FROG Discipleship

Be Like A Lion

• Nick

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0:00 | 26:47
SPEAKER_01

Good morning and welcome to Frog Discipleship, where we forever rely on God. That's the purpose of this podcast is to always rely on God. No matter what life brings, we always go back and focus on Christ. So today I want to talk to you a little bit. Let me ask you this question. When you think about a lion, what comes to mind? When you think of a lion, what comes to mind? I asked this question on Sunday at church, and I got a variety of answers. Strength, mightiness, fear. What was the other one? There was another one, just profound. You know, so there was a lot of things. King of the jungle. Lion is often referred to as king of the jungle, which is quite funny to me because the lions don't live in a jungle, they live in the Sahara, but neither here nor there. And the the fact is, is, you know, how many of us, when if if a lion was to be in our presence, would we not be afraid? Absolutely. I mean, it's a lion. But what I want us to unpack here today about a lion, and we're going to get to Galatians chapter 6 here today, and verses 7 through 10 is what I'm going to read. But when a lion goes out and hunts, how successful do you think that lion is when it goes and hunts for prey? You know, we we it's not as high as you might think. Some people said 50, but it's not. It's not that. They don't even get prey 50% of the time. 25% of the time, a lion is successful when it goes and hunts for prey. And what that means is a lion fails 75% of the time. Now, that that number is something that I need us to focus on today. A lion is successful 25% of the time, and it fails 75% of the time. So let's go to the book of Galatians, chapter six, starting at verses seven through ten. And it says, Do not be deceived. God is not mocked. For whatever a man sows, that he will also reap. For he who sows to his flesh will of the flesh reap corruption, but he who sows to the spirit will of the spirit reap everlasting life. And let us not grow weary while doing good, for in due season we will reap if we do not lose heart. Therefore, as we have opportunity, let us do good to all, especially to those who are of the household of faith. So the most obvious part in this scripture is whatever a man sows, he will also reap. So we we see two points here. You know, the first one is flesh. If you sow of the flesh, you will reap corruption. The second is if you sow of the uh of the spirit, you will reap everlasting life. So worldly versus godly. Why does this matter? We reap what we sow. If you are lazy, don't be mad if you lose your job or or you're overweight or you can't maintain whatever. You know, if you are a hateful or gossiping person, don't be surprised if you don't have many friends that want to be around you. Okay? If you're not reading your Bible and applying what God's word says, don't be surprised when you're malnourished in your faith, when God's not coming to your aid because He's think of think of your relationship with Christ as an airplane in the sky. Okay, at 10,000 feet. You can see it, but it's small. It measures maybe if you put your hand in the air and go up, it might be three inches. If that's your relationship with God, don't be surprised if he's not answering you like you want. But you get on that, on the tarmac where the plane is at, and you walk up to it, that plane, no matter how wide you spread your arms, you can't reach from nose to tail of the airplane because it's it's the closeness you are with God. So that's what I want us to focus on. A lion, you know, it's successful hunting only 25% of the time. Only 25% of the time. So when we look at this, do not be deceived. God is not mocked. God is not mocked. So what this means is we are not going to create hypocrisy in the kingdom of God. We reap what we sow. God is not mocked. He's not going to bless those who are not seeking him. He is not going to do things that are not deserving to the people that don't deserve them. Now, here's one thing I want to understand, want us to understand. So when we look at, because I know the people are going to say, well, you know, there's many ungodly people that are successful. Well, keep in mind, Satan, this is his domain, this world, are you naive not, are you naive enough to think that Satan can't bring blessings to you? You know, we automatically just think that Satan just tears down. Well, he can tear down with blessings. Do you not think that if money is the root of all kinds of evil, do you not think that he can distract you and draw you away with money? I mean, so many people sell their souls to the devil for a job. Quite literally. I mean, they they're not worried about anything else but financial gain. So, my my whole point in all this is, you know, we need to pay attention with what God is doing in our life. If a lion is only successful 25% of the time when it goes out and hunts, well, what does the lion do every day? If it's only successful 25% of the time, what does it do every single day? Even though it's going