The Lion Within Us - Leadership for Christian Men 

568. The Covenant Vs. Contract Life - Fun Friday

• Chris Grainger

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The difference between covenant and contract thinking transforms everything about Christian manhood. While contracts are conditional transactions based on mutual benefit, covenants represent sacred, unconditional commitments that persist regardless of circumstances. Are you approaching your most important commitments with the right mindset?

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Chris Grainger:

Welcome to the Lion Within Us, a podcast serving Christian men who are hungry to be the leaders God intends you to be.

Chris Grainger:

I'm your host, chris Granger. Let's jump in. All right, fellas, it's your fun Friday episode. Let's get right into it, okay. So the scripture of the week this week is in the book of Genesis, the second chapter, the 18th verse, and it says this the Lord, god, said it is not good for the man to be alone. I will make a helper suitable for him.

Chris Grainger:

Fellas, go back, listen to the spiritual kickoff episode, because the whole idea of the SKO each week is how do we take God's word and simplify and apply it to our life, because that's what it's all about. So hopefully you enjoy that. So be tuned back in your podcast feed. And, by the way, we do this Monday through Friday in the line within us community. So if you enjoy the messages, the podcast, we put exclusive content within the line withinus each and every day, monday through Friday. We don't put the stuff anywhere else. You're not going to find it on YouTube or any other channels. We're not going to put it in our podcast feed. This is just an intimate way where we take God's word and we just try to unpack it and share it with you so you can head over to thelinewithinus and get started today for free, all right.

Chris Grainger:

So, fellas, that conversation with Mark Gerson on God was right, was just phenomenal. Just a brilliant gentleman, absolutely brilliant. Love his insights. I loved how he went. Any question I asked Mark, he went directly to scripture with his answer. He wasn't trying to come up with it with these these, these uh, super polished answers that were that were out from, you know, from a secular worldview standpoint. No, he was just coming directly with God's word. And to be able to answer that way, it just made me reflect big time. I mean, you got to be in God's word. So he talked about he runs six miles a day. That's incredible, right there, he's a machine. But how he used that time every day, how he uses that time rather every day to get in, to dig in, to grow in God's word. So just think about that God's word. So just think about that he starts his day on. About an hour is what he said. It takes him Submersed in God's word and sometimes we find it hard to pray for five minutes, right? I'm just telling you, buddy, if you prioritize stuff, it gets done and Mark is a testament of that. I'm blessed to be able to have a conversation with him and hopefully you guys enjoyed that as well.

Chris Grainger:

All right, so let's get into our tips. Fellas, we're going to do a health, wealth and a self tip. That's where we roll on these fun Friday episodes. A health is how do we take care of our minds and our bodies better? Our wealth tip is how do we steward our finances and our careers better? And our self tip is how do we grow as husbands and fathers? So if you're in that season of life, fellas, there's always areas to improve. So the health tip again train like it's a covenant, not a contract.

Chris Grainger:

Okay, so don't just and mark spoke to this directly, which is crazy, because I put some of these I put always put these tips together before the conversation, but he talks about that's a non-negotiable for him like it is a non-negotiable for him, like it is a non-negotiable he's going to run six miles a day, but if we treat that workout like a commitment that we've made to ourself and to our future, that is a big deal. Because a covenant, no matter what I do, right, our physical discipline is long term and it's built when we are purposeful about it. So if we train consistently, even when you're tired, even when you're unmotivated, even when you just want to stop, like right now, while I'm recording this, we're in the middle of a heat wave here in North Carolina. It's so humid, it's nasty, it's so humid and there have been so many mornings where I just did not want to go to the trail, just didn't want to do it. The thought of running a 5K because that's two laps around our trail is a 5K. The thought of running that through cobwebs I mean it's nasty out. I'm trail running, so there's potentials for snakes and all sorts of bugs, and not to mention the humidity, it's been miserable.

Chris Grainger:

I'm not going to lie Most of the runs in the morning. When I get back, it literally looks like I just jumped into a swimming pool. There's not a dry thread on me from my head to the bottom of my feet, and to be able to stay with that. I do it because I know that I'm building, I'm trying to take care of the temple that God has given me so that I can do the work that he's called me to do. And I know that if I fall off that train, if I don't work out. If I just start slipping, next thing you know I've gone through two days or three days or a week. The next thing you know it's months going by and I haven't worked out.

Chris Grainger:

So if we train like it's a covenant, not contractual, like we're just going to do this, we're going to wake up and we're just going to do this because this is what we're going to do, it changes everything about everything. And then when you start with what Mark does, start adding some spiritual elements into that time. For me it's podcasts. I'm listening to my pastors that I listen to, that I follow to their commentaries, to their conversations on just a further explanation of the scriptures. So I use that time, really try to steward that time well, because it's a great opportunity to grow. So there you go, fellas. Train like a covenant, not a contract. Your wealth tip.

