Pastor's Sermon Series, Audio Study Guide, Northwood Baptist Church

If you follow Jesus aa a menber in the local church, you're not in the wrong place—you belong here. But the real danger is bringing the wrong mindset. Join our weekly podcast as we confront self-centered faith, heal division, and discover three practical ways to strengthen the local church as a place of belonging and mission together.

We spend so much time asking God for what we want—direction, success, healing, answers. But what does God want from us? In Romans 12:1–2, Paul shifts the focus from our desires to surrender. Join us this week as we explore the only reasonable response to God's mercy.

Has God rejected Israel? Paul's answer is emphatic: Heck no! In this episode, we explore God's sovereign grace, the remnant chosen by grace, Israel's stumble over Christ, and how Gentiles can be saved by faith. Discover how God's judgment and mercy reveal His glory—In the Gospel that gives us salvation by grace alone through faith alone.

One gospel. One Savior. One cleansed heart. In this episode, we explore Paul's broken heart, the danger of two spiritual extremes, and why faith—not law or license—is the only way to true holiness. Free will not only has to do with our choices in salvation, but also our choice to reach our friends, family, and the world that is without Christ Join us as we unpack the two demands of obedience.

Ever struggle to trust—people or even God? This weekly podcast walks through Romans 9, confronting doubt head-on and anchoring your heart in God's unshakable promises. Discover 3 powerful truths that call you into deeper trust and lasting assurance. God's Word hasn't failed—and it never will.

Tired of promising “this time will be different” and ending up stuck in the same struggles? In this episode, we go beyond behavior fixes and willpower to discover the life-changing power of the Holy Spirit. Romans 8 shows us that real freedom doesn't come from managing sin, but from a transformed heart. If you're ready to stop fighting in your own strength and start living by the Spirit, this conversation is for you.

We have all struggled with sin. But we often ask why does sin affect us when we've been saved. Doubts begin to form as we think that maybe we haven't been saved. We long to be rescued, but feel trapped. We find out that on this podcast.

Freedom isn't doing whatever you want—it's choosing the right Master. This episode explores grace, obedience, sanctification, and why eternal life starts now. Are you living free, or still stuck in old pattern of sin? Listen and discover what it means to become more like the Master. 

One man's choice in Eden shaped a broken world—and your life today. It doesn't feel fair. But Romans 5 reveals better news: Christmas is about another Man. Choosing Jesus brings grace, life, and hope that outweighs Adam's sin. Discover why Christmas had to happen.

Unshakeable faith fuels an unstoppable mission. Because we have peace with God, His grace, and His love, we endure affliction, grow in character, and boldly share the gospel. God's love compels us to be peacemakers, embrace sacrifice over comfort, and take the good news to the nations with confidence and hope.

Romans 4 highlights Abraham's unwavering faith in God's promise despite impossible circumstances. His righteousness came not through works but through trusting God. Likewise, we are made right with God by faith in Jesus, not our efforts. True faith shifts confidence from ourselves to Christ, who died and rose for us.

Paul teaches that no one can produce righteousness through the law; it reveals our sin. God freely gives righteousness through faith in Jesus, whose death justifies and redeems us. To be saved, we must receive this gift, embrace the Gospel, reject boasting, and live gratefully from Christ's righteousness.

Trying harder improves many areas of life, but it cannot earn God's favor. Romans 3 exposes the failure of religious privilege and human effort to make us righteous. All are under sin, the Law reveals our guilt, and only dependence on Jesus brings justification. Today, we'll learn to stop trying and start depending!

Phillip the Evangelist shows how ordinary believers can join God's extraordinary work. When we make space to listen, obey, and start where people are, divine appointments become life-changing moments. This podcast invites you to live on mission—eyes open, mouth ready—trusting that no labor in the Lord is ever in vain.

Hypocrisy is a battle that is fought by many if not all believers. This passage warns that labels can deceive—appearance doesn't equal authenticity. Paul, in Romans 2:17–29, challenges religious people who claim faith but lack true transformation. Christianity isn't a label to wear; it's a genuine, life-changing relationship with God that overflows into sharing His truth with others.