to fail 75% of the time, what does that lion do? It gets up and it hunts every single day. So this is one thing that I want us to understand. There is power in repetition. You know, amateurs practice until they get it right. Professionals practice until they cannot get it wrong. Amateurs practice until they get it right. Professionals practice until they cannot get it wrong. We need to have the mindset, the heart, and the desire of a professional. For whatever a man sows, that he will also reap. For he who sows of the flesh will reap corruption, but he who also sows of the spirit will reap everlasting life. Life is a constant pursuit of righteousness. The lion fails 75% of the time, but it gets up and it goes hunting every single day. It practices until it cannot get it wrong. That lion hunts every day because every day it gets up and it expects to get something to eat. It expects to have a meal. We need to get up every day and start serving God by reading his word, by praying, by being among the body of Christ. Practice until you cannot get it wrong. Now, here's one thing I want us to understand. You know, we think that Christianity is something we just do on our own. No. That is a very foolish, naive thing to think because when we look at Scripture, he sent the disciples out two by two. Well, he didn't send them out one by one. So if he sent the very disciples out two by two, and the people that were providing food and shelter for him was the body of Christ, clearly that should bring to light that we're not meant to do this on our own. We need accountability, we need support. Yes, we need our heavenly father. But when we look at this in verse 9, I like this verse, and let us not grow weary while doing good, for in due season we shall reap if we do not lose heart. Unfortunately, being a Christian, being a Christian can be very disheartening. It's hard to have morals in today's society. It's hard to be a person of compassion. It's hard to always be the person, you know, doing your daily scripture reading, considerate, you know, consistent in your prayer life, considerate of others, loving others unconditional, you know, gratitude in all circumstances. You know, these things seem easy, but over a period of time it can be very discouraging because, you know, as you're as you're showing love to others, they're not showing love back. As you're showing compassion to others, they're not showing compassion back. So it's real easy to get discouraged. And that's why it says, you shall reap if we do not lose heart. Consistency compound. Consistency compound. We need to be consistent in our daily walk with the Lord. You reap what you sow. You do not plant a watermelon seed and expect a pumpkin. Or you don't expect, you don't plant a pumpkin seed and expect a watermelon. That just doesn't make sense. You reap what you sow. If you plant a pumpkin seed, you're expecting a pumpkin. Now, here's one thing I want us to understand. Sometimes you can try so hard you mess it up. Here's an example. So going staying with the seed metaphor, but this is a literal. So we tried to grow a pumpkin patch here at home. We took pumpkin seeds, we dug holes, we watered, we did this, and it just wasn't happening. We couldn't get the pumpkins to grow. So then, you know, I was like, okay, whatever. So we took the remaining, you know, pumpkins that we bought, because what we did is we bought pumpkins, took the seeds and and put them, put those seeds in the ground, and that's how we were trying to grow them. So we took the remaining pumpkins because it wasn't working, and I just fed them to the horses. So our horses, you know, they ended up eating about, I don't know, five to ten pumpkins. Well, guess what we had in a few months? Pumpkin pack. We were trying so hard to grow pumpkins that no matter what we did, we couldn't get it to grow. But then I just said, all right, here you go. And next thing you know it, the horses ate the pumpkins, fertilized the seeds, they didn't even get in the ground. They stayed on the top, and the horses, as they walked, pushed them in the ground. And the next thing you know, boom, we got a whole pumpkin pack. So my point is, sometimes we need to just trust, be patient, and let God work in our life. Because when we try so hard to move and pursue something and make it happen, that's when we lose heart because we're not getting the results that we want in the time we want them. And that's just not reality. It tells us, it tells us right here in verse 9, and let us not grow weary while doing good. Okay? Don't get discouraged. For in due season we shall reap if we do not lose heart. Consistency compound. It's real easy to walk away and be discouraged. Do you not think that the lion can't be discouraged? It literally only hunts every single day and it fails 75%. But yet it gets up every day and it hunts every single day. Because that 25% of the timing, it is successful, it is worth it. And here's one thing I want us to understand. So let's let's focus in on the 25%, okay? Because there's power in failure. That 75% of the time that