Chris Grainger:

I want you to start budgeting like a go, fellas, train like a covenant, not a contract. Your wealth tip. I want you to start budgeting like a boss, fellas, like we're not beggars out here. We need to start budgeting correctly. You don't do not let your funds tell you what to do. We have to start taking charge. And budgeting is not a scary word, right. It isn't about restriction, it's about direction, it's about giving every dollar a place and a job to get done for you and, fellas, I'm telling you, it's going to bring you a lot of peace, it's going to bring you a lot of clarity and it's going to bring a lot of purpose to your finances. Now, look, budgeting is not sexy Anytime I bring this up. It's not fun, right, but it is something that has potential to set you on such a path towards freedom. So if we steward, what we've been given like it actually has been, belongs to God. It helps us make the decisions that he would have us make. All right, now for our self tip.

Chris Grainger:

When we're guys, I call this lead with love and not logic. We're guys. I call this lead with love and not logic, and I want you to think about this. Your wife, and particularly for me, for my wife, she doesn't need me to fix everything. She doesn't Most of the time. She just wants to be heard and to know that. I heard her, that. I heard her Say that five times real fast. You know what I'm saying, fellas? She wants to be seen and ultimately, she wants to know that she's valued.

Chris Grainger:

So logic at times may win a debate, but I'll tell you what that's. A that's a. That's a scary path sometimes for guys, because love wins her heart. So it's it's kind of like feelings and facts, right? Hey, I feel I feel like I'm fat today. Well, maybe you should stop eating this like that's a terrible way to advance your marriage. I'm just telling you, buddy, just be careful there. So if we listen with intention and then we lead gently, right, I'm telling you there's something to be said about that.

Chris Grainger:

And logically, I'm an engineer as well, so I have the logic brain on top of just being a guy and it's hard. But I will tell you, our marriage is so much stronger when love is leading the way versus my need to be right in logic and full disclosure. We had a little bit of a, of a, of a we call them discussions yesterday and most of it. When I look back and I think about it, it's because I was, uh, being logical, I was not being loving, I was not being compassionate, I wasn't being kind, I wasn't being tenderhearted, I wasn't being loving, kindness, I wasn't doing those things, fellas. So just be careful. If you've seen that in your marriage recently, it's okay, recognize it Now, course correct. So there are three tips. Okay, train like a covenant, not a contract Budget like a boss, and lead with love, not logic.

Chris Grainger:

All right, so the book of the week this week fellas, right here I'm telling you this is probably the biggest book of the week we have. I think he said it's like 900 something pages. It's crazy. Uh, yeah, it's like 800 something pages. God was right. How modern social science proves the torah is true. By mark gerson don't let this thing fall on your foot because you may be living for a week, but anyway, really enjoyed this with with mark, a great guy. Highly encourage you guys to check it out again. Godwatchrightcom is his website, where you go check it out Again. God was rightcom is his website. We can go check it out. Okay, all right.

Chris Grainger:

So two dad jokes today, dad jokes, let's get right into it. So the very first one is what country's capital is growing the fastest? The fastest? Okay, and it's Ireland. Okay, because every day is Dublin. That's pretty good, I must admit. All right.

Chris Grainger:

The second dad joke is did you know corduroy pillows are in style. Yeah, they're making headlines, I think, both this week, this week. They both work, bro. So if you're not getting them this week you probably you know, I don't know if the lines are going to help you with those dad jokes or not, but anyway, first dad joke is what country's capital is growing the fastest? That would be Ireland, because every day is Dublin. And what did you? The second one is did you know corduroy pillows are in style. They're making those headlines, fellas. So anyway, fellas, let me know which one you like. Remember, eye rolls totally count, size nudges, all that stuff. You may actually get a grand out of this one or one of these.

Chris Grainger:

And then also, if you have a dad joke that we should use support at thelionwithnus, send us an email with those dad jokes. We'll hook you up with some free swag. We'll give you a shout out on the show just for helping us along the way. How about that? All right? So, guys, question of the week this week has been are you treating marriage as a covenant or a contract? We've talked about the differences between the two. Now the question is what are you going to do to course correct? Okay, if you get off, it's okay that you're off. Course correction is what matters, okay. So hopefully you've enjoyed the episodes this week, fellas. Pray that you have a great weekend. Give us a rating and review. That would help big time. Just hit that little five star on that. If you're an Apple listener, give us one or two sentences as a feedback. That would be awesome as well. Share this stuff out with others, fellas.

Chris Grainger:

The main thing we were asking, though, head over to thelionwithinus. That's thelionwithinus. We'd love to hear from you. I want you to start your daily spiritual kickoff for free. Jump into the community, start your 30-day free trial with that and put in your application for the leadership mastermind. It may not be for you right now, it may not be the right season of life, but we have a wonderful assessment to get you to get started that every guy can take. As you work through that. That may give you insight to some areas that you need to work on, even if you don't go through our leadership mastermind program or join a group directly. Rather, just the assessment itself, which is free, may be something that helps you just identify those holes in your life, right, those potential areas that you need to start working on. All right, all that stuff is found at thelionwithinus. Guys, have a great day, great weekend, get after it and keep unleashing the lion within.

Chris Grainger:

I've got something big to share.

Chris Grainger:

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.

Chris Grainger:

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 the lion within, dot us and join the community and see for yourself what happens when iron truly sharpens iron.

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Chris Grainger

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