Welcome And Purpose Of The Show

Chris Grainger 1:34

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

Scripture Of The Week Luke 6:45

Chris Grainger 1:41

jump in. All right, guys, spiritual kickoff time. Let's get into it. Okay, so the scripture of the week this week is in the book of Luke, chapter 6, verse 45. Says this the good man out of the good treasure of his heart brings forth what is good. And the evil man out of the evil treasures brings forth what is evil. For his mouth speaks from that which fills his heart. Whew, that's a deep one right there, boys. We're going to take some time. We can see how we can simplify and apply this verse to our life right here today,

Free Daily Spiritual Kickoff Invitation

Chris Grainger 2:15

okay? And look, if you enjoy the spiritual kickoff episodes, first of all, thank you so much for listening, for taking time with us each and every week. I mean this from the bottom of my heart, just blown away by the support and the feedback that we're getting from the show. So thank you for that. And we offer you a free gift. Join the daily spiritual kickoff. We call it a daily SKO for free. And then we have Monday through Friday, we do teachings through God's Word. Like literally right now, I'm working through the book of John. Okay. And it's just a great way to be encouraged each and every day. You can engage with us when we're doing the teaching. The videos are there. We don't put them anywhere else. Then there's also access to our prayer request space where we would love to pray for you, be intentional about praying for you. Every Monday we have a prayer meeting. You're invited to that. And on top of all that, just the free stuff we give away. We want to give a give you a free gift. So if you're in the continental United States, sign up for the daily SKO. We'll send you a link and then claim your free gift, guys. It's that simple. We'd love to get connected and plugged in with you, okay? So all that can be found at thelinewithin.us.

Fruit Reveals The Tree

Chris Grainger 3:18

All right. So now it's simplifying apply time to this verse. And we need to think about first and foremost, where is Luke? We don't want to assume anything, guys, because I mean we have everybody's at different walks in their discipleship journey. But Luke is in your New Testament, okay? So it's not Old Testament, it's new. It's one of the gospels. So you get Matthew, Mark, then you get to Luke, then John. So that's the four gospels. That's what we're going to find to be the third one. And this verse right here is just a big deal because we need to think like what comes out of us when we're shaken. Okay. And my wife, she says, Miss Becca, but she says this all the time. She's like, your sins will find you out. What's inside is going to come out. But I mean, so she tells me, and just she's true, she's right. And I'm the more and more birthdays I have, the more and more I'm convinced it's just true, right? Because Jesus is saying the same thing right here in Luke 6.45. And think about this from the context. It's really important because Jesus isn't just talking about his words, he's talking about character or virtues, right? And just before this verse, he uses an illustration of trees and fruit and talking about healthy trees producing good fruit and bad trees producing bad fruits. And the fruit doesn't create the tree, right? It reveals what the tree is, right? I mean, that that's just what it is. Like that if you have an orange tree, it's gonna produce oranges. You're not gonna get a lemon out of an orange tree. No, it's not gonna happen. So we have to recognize that. So what he's doing right here, Christ is taking this illustration a little bit deeper for us. So what's stored up, essentially, in the heart finds our ways into what? Our words, our actions, our decisions, the attitudes we have, the responses we have, the outward expression reveals the inward reality. Think about that for a second, right? So, in other words, the virtue is just not something we perform, it's the our expression of what's happening inside of us, guys. And that that's what we have to start wrestling with at a deeper level. Because godly character becomes visible through the actions, words, and choices we take when they reflect God's nature.

