Chris Grainger: 1:43

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. Let's get into it, okay? So the scripture of the week this week is 1 Timothy 5, 8. Okay. But if anyone does not provide for his own, and especially for those of his household, he is denied the faith and is worse than an unbeliever. Oh, that's some powerful verses right there, buddy. Let's get into it, okay? So again, it's all about simplifying and applying God's word. And if you enjoy these, we do a Monday through Friday in our lions with Lion Within Us, daily spiritual kickoffs. Head over to thelionwithin.us and get started today with that. All right. Now, we need to understand where this scripture is. It's this the New Testament, because you hear like Timothy, where's Timothy? Well, it's after 2 Thessalonians, before 2 Timothy. So it's towards the back of your Bible. It can be kind of hard and tricky to find at times, okay, but that's where you're going to find it in your New Testament. And this week we're going to really be talking heavily about money, finances, and the pressure that we feel as guys to provide all the time. And I don't know about you, but growing up, my financial education uh really revolved around like a weekly allowance. And I got that allowance by doing chores and doing the things for my mom and my dad that they wanted me to do. And then that led me to uh a checking account. And then I had to learn my mom. I remember very distinctly my mom teaching me how to balance and reconcile a checkbook. And I know I'm dating myself here, but there's no shame in it. You know, I have mad respect for people who can read a handwritten ledger uh without flinching. It doesn't scare them, right? But that was a different time, you know, and and broader financial principles like budgeting and investing or building wealth just just wasn't on a radar, you know. And as I got older, I I found some other resources like Dave Ramsey, and he's very, you know, no nonsense approach. I mean, I really liked it. I drew me in. It really helped me. I learned, I actually went through some of his certification, became a coach. I I taught FPU several times, uh, helped lots of people in that area. So there's lots of things to be learned about that. Then I read Rich Dead Porter, and I'm like, wait a minute now. It's a little bit different type of thinking. Not that it was bad, it was just different. I was I used to think about it'd be funny if you got old Ramsey and and and Robert in a cage match, right? And the winner would be the financial guru, you know. I met old Dave just because he just got he's got that little edge to him. Like he hit Robert with that debt snowball, bro, and he was like, Let's go with that debt, that debt free scroll uh that debt free uh scream, right? That would be uh kind of funny. But anyway, both these guys had insights that helped for sure. Okay. But for me, something was still felt incomplete. That's why I turned to God's word and seeing what God has to say about money. And it a lot of what he said surprised me, to be honest. As I dove deeper into my discipleship journey, I started to realize just how often scripture speaks directly to finances, stewardship, and provision. And it's a big deal. And what struck me as ironic is that many of the pastors that I heard up to that point usually avoided the topic entirely or preached about money with such a legalistic tone, uh, it was felt like more of a guilt sermon than a guidance sermon. Because, and and and I've learned this, just because others struggle to explain it does not excuse me from learning about it. And one of his verses that really jumped out to me was right here in 1 Timothy 5.8. Because Paul isn't sugar cooning anything here. If you don't take care of your household, you've denied the faith. I mean, that hurts. That's a little stinger right there, and that hits hard. But then there's a heart behind what he's telling us, and we have to think about that. If we want to walk in God's ways, we need to shift the focus from ourself and consider needs of our family more deeply. And I don't know about you, maybe you can relate. As a man, I wake up every day with the distinct drive to provide, protect, and preside over my family. And that creates a lot of purpose in the things that I do. But here's the here's the flip side of that coin. It creates a lot of pressure. And it led me to a pretty important realization that maybe Paul's definition of providing goes beyond filling the fridge and paying the bills. You ever thought about that? Because that's how we we try to relate it, right? Are the bills paid and the kids have something to eat? Okay. But here's something to think about provision and desire are not the same thing. But I've been putting them two together for a long time. I believe if I couldn't give my family everything they wanted, I was failing as a man. And that mindset, guys, let's just face it, it's exhausting. So the Holy Spirit revealed some things to me, particularly with this verse, and helped me see the difference. Providing for my family needs is not the same thing as fulfilling their every want. And that's a simple shift, but it can change a lot for you guys. And maybe it takes some pressure off of you because he reminded me that my role isn't to fulfill every desire, but to be a faithful steward of what he's entrusted me with. And that right there can bring you peace. And that peace comes from obedience, not from excess, fellas. Right? And that hopefully that's gonna be more than enough for you. So I get it, the pressure to provide is real. But brother, the freedom from God that he offers us through his word is so much better. He's not asking you to be the source of all things for your family. You're not the end-all-be-all. You definitely are a big huge, important bar, and you can't abdicate your responsibilities. No, he's asking you to be faithful, present, and diligent with what you've been given. Because provision isn't perfection, it's stewardship. So don't carry that weight around of your family's every desire, bro. It'll take you down. It will take you down. If you're trying to fulfill every desire, every every want that they have, it's gonna wear you out. Instead, pursue each day faithfully to meet what they truly need and help them recognize that and to keep walking in obedience and trusting God to what he gives you. So I I I'm just I feel such a burden as we try to share this. This is uh money can be such a touchy topic for so many guys. And I'm not trying to bring you anything that's earth-shattering other than I just want to share with you directly from God's word to hopefully give you some hope and some encouragement, particularly if you've been in a tough, difficult season lately. This is what it's all about, okay? So think about this. This is a question this week. What pressures do you feel about providing?

unknown: 8:58

Okay.