You may be seeing this and be real religious. After all, that's why your search landed you here. You were looking for something to help you be more religious. But, is religion enough? Truth be told, it actually hurts worse than it helps when it comes to having a relationship with Christ who is the only way to Heaven. So, are you that religious person that thinks, surely my religion helps me? But nothing could be farther from the truth

What is our biggest sin? It always has been and always will be our greatest sin. Unblief has lots of consequences that affect not only now, but in the world to come. You see, there is a God and He sent His very own Son for all who believe.

Have you been ashamed? It it so debilitating, isn't it? You turn red, you won't look someone in the eye, you might even run away in fear of what people may say. Yes, that has happened to us all. Yet, that kind of shame should never be associated with Jesus. We cannot be ashamed of Jesus as followers of Christ. Let's choose to be unshamed. Find out how this week!

We have all been through really hard times in our life. Many times, we make it through regardless of how difficult it was. But the aftermath was not so good. We moped about and said how difficult life still is. Yet we don't have to. Our lament can turn to praise as we hope andf trust in God. How can we do that well in this broken world we live in? Answers are ahead!

We can be a sad people. We want to talk about all the bad stuff and why the world is going downhill like a kick ball down a steep mountain. But shpuld that be all life is? We have much to look forward to. It is God's glory that we look to that we can live a life of praise. It's ttime that we do

The world seems like it's going crazy everywhere around us. Does that make you want to trust God more or less? Habakkuk struggled and gives us direction to know how to respond in this broken world we live in. Are you ready to know God's way?

You have been treated unfairly. We all have. Yet, should followers of Christ respond differently? We are not always going to understand, but we do have a God that we can trust to always do the right thing.

Prayer is the beleivers access to God. Yet we don't think much about this vital activity in the Christian life. Be ready this week to boldly approach the throne of God with confidence and watch what God does!

As followers of Christ, we do not live our lives in defeat, but as those who have overcome. Our challenge to day is not to give in to fears and doubts but to trust in the Jesus who made a way clear and will be faithful to us always It's tome we trust Him and not ourselves.

For some of us, we fear love. We fear loving others with sacrificial practical love. Maybe you have hard time loving others with the love of Jesus because:• You might be rejected.• You might be hurt.• You might be betrayed.• You might be embarrassed.This is the Big statement from John: “Perfect love drives out fear” (1 John 4:18). John has been telling that one of the ways we know we belong to God is by how we love others. But, love is a challenge because it's hard to love. Let's love fearlessly!

I hear this phrase more and more, “Well, that's your truth. We all have our own truth.” But can that line up with what real truth is? it's that which is found in the Word of God, the Bible. When a false speaks "their truth”, can we test it to recognize it as false? Yes we can and yes we should. Here's how.

Hate is strong and mocks the song of peace on earth good will to men. Yet, in the midst of this hate, Christains are called to love the hateful, the unlovely, the mean, the destructive, and all humans in this broken world. Love God. Love your brothers and sisters in Christ. Then your love will be seen as God's love as never before.

We are alll broken people. Yet, do we really have to live broken when we are new creations following Jesus? There is another way other than allowing sin, our enemy to take our lives over. The answer is found in what happened when Jesus died and rose again for us.

Comfort when we're hurting is a big deal. As believers, we rely on God to bring us His comfort. Often that comes through other believers who have often been through a hard time and are qualified by their difficult situation to bring comfort. Has God given you a story that can help others who are facing the “sentence of death”. It might not be sickness, but it could be the death of: a relationship, finances, or somehing else. Learn to respond as God intends.

Over and over again in the Bible we are challenged to endure. Yet, often we don't know that looks like on a spiritual biblical level. It does matter that we listen and believe the right doctrines that the Bible teaches us clearly. It's time that we as God's people understand what it means to endure as followers of Christ.

The world is not just our planet, it is also something much more insidious. It is this broken world system that is everything that opooses the Christian, the Christ, and His kingdom. We are told simply told to not love the world neither the things in it. Let's begin understanding what that means in today's teaching.

Believing in Jesus is a good thing. But certainly there is more to being a follower of Christ than just some mental assent to someone you believe existed or even that He died to forgive us. If you love him, you'll keep HIs commands. How serious was Jesus when He taught that. He was very serious because what goes on in your life is a matter of life and death. If you want to know you have eternal life, you need to listen.

We sin. We experience darkness. We have no way out.. except for the light of the world, Jesus Christ. He took our place and made it so that we have a way to be in God's holy presence in heaven and walk in His light right now.