The Water Bottle Pressure Test

Chris Grainger 5:35

And and I was thinking about this recently, as I got this water bottle right here. This is my go-to water bottle. If you guys are watching the show, this is the one I'm listening to. So it's a half gallon water jug, right? And and every day I fill this thing up with water twice. That way, because I'm again kind of going back to the old days of the lion within that's what I was trying to give you guys tips of the week. It's all about for me, a gallon of water a day is just a really good tip, okay? And every day I fill this thing with water. Matter of fact, I'm gonna take a little step of it right now. Every day I fill it up with water, and and right here, if I were to shake this bottle violently and take and with the lid off, well, what's gonna come out of this thing, right? Well, the only thing that's gonna come out of it is water because that's what's inside of it. Right? And because I I'm not trying to produce water in that moment. Water's already there. You know, that's that's what's that's what's been put has been put in already, it's established. Now, let's say I take that thing out and dump it, dump the water out, and I fill it up with powdery, I don't know, some type of sports drink, whatever drink you listen that you like. And then I do the same exercise. What's gonna happen? Well, water's not coming out, powder age is coming out. Why? Because inside, that's what's inside of. And what's inside of us always comes out, especially, please hear this, when pressure is applied. Period. So when life starts shaking us up, hey, is anger coming out or patience? I'm gonna be straight up for your board. Here, anger comes out a lot more than patience. Faith or fear, grace or bitterness, humility or pride. You see what I'm saying? You see how this works? Or are you gonna are you gonna be an encourager or a criticizer? And look, most of us, let's just be honest, we like to think that we can choose the right response in the moment. Right? Like when it happens, bro, I'm just gonna do the I'm gonna do the right thing. But Jesus shows us something with this verse right here, boys. He shows us directly that what comes out during those pressure moments reveals what's been building inside long before that pressure arrives. Period.

Stop Managing Appearances

Chris Grainger 7:47

And this should stop us in our tracks and make us reflect. Because so many of us spend a lot of time managing appearances. Okay, we should do. We want to look a certain way, and we neglect in the condition of our heart, and that's a big deal. That's like having a beautiful body job on a on the on a on a classic car, and like the engine is just a junker, bruh. Like outside, it may look great, but it's terrible. It's horrible. Because we're focusing on the wrong thing. We're focusing on behavior rather than the formation. Okay? And maybe it's because we want the fruit without taking care of the roots. And Jesus is showing us right here that the heart, man, that's that's the source. The heart is it. The words, the actions, the way we react, the way we decisions we make, they all flow from what's being stored up within us. And it kind of goes back to that old parable. You guys probably heard this parable about like you have two wolves living inside. I think it's like an Indian parable where you have two wolves living inside of each person, one is good and one represents evil. And like somewhere along the way, someone says, Well, which one, which wolf, which one's gonna win? And then he says, Well, the one that you feed. I mean, that's it. And while that you know, that's not in the Bible, it illustrates your day biblical truth, doesn't it? Because our heart doesn't accidentally just drift to being righteous, virtuous type men, does it? No, it's not found by accident, and then no one, it's not like you're just gonna wake up one day and all of a sudden, boom, I'm overflowing with wisdom, I'm overflowing with patience or courage. No, no, no, no, no. Those things are cultivated, they're fed, they take time, like they take intentional choices day after day. And the crazy part is the enemy knows this. He knows this well. And lots of times he's not gonna uh really put a catastrophic failure in front of us where we know we shouldn't do that. What he offers us instead are small compromises, super small compromises, but little distractions or indulgences or excuses. And over time, guess what? The things start accumulating, don't they? And eventually what's been stored up, guess what? It just comes out. It just does. And this challenge that Jesus has given us giving us here is isn't just to watch our words. That ain't what Jesus is saying. He's like, look, examine your heart. You get the old saying is more in cult and tall, right? Like, this is this is such a big deal because we have to we have to recognize that this isn't an option. Your sons, your daughters, your wives, they're watching. Your coworkers, your churches, they're watching. The most important out of all that stuff, though, is God is watching. And look, I'm not trying to call you to legalism or a perfection here because I don't believe in that. Because none of us, I don't care who you are, you're not gonna get this right all the time. But we do need to be intentional. You have to be intentional.