Chris Grainger: 8:58

And we all we all have those pressures. We all feel it. It comes in different shapes, forms, and sizes for sure. And then maybe as a follow-up to what pressures, how long are you gonna hold on to it? How long you're gonna keep putting this expectation on you that possi quite possibly is unrealistic and is doing nothing but causing you stress, grief, agony, and it definitely is not helping you with your walk with Christ. If you need help, I just want to encourage you guys. I'm telling you, we have some really incredible guys within the lion within us community that are pretty sharp on stewardship, finances. So if you're struggling, you got too much month and not enough money, and uh maybe you and your your spouse, you just cannot get on the same page regarding finances. We got some guys that can help help you, I guarantee you. So I just head on over to the lionwithin.us, start a free trial of the community, just get plugged into that, and then I'll get you plugged in with some guys that can come alongside and help you with your journey, okay? All right, fellas. So look, look, if you this part of the spiritual kickoff episodes, we like to take a minute for our listeners because we recognize not everybody who listens to the lion within us is a Christian. Now, a heavy percentage of them are, but not everybody is. There's people who are just curious, or maybe they're just drawn in by the Lion Within Us and the things we talk about, and they and they're they're definitely interested, but they haven't taken that point to really surrender their life to the Lordship of Jesus Christ. And I just want to encourage you, if you're listening to a lion right now and you and you don't know that you're that you have that the the Holy Spirit within, you've never had that moment where you've confessed Christ as your Savior. I just want to share with you just something that hopefully if you if you if you hear and actually uh listen to to what I'm gonna tell you, it could change your life forever. Right? It's not like a great stock pick or anything like that. It's just a good it's just the good news of the gospel. And the fact is, brother, you are made in the image of God. I just need you to hear that. You know, when you look in the mirror, you may see some flawed version of a man, and you just don't like what you see on the reflection back. But that's not who you who you are. That's who the evil one has tricked you to thinking you are. But you're made in the image of God. Well, again, we go all the way back to the very beginning of the Bible. We see that directly when God first formed the first man Adam, and he breathed the breath of life directly into Adam's nostrils, and he set up, and guess what? Adam was face to face with his creator. That's pretty awesome, if you ask me. And that's what we were made in the image of. And it's like Adam was with God in the garden, with him, union. Can you believe that? Like to be walking in in a garden in the woods with God, and and things were perfect, things are great, and then sin entered the world. And when sin entered, that fractured the relationship between us and him, and it created this gap. It's just the easiest way for me to visualize that there's this gap. And there's us on one side, and there's a holy and righteous God on the other. And we try to get over this gap on our own. And we try to do stuff just like helping people and giving to charities and you know, even going to church or reading your Bible, praying. We try to do all these things, and we think that we're earning favor with God. And while these things, most of them are good, the problem is we can't overcome the sin that is in our life. And the sin is simply anything that separates us from God. So don't get too tripped up on that. But quite often we compare ourselves with others, you know, with our neighbor or people in the news or things like that, or people in prison. Like it's easy to compare ourselves to people in prison and think that, you know, well, I haven't killed anybody, so obviously, you know, if if if I'm standing next to that person, uh, I should be able to get in because I haven't committed that level of uh of a crime. It's like, oh man, unfortunately, the standard's wrong. You know, you from an earthly standard, yeah, maybe you're not, you haven't done quite as many bad things as this person, but from a holy and righteous standard, we all fall short of the glory of God. Every single one of us. And there's there's uh there's something that we uh have to do to just recognize that that we all fall short. And also there's nothing that we can do. Like there's nothing my mom can do for me or my dad or my brother or my wife or my kids. There's nothing they can do for me individually to overcome my sin. So if they can't do it, and I can't do it, what's the answer then? Well, we need somebody to do for us what we can't do for ourselves, i.e., we need a savior. And that's where Jesus comes in. He was left heaven on the rescue mission for us to save all of us, to pay the penalty for our sin, was born of the virgin, fulfilled all the prophecies, did all the teachings, did all the miracles, and then he did the ultimate where he went to the cross, the perfect, blameless Lamb of God, and was nailed to the cross, was pierced for our transgressions, the Bible says. And he died. He didn't pass out or faint or anything like that. He didn't go to sleep, he died. Jesus died for our sins. And he paid the penalty in full. There's nothing left. They laid him in a tomb. And you know what? If it ends right there, then we're just we got another, just someone else who's dead who it was he was a good man. But it doesn't end there because three days later, Jesus rose. He overcame death, he defeated death. And he