The Northeast Equipping Podcast

Before & After Episode 5: Paul – From Blind Zeal to Kingdom Zeal

Theme:
Conversion transforms conviction, courage, and commitment; God can redeem zeal for His purposes. 
Summary:
In this fifth episode we look at the story of Paul (AKA Saul), whose encounter with the living God changed everything. Through Paul’s story we talk through the tension of law versus grace, how our conversion leads to empowerment in the Kingdom of God, and what it means to be living in the “now but not yet.” We discover how each of us has a story that involves the Four C’s: Conversion, Conviction, Courage, Commitment. This episode is an invitation to glorify God through your gifts, passions, zeal, and suffering. 
Scripture Reading:
Acts 8:1-3, 4 
Acts 9:1-25 
2 Corinthians 11:22-28 
Romans 8:18 
Philippians 3:7-21 
Key Questions for Reflections:
1. Do you remember your first encounter with the living God? What was that like? How did you respond? 
2. Which aspects of who you are (gifts, passions, zeal) could you be using to glorify God and/or proclaim the Good News of the Gospel? 
3. Knowing the certainty of your future glory in God’s Kingdom, how does that change the way you approach suffering today? 
Prayer Practice:
Offer a prayer of repentance and confession to God. Repent for the ways in which you have not glorified God through your gifts and passions and confess any of your fears around sharing the Good News of the Gospel. 
Receive God’s grace and ask the Holy Spirit to reveal one way in which you could use your gifts for God’s glory today! 

Before & After Episode 4: Esther & Mordecai – From Comfort to Call Out

Theme: God positions people for purpose, but faith must lead the way. 
Summary: In this fourth episode we look at the book of Esther where we encounter Esther and her relative Mordecai. We explore how they step out from their comfortable life to walk in a purpose that ultimately leads a whole nation into freedom. We discover how each of us has a “for such a time as this” moment where God invites us to step into our purpose, even if it may be out of our comfort zone! 
Scripture Reading:
Esther 2:2-11 
Esther 3:1-6 
Esther 4:1, 4, 14, 15-16 
Esther 5:1-8, 9, 13-14 
Esther 6:1-4 
Esther 7:1-10 
Esther 8:1-8 
Esther 10:3 
Key Questions for Reflections: 
     1. What are some small acts of integrity you can identify from your own life that might be preparing you for the bigger moments? 
     2. Is there something God is calling you to that you need to fast and pray about before stepping out in obedience? 
     3. Who is your Mordecai? If there’s someone in your life who has encouraged you to step into your purpose, send them a thank you, and say a prayer for them! 
Prayer Practice:
Fast and pray this week, asking God to reveal where you need to walk in obedience to his purpose in your life. 

Before and After Episode 3: Job – From Blessed to Better

Theme: Loss should not destroy our faith; it can deepen it.
Summary: In this episode, we explore the story of Job, a man who faced unimaginable loss and pain yet held onto his faith. Through honest conversation, we discuss how we can approach God through our suffering, the importance of lament, and the power of community.
Scripture Reading:
Job 1:1–5 
Job 1:13–22 
Job 2:7–10 
Job 30:25–26
Job 36:15;37:14-16,23
Job 40:3–4
Job 42:1–6, 10–12
Key Questions for Reflection:
1. What does Job’s lifestyle in 1:1–5 reveal about his priorities before suffering began?2. How does Job’s response in 1:20–22 and 2:10 challenge your perspective on faith during hardship?3. What role does lament (Job 3, 19) play in spiritual growth? Why is it important to bring our pain honestly before God?4. How does Job’s confession in 40:3–4 teach us about humility and maintaining a right view of God and self?5. What shift do you see in Job’s understanding of God in 42:1–6? How can that same shift happen in your life through suffering?Practical Takeaway:
Suffering doesn’t destroy faith, it refines it. A right view of God and ourselves brings us to humility, hope, and deeper trust.Prayer Practice - Prayer of Reverence & Renewal:
1. Begin with silence pause to acknowledge God’s greatness and sovereignty.2. Pray words of reverence: “I am of small account, but You are worthy” (Job 40:4).3. Name honestly the pains, losses, or disappointments you carry. Offer them to God in lament.4. Declare Job 19:25–27 as a personal statement of hope: “I know that my Redeemer lives…”5. End by thanking God for the promise of restoration whether in this life or in the life to come