that lion is hunting, it is learning what not to do, how to perfect its hunting style against whether it's hunting a zebra, an antelope, a kangaroo. It doesn't matter. Okay. We have to look at our failures. All right. And here's an example. I think every Christian has been in that situation to where God has convicted us we need to either uh share the gospel with somebody, pray with somebody, financially support somebody, and we don't do it. We just stand and stop and we're fearful for whatever reason. Well, that's a fail. That falls into the 75% category. Then we need to unpack that, reflect on it, and then adjust to where it becomes the successful 25% of the time. And then if consistency compounds, remember, if professionals practice until they cannot get it wrong, if we take that mindset, that heart, that desire, do not lose heart, do not grow weary. If we continue pursuing Christ every day, even if we fail, 75% of the time, when we get it right, when God allows success to fall into our life. And when I mean success, I'm not talking about financial, but success spiritually. Having that person come and speak to us that needs that advocate to listen, you being that person to listen, to be able to share the gospel with that individual that needs to hear the gospel, to pray for them, to financially support them, or whatever the case may be, when you follow the Holy Spirit's conviction and you do that successfully, then you can look at that win and dissect that win, Lord. What did you do? What did you do? What made today different? How was today successful versus all the other times in which you fell? This is where consistency compounds. You never give up, you never lose heart, you never grow weary, you continue every single day. How do you eat an elephant one bite at a time? How do you grow in your faith one day at a time? In the book of Romans, chapter 5, verses 1 through 4, it reads this. Therefore, having been justified by faith, we have peace with God through our Lord Jesus Christ, through whom also we have access by faith into the grace in which we stand, and rejoice in the hope of the glory of God. And not only that, but we also glory in tribulation, knowing that tribulation produces perseverance and perseverance character and character hope. Man. This is telling us to glory in tribulation. Glory in our failure. Glory in the 75% of the time that it does not go the way we want it to go. Because if we are glory in these in tribulation, our perspective, our mindset, our heart remains focused where it needs to be, and that is on Christ. And we're trusting in his plan, trusting in his plan that no matter what is going on, he knows what he is doing. And we walk by faith, not by sight. We glory in the good times, we glory in the bad times. And when I say glory, I mean we praise him in the good times, we praise him in the bad times. You know, there was a lady in church, I really like what she said about this. She said, and understand this woman is in her in her late 70s, and she said, no matter what, you never give up. You never quit. You never quit. And see, we are prone in today's culture and society to quit, to give up because we didn't get the result we wanted when we desired it. We live in an instant gratification society. Well, here's the thing about Jesus: if you hadn't figured it out yet, let me tell you, it is a process. If we are being told to glory in tribulation, we reap what we sow, do not grow weary, do not lose heart, it means it is going to be an uphill battle. You cannot go uphill with downhill tendencies. You go uphill with grit, with endurance, with integrity. You never give up. Perseverance means to embrace the hard. Never give up. And I really like what is spoken in Matthew chapter 5, right here in verses 39 through 41. And this is written in red, and what that means, this is Jesus Christ speaking himself. But I tell you, do not resist an e do not resist an evil person. But whoever slaps you on the right cheek, turn the other to him also. And if anyone wants to sue you and take away your tunic, let him have your cloak also. And whoever compels you to go one mile, go with him too. Give him who asks you, and from him who wants to borrow from you, do not turn away. So so let us unpack this. There's there's nothing pleasant about what Christ is saying here. He's literally saying, if someone slaps you, turn the other cheek. And I want to quickly explain that, because this is misunderstood in a lot of ways, that we think, okay, if someone slaps me, we turn the other cheek to let them slap the other cheek. No. Think of it. When you're slapped on your cheek, it's hot, it's red, it's full of anger, it's full of just a lot of emotions. But when you turn that other cheek, it's not red, it's calm, it's normal, it's how you need to be. So, what this is telling us to turn the other cheek is to reset. Reset, refocus on Christ. Don't allow that anger and emotion and worldly perspective to infiltrate your actions, your heart, your mind, but turn that other cheek and reset your heart, mind, and body on Christ. And when