Small Compromises Shape Your Heart

Chris Grainger 10:55

So let's let's think brass tacks. How can we practically actually execute this? That's what I can tell you, boys, this is what I'm what I'm recognizing in my life. I gotta spend time in God's Word every day. Period. Every day. And not just checking a box, but literally spending time with him, letting him soak. Just just just just just kind of just ruminating in that stuff, bro. Open that Bible up every day. Then we gotta be a little bit more intentional about praying. Okay, not when things are falling apart, because we all gonna go to God when things are falling apart. When things are going well. Even when things are going well. I heard it the other day, like you know, the mountaintop moments, bro. That's when most people just turn turn their backs on God because things are going so good. It's in those moments we should be praying. Again, if you're on the mountaintop, that's a great prayer of uh because he's giving you perspective. Right? He's given you perspective. When you're in the valley, it's all about preparation. But if when you're on the mountaintop, it's perspective thinking. And then we gotta, as men, you guys at the lion, you should be knowing what's coming next. You better surround yourself with some godly men. I mean godly men who are gonna challenge you and sharpen you. And this is hard to find. Absolutely hard to find. It's extremely hard to find even in the church. But you find this type of man by being this type of man. Period. And then we got to start thinking through, fellas, as well. What are we consuming, right? Not just with like a food standpoint, but our mind. Because what we allow into our mind and our eyes influences our heart. And when something's not right, you better repent. And repent is a thing that we just don't talk about enough anymore. We got to turn from those things and turn to God. Period. Because we practice what we want to grow. Like if you want to be a courageous brother, what do you do? You start start doing some courageous acts. If you want to be generous, you better start giving. Okay? If you want to be patient, you better start working through opportunities to wait. And all

Daily Practices That Cultivate Virtue

Chris Grainger 12:55

through this, be staying close to Christ. Because this is not just trying to manage behavior. This is about a transform heart. And this heart treasures what God treasures. And a heart reflects our character, guys. It just does. Go back to the water bottle analogy. Because when our heart is full of his truth, when life shakes us and it's gonna shake you, it just will. What comes out is gonna honor him. It just that's just reality. Because all of us are being filled by something, guys. And my prayer is that you're being filled by the dwelling power of the Holy Spirit, and that's directing you. That's directing. Because the question you got to wrestle with right now is when the pressure comes, what tends to spill out of you? And look, there's no combination if you say F-bombs. Like I get it, bro. I get it. I'm not trying to beat you up. But why is the F-bomb the natural the natural response? It's because we have this built up inside of us. And the only way we get that out is we gotta put a whole lot more chemic in. And then that's gonna take over, and then next thing you know, that old that old self is gone. The new self is here, bro. Now look, this is not, please hear me. I'm not saying this is gonna happen overnight. It's not gonna happen overnight. It takes time. So give yourself some grace. Hey, if you go from saying 20 F miles a day to two, that's progress. Okay? Maybe we can get it down to one, maybe then we'll get it down to zero, maybe then we get it to one a week. It's progress, not perfection. Jesus wants you to pursue him. Right? That that ultimately glorification comes when we go to be with him. So when we're right here, we're just works in progress, boys. That's it. Keep striving, keep leaning in, and keep listening to the Holy Spirit.

Progress Not Perfection Under Stress

Chris Grainger 14:52

But you can't listen to the Holy Spirit if you don't have the Holy Spirit. And again, I share this every week, but if you are walking through this life and you listen and you're listening to the lion within us, because for some reason God has put this on your heart, and you're like you like the show, you like the format, you like the content, but you don't have that personal relationship with Jesus Christ as your Lord and Savior. What are you doing, bud? What are you doing?

