The Watching World

Why is it so important to eliminate toxic people from your life? To answer this question, Les interviews Gary Thomas about his new book, “When to Walk Away: Finding Freedom from Toxic People.” Sometimes, people do not want to receive what you say to them, but that does not mean you have to let them walk all over you. Gary clarifies that while every toxic person is difficult, not every difficult person is toxic. He equips listeners with markers to identify whether they are in unhealthy relationships and comforts those who feel like they cannot walk away. God wants us to protect ourselves from toxic people because they steal our joy, peace, strength, and confidence and make us ineffective in producing fruit. We must be willing to walk away if the relationship is not producing fruit. You are not responsible when someone responds in an unhealthy way to a healthy situation. You are responsible for guarding your heart and determining when to walk away from toxic influences.

Tim and Rory Aughinbaugh are back on the podcast to chat with Les about marriage, parenting, and keeping God first in every season of life. They share how they are navigating changes in their family as their kids start driving, dating, and socializing, keeping them away from home more often. Like many parents with growing children, they lament how their family used to be while anticipating the joy of watching their children mature as they enter the world. They share how they teach their kids to partner with the Holy Spirit as they navigate adult decisions. Even though it is hard to watch your kids struggle, Tim and Rory remind parents that allowing their children to feel and experience the natural consequences of their actions is good. These are teaching moments so your kids can learn to keep God first as they enter adulthood! Rory reminds couples that the strength of your marriage gives your kids security, and they share practical ways couples can love and serve each other. Plus, Les has a surprise for Tim and Rory at the end that you won’t want to miss!

Dan Sered is the COO of Jews for Jesus, a nonprofit organization consisting of people who are committed allies of the Jewish people. Dan shares his testimony of growing up in a secular Jewish household, how his future wife introduced him to Jesus, and the moment he decided to have a personal relationship with Him. He joins Les on the podcast to answer the question, what’s really happening in Israel? Dan encourages Christians to stand with our Jewish friends and neighbors and be clear that we believe there is never any excuse for the brutality demonstrated toward the Jewish people. He discusses why the Jews are God’s chosen people and reminds listeners that God is faithful even when His people are faithless. For Christians who wonder how they can help and what they should pray, Dan shares specific prayer requests and people to pray for.

Deconstructionism has recently gained popularity in our society, especially among young adults. For many people, it comes from a desire for connection, approval, and truth. Pastor Jeremy Brownlee joins Les Norman to discuss the foundations of faith and why people deconstruct their faith. They remind believers that we are called to study God’s Word and should live by the Word of God, not the word of pastors, social media influencers, or political candidates. The Enemy is continually trying to chip away at the foundations of our faith. But God is good, and His Word is true. If you encounter someone that is deconstructing, love them. Talk to them. Listen to understand them. Share the truth with them. They may just be looking for genuine people whom they can trust. If you are going through deconstruction, Jesus loves you. He is not upset by your questions and concerns but doesn’t want you to be deceived. Don’t suppress your questions and struggles, because the Enemy wants you in isolation. Reach out to a trusted person today or visit one of the resources below.

Want answers to your questions? Visit these resources:

livingproof.co/got-questions/

https://www.gotquestions.org/

A whole generation has been indoctrinated against the Bible and taught to believe that man’s truth – their personal beliefs and how they feel – is the ultimate standard of truth. In this episode, Ken Ham joins Les Norman to talk about his ministry, Answers in Genesis, and the Creation Museum and Ark Encounter that allow people to experience the Bible come to life. Ken presents God’s truth in a loving and confident way while pointing out errors in evolutionary arguments. He shows how Genesis lays out the gospel and the foundation for marriage, sexuality, and other principles our culture struggles to define today. Ken encourages listeners to think foundationally about what God says in the Bible and reminds us that there really are answers in Genesis to all kinds of foundational questions people are asking today.

Learn more about Answers in Genesis:

answersingenesis.org

Visit the Abundant Life website:

livingproof.co

Steven Branch, the Independence campus pastor, joins Les Norman to discuss how to root your identity in Christ and identify material things in which we tend to root our identity. Since we can’t physically see Jesus, we tend to root our identity in things like our job, marital status, or friendships. But these things are finite, so they will not satisfy us long-term. Steven recounts the season of life where his identity was rooted in being a student pastor and how he became insecure if any branch of the student ministry was not thriving. He and Les discuss situations where they were convicted to apologize to other people for how they acted when they were insecure because their identity wasn’t in Christ and how that insecurity can damage relationships. We often put ourselves in bondage by chasing things that aren’t our real identity in Christ. Steven shares several verses to memorize and meditate on daily to remind us of our identity in Christ. He leaves us with a final reminder that the offer of salvation is open to everyone, and if you place your faith in Christ, you are a new creation. Your identity – who you are – is in Christ and nothing else.

Verses to meditate on:

• Galatians 2:20

• Colossians 3:23

• Psalm 119:11 & 105

• Ephesians 2:10

Visit our website:

livingproof.co

Take the identity quiz for specific verses about who God says you are livingproof.co/identity-in-christ-quiz/

The world tells women they can be anything, but our society struggles to define femininity. On the one hand, they say women should be quiet and submissive, but on the other, they assert that women should be loud and bold. In this episode, Les Norman interviews Kiley Masters and Jennifer Spears about biblical womanhood and establishing your identity in Christ. Kiley and Jennifer share their testimonies and describe their lives before they understood the redemption they received in Jesus. They remind women that their identity isn’t determined by their titles, like “mom,” “sister,” “friend,” or “wife.” Instead, it is determined by who Christ says you are, and this identity spills over into your titles, which determines your worth and how you act. Their final encouragement for women is to study God’s word, know their identity, and stay in community. These three steps will equip you to discern the difference between Satan’s lies and God’s truth.

Verses to remind you of your identity in Christ:

Psalm 46:5

John 1:12

Ephesians 2:8-10

Abundant Life's website: https://livingproof.co

When God calls you to do something, He will prepare others’ hearts and put everything together in His perfect way. This promise has been proven true for Lance Harrington, Executive Pastor of Campuses at Abundant Life, and the future Overland Park campus pastor. As the Executive Pastor of Campuses, he supports, encourages, leads, & guides the campus pastors to maintain the culture at each campus. When asked what the culture of Abundant Life is, Lance answers, “Loving God and loving people.” He also tackles the pushback from the public that Abundant Life is growing too fast and is too overwhelming. While things may seem overwhelming from our point of view, Lance reminds us that God has never been overwhelmed. He is always pursuing people, so we should pursue them and look for opportunities to bring the Gospel to our hurting neighbors.

Do you ever feel that maybe God has called you to do something more than what you’re doing? Jonathan Clark clearly heard God tell him that he was made to do something more and that revelation drastically changed his life. As the new young adult pastor at Abundant Life’s young adult ministry, Paradigm, he is passionate about seeing the next generation know God and make Him known. Jonathan talks about meeting Pastor Chad, being offered the position with the Paradigm staff, and the difficulties of moving his family away from everything familiar to pursue God’s calling in his life. Jonathan and Les also talk about their shared desire to provide for their families, actively pour into their kids, and demonstrate obedience to what God asks them to do. Jonathan reminds listeners that God is, has been, and always will be faithful to His people. You can trust Him with your future but must demonstrate your trust through obedience.