walked around, he showed it, gave us more and more evidence that he was the risen Messiah, the Savior. Then he ascended to heaven. He's at the right hand of the Father right now. He clearly told us that he is the way to truth and the life. No one comes to the Father except through him. He's it, fellas. I mean, there's no other path. I'm sorry. There's people who are telling you there's different ways to heaven, they're just wrong. I'm not saying that they're bad people, they're just, but they are wrong in this area. There is only one way, and that's confessing Jesus Christ as your Lord and Savior. And then once you do that, are things going to get all of a sudden just going to get magically improved? No. It's still going to be hard because we're here on earth. But it will be better because you'll have the indwelling power of the Holy Spirit within you, then that will guide and direct you on your path. And then you just have to, all we have to do at that point is John 2.5. Do whatever he tells us to do. Just listen to the Holy Spirit and walk in obedience. So if you've never surrendered your life to Christ and you finally recognize that you're a sinner in need of a savior, that Jesus is the Messiah, he is the Son of God, and you want to confess Him as Lord, let's just do that right now. You don't have to be at a church or special service or anything. You can do this walking on a treadmill or walking in a park or riding in a car, wherever you're listening to this podcast, you can accept Christ as your personal Lord and Savior right now. So I won't pray with you. So, Father, I just pray for that one listener who's they've been trying to do things their way for so long, and it just hasn't worked out, God. And then just life just keeps coming at them, and they finally recognize something's missing. And that thing that's missing is you, God. They're calling upon you, they recognize this gap, and they want you, they're inviting you into their life to be Lord and Savior over everything. So I pray you hear their prayer. I know you will. Just put comfort in their life. Put some, put some uh hedge protections around them because this is going to be attacks coming now because the evil one is not happy at this moment right now, God, but that's okay. We're just gonna come along beside them. We're gonna encourage them, we're gonna strengthen them, we're gonna take care of them, we're gonna help them in their discipleship journey. We love you, Lord Jesus, and we praise you. It's in your name. Amen. All right. Look, so if you just accepted Christ as your Savior, I'd love to hear from you. Okay, send me an email. Those are the best emails I've ever got, by the way, uh, is when I get emails from folks saying that they've accepted Christ and they've they they finally recognize they need to turn their life over. So Chris at C-H-R-I-S at thy andwithin.us. Okay, so send me an email. I got a bunch of resources we put together. I'd love to send your way just to get just put in your put them in your inbox, put them in your hands. Love to hop on a call with you, just to pray with you, and also just to get you pointing in the right direction to things to think about when it comes to selecting a church and a men's group and all that fun stuff. You need some direction, we're here to help, okay? So again, fellas, thank you so much for listening. Give us a rating and review if you don't mind. Thelionwithin.us is how you find all our resources, all the materials that we put together sound at the lionwithin.us, head on over there right now. So start your daily spiritual kickoff, start your uh Lion's Den community, put in an application for a leadership mastermind. Head over to the Bible app. Open up the Bible app, fellas, search for the Lion Within Us. Check out the many, many plans that we have on the Bible app. I write them pretty much daily and they're going to the Bible app because I just try to be an encouragement to guys and just be right there where they're if they're seeking God's word and they just need a little bit of guidance along the way. We want to help them right there, okay? We have our live events every year, fellas. So there's tons and tons and tons of ways we try to serve, connect, and help. But it's all found at thelionwithin.us. All right. Have a great day, guys. Get after it. We'll see you next time on our meet episode. You know what's coming right. Keep on leashing the lion within. Let's just say it out loud. Marriage is one of the greatest gifts that God can give a man. And one of the most consistent places where we can feel unsure of what we're doing. Even the strongest marriages have moments where you look at your wife and you think, you know what? I love you. I'm so committed to you. But right now, I have no idea what I should do next. And that's why we launched something new inside the lion within us community. It's our very first support group. And it's for husbands. And we're calling it committed and occasionally confused. This isn't just a place for men in crisis. Though if you're there, hey, you're welcome. This is for any man who refuses to coast and wants to take his marriage from good to great. So inside, you'll find an active chat and a feed, honest conversations, and brotherhood that says, you're not alone. We've been there. Let's bring this to God and grow. And we're also doing a monthly couples night where your wife is invited because we're not letting the world set the agenda for our homes. Now, if you want access to this support group, it's very simple. Go to thelionwithin.us and join the Lions Den. Okay, that's thelionwithin.us. Start your 30-day free trial of the Lion's Den community, and boom, you have instant access to the committed and occasionally confused support group. We'll see you inside the den.