Before and After Episode 2: Noah – From Faithfulness To Fatigue

Theme- Faithfulness today, if we aren’t careful, can become an opportunity to stumble tomorrow. 
Summary-In this episode of the Before & After Bible study series, we explore Noah’s story in Genesis 6–9. Last week we looked at life after failure. But this time we examine what it looks like to live faithfully after obedience and success. Through these passages, we see God’s desire for human flourishing revealed through His sorrow at injustice and corruption, which leads to the flood. We also discover that God can be pleased with us, and that God provides what God commands. 
From God’s heart for human flourishing to Noah’s radical trust in building the Ark, we see how obedience opens the door to God’s blessing. Yet Noah’s story also reminds us of the dangers of letting our guard down after great victories.
Together, we’ll wrestle with how to remain steadfast, stay alert, and keep walking faithfully with God in a world that often pulls us toward compromise.
Scripture Reading
Genesis 6:1-5 
Genesis 6:8-9 
Genesis 6:22 
Genesis 8:20-22 
Genesis 9:20-27 
1 Peter 5:8 
Resources:
The Rebellion of the Sons of Elohim – a teaching on Genesis 6:1-2 explaining the “sons of God” 
Key Questions for Reflection: 
What does Genesis 6:1-5 tell us about the heart of God and his desire for human flourishing? 
How have you seen God provide what he commanded in the same way he did for Noah in Genesis 6:20? 
Do you believe God can be pleased with you (Genesis 8:21)?  
Practical Takeaway: God can be pleased with us, and we must remain steadfast in our devotion and obedience. Our greatest victories can also expose our greatest vulnerabilities. 
Prayer Practice:
Begin in silence for one minute, acknowledging God’s presence. 
Read 1 Peter 5:8 
Ask God to reveal where you need to be on guard in your life right now. 

Before and After Episode 1: Adam & Eve – From Failure to Faithfulness

Theme - Even after catastrophic failure, God’s invitation to purpose remains. 
Summary - In this first episode, we look at the story of Adam and Eve—not just their devastating fall, but God’s enduring faithfulness in the middle of it. Through passages in Genesis, we explore God’s original design for humanity, the consequences of disobedience, and how the effects of the curse still touch our lives today. But even in the aftermath of failure, God’s invitation to purpose and relationship remains.
This episode invites you to reflect on key questions, practice confession and renewal, and remember that your failures don’t define you—what you do next with God does.
Scripture Reading
    - Genesis 1:28 
    - Genesis 2:15 
    - Genesis 3:1–7 (focus vv. 6–8) 
    - Genesis 3:16–19 
    - Genesis 4:1 
    - Genesis 5:1–5
Key Questions for Reflection
    - What do Genesis 1:28 and 2:15 reveal about God’s original design for humanity? 
    - How did Adam & Eve’s disobedience in Genesis 3 change their relationship with God? 
    -  In what ways do we still experience the effects of the curse described in Genesis 3:16–19? 
    - How do you see God’s character in Genesis 4:1 and 5:1–5, even after human failure? 
    - How might your past failures be shaping your next steps with God right now? 
Practical Takeaway - Our failure doesn’t define us. What we do after failure does. 
Prayer Practice - Confession & Renewal Prayer 
    - Begin in silence for one minute, acknowledging God’s presence. 
    - Pray Psalm 51:10 (“Create in me a clean heart, O God…”) aloud. 
    - Confess a place of failure or shame to God. 
    - Ask Him to renew your purpose and remind you of His faithfulness. 
    - Close by thanking God that your story is not over.