Ever wonder why the high priest wore the garments he did? It was to point HIs people to His glory and beauty. As His people looked forward to the messiah, they would recognize His glory and beauty to trust and follow Jesus.

We often think of God as a wrathful and judgmental God in th Old Testament, but He is so much more. In the same way that the Israelites were disobedient then saw the longsuffering and forigiveness that God offered them, we are now given that grace and forgiveness now. Even when we don't deserve it. As Romans 5 reminds us, But God proves his own love for us in that while we were still sinners, Christ died for us. 9 How much more then, since we have now been justified by his blood, will we be saved through him   p 1016  from wrath. Christian Standard Bible (Nashville, TN: Holman Bible Publishers, 2020), Ro 5:8–9.

When our worship is good it affects not only our heart and emotions, it also affects our mind and will. It's not simply a feeling, but a mindful response to our God who loves us and won us a great victory. Let's worship in Spirit and in truth starting today.

We all like to think we have faith. Faith in a friend, in our job, in our parents, etc. But our faith is onyl as good as what the object of our faith. As followers of Christ, it is our faith in the One who will never fail that gives us hope. Not because we have a great amount of faith, but because Jesus is wirthy of our faith.

There are some things we should never forget. And I'm not just talking about your wedding anniversary or your mother's birthday. We should never forget what the Lord has done for us. Not just the physical blessings, but also the blessings of salvation and forgiveness because of Christ's death on the Cross. The Passover points us back to all He did for us. The Lord's Supper points us to Christ defeating our worst enemy. Never forget!

God is awesome! But do we really know all that means. Because God is awesome, I can trust Him and I can believe Him. You can that starting today. Never harden your heart.

In our world where so many are discouraged, even when they do the right thing, we can let that attitude get all over us as well. But God can bring trusted. He will do what He said He will do. Even if people and circumstances don't seem to be moving that direction. Let's learn how God is at work even now from the book of Exodus.

We should make a point in our lives to know well what affects us most. You might think you should know what others think about you, or know your career well, or even know your friends. But there is no one greater to know than knowing God. Having a relationship with Him was what Moses was missing, so God intoduced Himself as Moses got to know God better than anyone before him ever had.

Difficulties and trials in our lives often make us feel as if people and sometimes even God has forgotten us. But, that is never the case. The proof is that God is always at work in ways we cannot see Him. We need to remember God. He has worked before. He will in our our lives. trust His timing. Receive His best.

Growth in our lives is something we should strive for. When we grow we can do great things. How much more should we choose to grow in our relationship with our Lord and His church? Without growth, we die. On a spiritual level, it's time we grow in our lives as never before.

This body will not last. We are foolish to waste our lives keeping it as if it will. But for followers of Christ, we have the promise of not only life abundant nnow, but also life eternal with Jesus Christ. Living for Christ is the best life you can ever live. It does matter how you live now. It will echo though eternity.

There is nothing more important to the believer in Jesus than His resurrection. Without that, we are nothing. But, it is also true if we are not resurrected from the dead, then neither did Jesus. Believe and live for eternity. It's that simple.

God has called for order in our worship as a congregation. We cannot be doing whatever we want whenever we want in worship. It is a command to be orderly and understandable. While no spiritual gifts are out or bounds, God requires His church to act responsibly and with humility each and ever time we gather for worship.

Do you want to know what love is? Many people are asking the same question. Love is not a feeling, but a person, Jesus Christ. He is the One who in love came to this and died and rose again. Because of Him, we can love as God intended and designed from the beginning of creation.

Every single believer has been given a gift to serve our Lord and His church. But not everyone is using it. It's time to jump in with both feet and build His church together.

Thanksgiving is a cornerstone of the Christian life. That is not only a meal we share with famiikly, but mostly a meal we share with other believers as we worship the Lord remembering the Lord's last supper. Whether you call it communion, the Lord's Supper, or something else, it is an opportunity to thank our Lord for what He did to give us eternal by the forgiveness of our sin.

God created and designed men to be men and women to be women. How we choose to live God's plan and purpose in our lives makes a difference in our usefulness for God and in the lives of His people. Be who God created you to be. He makes no mistake,

God has been faithful to His own. Why do we struggle to be faithful to Him? God is asking you to be faithful. Learn about the warning signs that we are moving away from Him on this episode.