that way.

Speaker 1: 12:49

No, what we have is a deficiency. We have a gap that we can is a deficiency. We have a gap that we can't fulfill ourselves. So we need not someone to come in and coach us up to be better. We need a Savior to come in and do for us what we can't do for ourselves. And this is why we need Jesus, who literally left heaven on a rescue mission for us. So we need a Savior. See the difference there.

Speaker 1: 13:16

And once we recognize we need a Savior, okay then who is a Savior? That's Jesus, because he came and fulfilled all the different types of prophecies. He did all the teachings, he did all the miracles. He showed us the way he taught us. And then he did the ultimate sacrifice, when he went to the cross for us and paid the penalty for our sins. And look, he paid for you, he paid for me, he paid for the entire world, because this is what Jesus the Savior was sent to do. And then they crucified him on that cross. So he died for our sins.

Speaker 1: 13:53

And you know what, if the story ends there like, like, why are you listening to the lion? Because the story ends there, then jesus is just another dead guy. But it doesn't. Three days later he rose, he overcame death and he's not right now is sitting at the right hand of the father. So we recognize that not only do we have a saver, a savior, we have a living savior, and that is the the the difference, the thing that matters more than anything else is the resurrection. We put our hope and we put our trust in Jesus Christ because he overcame death. And I don't know about you, but I'm going to follow the guy that defeated death, and that's such a big deal, so you need to. At some point you got to ask yourself you know about you, but I'm going to follow the guy that defeated death, and that's such a big deal, so you need to. At some point you got to ask yourself what are you going to do If you know that you're a sinner?

Speaker 1: 14:47

And that's the first part most guys struggle with. But if you recognize that you are a sinner, you have this dark part about you that you just cannot. No matter what you do, it's still there. And then you believe that Jesus is the son of God. Like you start studying, you start thinking about this and all of a sudden this makes a whole lot of sense. Then you got to confess him as Lord and savior of your life. And I'm talking about Lord and savior of everything, not just on Sunday mornings at like 10 or 11 o'clock, whatever time your church service is right now. I'm talking about of your entire life Monday, tuesday, wednesday, thursday, friday, saturday, every day, every moment, your bedroom, the boardroom, the bathroom I mean everywhere. Right, you're never going to be anywhere where you're not underneath his authority. And that's a good thing, because once you recognize, you confess him as Lord and Savior of your life, he sends you the Holy Spirit that's going to dwell you and then that's going to be able to give you wisdom and discernment and God directs you, give you conviction to pursue him.

Speaker 1: 15:43

But it starts with making the decision that you surrender your life to the Lordship of Jesus Christ. And if you've never done that, let's do it today. Like, don't put off for tomorrow what God's calling you to do right now. So I'm ready, I'm going to pray with you right now. If you're ready to surrender your life to Jesus as your Lord and Savior, let's go. So, father, just thank you so much for this opportunity to share the good news of the gospel.

Speaker 1: 16:08

Rather, for that one listener who's at the end of their rope. They don't know what to do, they don't know where to do, they don't know where to turn, they don't know where to go. I pray you hear them right now and I pray that they know that they can feel your presence, and I'm so thankful that you sent Jesus to be our Savior. So I just pray, as they are now confessing him as Lord and Savior of their life, that you put a little hedge protection around them to keep them safe from the attacks that are going to come, because the evil one is not happy right now with the decision that they're making. And I just pray you just be with them, guide them, direct them and thank you so much for this opportunity to point them to you. We love you. We praise you in Jesus name, amen.

Speaker 1: 16:44

All right, so look, here's the deal. You just accepted Christ as your savior. Touch, doggone it down. Let's go. Send me an email, chris, at the lion within dot U S. Okay, that's my email address. I'm gonna hook you up with some free things. I should try to get you plugged in and get you ready. Uh, I got some scriptures to help you get um start with the battle plan. We have our Bible study of the lots of areas that we can support and encourage you with. And then, mainly, I just want to just congratulate you and just come alongside. If you need help trying to find a church, we'll help you plug to get in there as well. Again, the line within us is not a church, we're just more of a supplement for you guys. So you need to be plugged into a good church. We want to help you with that journey, okay. So, again, shoot me an email. I'd love to hear from you.

Speaker 1: 17:28

All right, so the question of the week this week with this book of Ephesians, is are you anchored in God's truth or your own? So it's, one of the two is going to be true Either I'm following what I think is true or I'm following God. Right, you can't do them both at the same time. Right? They are pulling at opposite ends of each other. They're definitely not equally yoked. Okay, and I'm encouraging you if you find that you're putting God's truth off to the side more and more frequently, if you find that you're putting God's truth off to the side more and more frequently, repent, turn from that and turn back to him. Okay. So, guys, hopefully you enjoyed this. I encourage you to please come to our next episode. Come listen to that, because you're going to really be encouraged. This is, again, one of my favorite guests that we ever talk to, and his message is powerful. His message hits directly to the heart of men, and his message is needed right now, in a time such as this. So, guys, thank you for listening Again.

Speaker 1: 18:23

The LionWithinus is where you can connect with us. Start your daily spiritual kickoff, start your free 30-day trial of the Lion Within us, community experience, and then, hey, go ahead and put in your application for a leadership mastermind. That's where it all happens. Okay, head over to the Bible app. Open that up from YouVersion. Check out the Lion Within Us. We have so many I mean tons and tons and tons of Bible reading plans on the Bible app.

Speaker 1: 18:46

We'd love for you to come alongside and do some of those with us and then check out thelinewithinus book. Hey, the book is out. It's live. I'm super pumped about it. Pretty humbled as well. I'm just excited to get that out in your hands.

Speaker 1: 19:01

So, thelinewithinus book Find all our resources right there. You can get a copy for yourself, for your men's group. I promise you, at least I hope you won't be disappointed. I put a lot of effort into this book and I think this is going to be something that guys are going to really enjoy. So thelinewithinus book is how you get your copy of that. Okay, all right, fellas. Other than that, thank you so much for listening. Thank you so much for hanging out. Give us a rating and review If you want to support the show. Thelinewithinus slash donate is how you can support us there. Support us there. Other than that, look forward to seeing you at our next episode. I'm telling you you're not going to be disappointed with this one, fellas. So thanks for hanging, thanks for digging into God's word, and it's time to go out and unleash the lion within, I've got something big to share.

Speaker 1: 19:45

We're making a major shift because we know the battle was real and it's time more men had access to the support they need.

Speaker 1: 19:52

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. 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 thelionwithinus and join the community and see for yourself what happens when iron truly sharpens iron.