The Call To Know Jesus Personally

Chris Grainger 15:17

Like there's nothing that I can show you here on the lion through God's word that's gonna make an impact on your life if you do not have that personal relationship with Christ. Again, I thank you for listening. But the most important thing, period, is your personal walk with Him. And if you don't have that relationship with Christ, what are you waiting on? What are you waiting on? Well, I mean, the reality is we never know when our day is going to come. And if you're just working through this life, trying to do things on your own, trying to do things your way, maybe just trying to be a good person and uh just just just help society as much as you possibly can, and you think that somehow by doing that you're earning a right standing with God, brother, you missed a point. It's got nothing to do with you. Jesus did it for you. There's the penalty of sin is death. So we had the fall, we had this separation between us and God. That's what were happening, that's what happened. We were made in his image, but then sin entered the world, and that separated us from him. And the problem since that is that we try to overcome the sin in our life with good deeds. Now I'm not anti-good deeds. I like helping people just as much as the next person. Like I trust me, I go above and beyond helping to the point sometimes it's like too much. But at the end of the day, none of those deeds, God's gonna look at him and say, okay, well, Chris has done enough, let him in. You know, I'm not getting to the gates. And he's looking at him, okay, Chris is resume. Let's see. Well, he helped this lady here, and he helped this uh gunman here, he did these things over here. Let's tally it up. Oh, yeah, let's see, carry to two. Yeah, okay, we can let him in. It's like, if that was the case, are you kidding me? No. Because, like, what's what's the ledger? What's the what's the the amount of good? Because if we knew the amount of good, we would just do that and then check out, right? I mean, just like, whoo, I've done all I need to do. I'm in, I'm good now, so I can just sit back and do what I want to do. That's not what it's all about. Reality is we're gonna get to the gates, and they're gonna be like, who is Jesus to you? And either you have a personal relationship with him as Lord and Savior, or you don't. And if you don't, guess what? And I passed go, boys. You ain't getting in. You can't get in on a relationship that your wife has, or your children have, or your mom, or your dad, or your grandparents. It's your relationship. So you can't come to heaven. You're not gonna get in there and say, well, I knew Chris. I'm buddies with him. Sorry, bro. I wish you could. Trust me. I wish you could come by on my on my past. But that doesn't work that way. This is your decision to make for your personal relationship with Christ. And no one can do that for you except you. You have to make that call. You have to understand that first of all, you are a sinner in need of a savior. Period. You're a sinner. Recognize that. You fall short of the glory of God. Okay, if I believe that to be true, okay, then what do I do? Well, I need a savior to do for me what I can't do for myself. That's Jesus. And you got to believe that in your heart of hearts. Jesus is who he says he is. If you believe that to be true, then what's the next step? You better confess them as Lord and Savior. And truly turn your life over to him. This means repent, like doing a bow face of 180. And where you turn from is important. Turning from the world is important for sure. But what you turn to is more important. And I want you to turn to Christ. So turning to him and acknowledging him as Lord and Savior of your life. So keen. So keen. And he's right here waiting. He's right here. Most people think when they're sinning that they're running from God like there's this big, big, big, massive gap that's expanding, right? The reality is, even when you're sinning, you're running from God, he's right here with you, bro. He's right here with you. He's just waiting for you to do an about face. This is where he's at. He's pursuing you. He loves you. I just finished teaching this morning in John 5 of the paralytic 38 years. And it says that Jesus saw it. He was looking, he was he found it. He was he was going after that guy. He is coming after you. The question is, when are you gonna stop running from it? And turn to him. Because once you turn to him, confessing as Lord and Savior, you get the rarest commodity that everybody out there is searching for. It's not gold or diamonds or anything like that. That's peace. That's peace. So if you're a brother right now, your world is your world is chaotic, you don't have any peace in your life. Do you have that relationship to Christ? Do you fully have Christ at the center of your life? I'm not saying that your life's gonna get easier and magically better. No. Things are you're still gonna have these trials. Oh, do you have Jesus at the center? Bro, there's a peace that passes all understanding that you just do not understand until you experience it firsthand. And it's free. There's no call. He he paid it all. For us, it's a free gift. But we have to open and turn to him and accept and ask for the gift, and then accept the gift, and then walk in that gift. That's what I'm offering you. That's my prayer for you. If you're listening to this, you made it this far, right? And you're like, man, I don't think I've ever done that, then bro, let's go. Do it right now. Surrender your life to the Lordship of Jesus Christ.