it tells us, and whoever compels you to go one mile, go with him a two. Go with him two miles. Go that extra mile. This is an insult. What this means is when someone, your enemy, compels you to do something, you don't just meet them and do it the, you go above and beyond. And this is an insult to them. Killing them with kindness, so to speak. This is perseverance. We're not meant to do it man's way. We're meant to do it God's way. Think about that. If you go above and beyond for your enemies, this is truly, truly taking the life of Christ and living it out. Remember what did Christ say on the cross? Forgive them, Father, for they know not what they do. Forgive them. Forgive them. And when we stay, you know, back right there in Romans, you know, in perseverance character and character hope, well, what is character? Your character is who you are and what you stand for. Is there enough evidence for someone, a group of your peers, to convict you of being a Christian? I mean, I want you to really meditate, marin, let that marinate for a minute. Does your character demonstrate Christ-like attributes consistently in your life, both at home, both at work, both in your car by yourself, whatever? Is there enough of the fruit of the Spirit, which is spoken in Galatians chapter 5? Is there enough evidence to convict you of being a Christian? Love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, gentleness, self-control. Is there enough evidence in your character to demonstrate to both saved and unsaved people that you truly belong to Jesus? Because perseverance is one thing. That's embracing the heart. Okay? But your character Maintains in the heart, uncompromised, continuing. And when we look at hope and character, hope, when we read verse 5, now hope does not disappoint because the love of God has been poured out in our hearts by the Holy Spirit who was given to us. Oh my goodness, let that sink in. Hope in Christ does not disappoint. So everything that we're hoping for, that we read in Scripture, that God is loving, He is forgiving, He is just, He is the Alpha and the Omega, the beginning and the end, the King of King and Lord of Lord. This is why we need to be like a lion, even though we might only be successful 25% of the time, and we're failing 75% of the time. We do not grow weary, we do not lose heart, and we keep on keeping on. We persevere, we maintain our character, we keep hope because the hope of Christ does not disappoint. Man disappoints, man will let you down. This world will fail you, it will corrupt you, it will create an evil person if you allow it. But when we persevere as children of God and allow our character to be character of Christ, the hope that we read in Scripture will not disappoint. Will not disappoint. Put that in your pocket and carry that around with you today. That Christ will not disappoint. You might think, well, you know, he's let me down. No, he didn't. He just didn't do what you wanted him to do. He didn't fulfill your expectation. And here's a reality check for you: you're not God. You are the created. How can the created command or demand from the creator and tell him what he should do, how he should do it, and in the time he should do it. That is just foolish. That logically does not make sense. See, as a parent, I observe my kids at a distance and I intervene when I need to. Now understand, there are certain things that need to take place because if I need my children to have perseverance and to have character, well, guess what? Those things aren't just given, they are built. If my children that I have, my daughter who is 17, and my son who is eight, in order for them to have perseverance, I can't just come in and do it for them. No, they have to get the grit, they have to embrace the heart, they have to overcome it. Character. Character is not just said, hey, do it this way. Christ said what? Follow me. He demonstrated the character. He didn't just say, do as I say, not as I do. He said, follow me. Ephesians 5, 1, be imitators of me as dear children. He was perfect, the perfect example that we need to be, and hope. Everything that God has given us in his scripture is what we hope for. Do you believe it? Do you believe it? Well, I'm only successful 25% of the time. 25% of the time is great. 25% of the time means that you're trying every single day. That lion fails 75% of the time, but it gets up and it hunts every single day and it learns from its mistakes. And it adjusts until it is successful. Focus on the 25%. Learn from the 75% of your failure. And believe and trust in Christ that He is the King of Kings and He knows what He is doing. And that you, your perspective, is human. Lean not on your own understanding, but in all your ways acknowledge Him. That's scripture, by the way. If we will start doing that and start doing it God's ways, see, we want godly results, but we want godly results by doing it man's way. Doesn't make sense. If you want godly results, you do it God's way. This is Nickel Frog Discipleship, where we forever rely on God. Thank you for listening and God bless.