Prayer Of Surrender And Next Steps

Chris Grainger 20:56

So let's pray. So, Lord, that one listener, I don't know who they are or where they're at, but you do. You know everything about them. You know the hairs on their head. So we're so thankful for you. We love you, we praise you, we give you all the honor and glory. And as they are right now, they're turning their lives, they're committing their life to you. They're recognizing that their ways have not worked, that your ways are so much better. And Father, they are surrendering, surrendering to you right now. They're calling out to you. So I'm praying it has protection over them. I'm just so thankful for the decision that they are making right now as they're professing you as Lord their life. We love you, God. We praise you in Christ's name. Amen. So look, if you just accepted Jesus, I want to hear from you. Okay, first and foremost, I got some resources we'd love to send you from the Lyotiness, Chris at the Lyothan.us, you can just email us over there or support at the Lyotan.us, either one of those email addresses, we get them all. And we'd love to send you some resources to get you started on your discipleship journey, just to walk with you. And also, man, I'd love to just get on a call, give you a virtual high five, but let's go. Okay. So sit seriously, hit me up, send me that. Uh our next episode, guys, we'll have a great conversation, particularly for you guys who have been called to the role of being a dad. So I think you're gonna

Community Options And Ways To Support

Chris Grainger 22:05

really enjoy this one. Uh other than that, I'm already mentioned daily spiritual kickoff. We do have the Lions Den. It's a great way to support the line within us as well, fellas. The Lions Den, you should go there and sign up for that. And we're adding more and more leadership mastermind groups, okay? So we've really fine-tuned the structure on the leadership mastermind. We will love, love, love to have you in it right now. Our groups are growing. We have a bunch of groups out there and they're continuing to add more and more. So connect with us. If you go to the lion within us, you can check out the leadership mastermind page and learn more about it there. Uh, you can also check us out on the Bible lab, guys. Steady writing plans for the Bible app. They are they are just been blessing us and gracious enough. They push these plans out on a regular basis. So we'd love for you to check out our plans there. Connect with us. You can go to the lionwithin.us slash Bible to see all the plans. The I'm just a guy series. Super excited about that, though. So hopefully you're going to enjoy those. We have some other big announcements that are going to be coming up really soon. So hopefully we can we can get that released to you out there. Uh, we do have a 501c3 set up, so with the Lion Within Us Ministries and in place, guys. So if you're liking the lion within us, we would absolutely pray to consider being a supporter of what we're doing. Okay, we're doing a lot of work, it takes a lot of effort to put this amount of resources out for guys on a consistent basis, and we need your support. So if you don't mind, just consider, you know, pray about it, think about it. Then you can go to the linewithin.uslash donate if you want to jump on and be one of our regular supporters. We would absolutely just be super grateful and thankful for you for doing that. If you listen to the podcast, please share that with others. We're trying to put a big push this year on getting listenership up, and that happens by you just basically sharing out the line within this with others, okay? Whether it's on Spotify, Apple, YouTube, Pandora, it doesn't matter, whatever platform you're listening on, share it out with others and just get the word out. Give us ratings and reviews, guys. That does help the algorithm algorithm to so far as pushing it out more and more. So wherever you're listening, give ratings and reviews. If you're listening on platforms that allow comments, comment. I promise you, we will comment back, okay? All right, guys. That's it. That's it for this one. You're gonna really like the next one, I promise you. So thanks for hanging out. Thelionwithin.us again is our website. Have a great day. Get after it and keep unleashing the Lion Within.

How To Pray With Your Wife Guide

Chris Grainger 24:28

If there's one habit that can change your home, it's this when a husband prays with his wife, not because it's a magic formula, but because it recenters your marriage under God's authority and care. And let's be honest, a lot of guys want to do it, but most don't know how to start without it feeling awkward. Maybe you tried it before and it felt forced, or maybe you've never tried it because you don't even know what to say. Or maybe you're thinking, man, I'm not a pastor, I'm just a guy. And that's why we created this guide. It's our how to pray with your wife. Simple guide. It's biblical, it's practical, and it's designed to help you start praying with your wife in a way that actually feels natural. So it's a five-section guide and it gives you a simple framework to get started. Okay, it makes sure everything is grounded in scripture and it also has a powerful PDF that you can pull up whenever you need, especially when things get off, because they're gonna get off. That's normal. So this is all about reclaiming your marriage and reclaiming the spiritual leadership reigns of your home. Because praying with your wife is one of the strongest ways to fight for unity, to build trust, and to right the ship when life starts to pull you off a course. So if you're ready, get access today at the lionwithin.usguides. That's thelionwithin.us slash guides. And start unleashing the line within at home by leading your marriage through prayer.