The Light

If the gospel isn’t a great church or a set of rules, what is it? Working through Romans 1:1–7, Dr. John Neufeld shows that Christianity is about a person: Jesus, promised by the prophets, fully human in real history, and declared the Son of God by His resurrection. Genuine faith invests your whole life in Him and produces the obedience of faith.

The Heart of the Gospel: This 25-message series on Romans 1–4 presents us with Christianity 101. It is the basics of our faith, teaching us how we can know for certain that sins are forgiven and what it is to live by faith.

You might be surprised to hear that not all faith pleases God—there is a type of faith that He doesn’t want people to have. So, how do you know if your faith is the right kind? Consider that as John MacArthur looks at the standard of faith that God has laid out from the beginning of time.

From Mark 1:14–20, Pastor Chuck Swindoll examines the Saviour’s call on Simon, Andrew, James, and John.

From the Series: Jesus: The Servant at Work, Volume One, A Study of Mark 1:1–6:13

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When times are tough it’s easy to get lost in self-pity. But instead of dwelling on your problems, think about others. When you choose to help others even though you’re struggling you are choosing to rise above your situation. You’re choosing victory instead of defeat.

One of the ways that money grabs hold of our heart is through fear—fear of the future, fear of not having enough. Jesus tells us that the Father cares for us, and we have no need to worry. Instead of fixating on money, we need to train our heart to seek his kingdom first and invest ourselves there.

How do you praise God when life hurts, prayers seem unanswered, or circumstances feel overwhelming? It’s often easy to worship God when life is going well, but praising Him through grief, disappointment, fear, and uncertainty requires a deeper kind of faith. Hebrews 13:15 calls Christians to offer God a continual sacrifice of praise through Jesus—not because every situation feels good, but because God remains worthy of our trust and worship in every season.

A sacrifice of praise means choosing to turn toward God even when your emotions make worship difficult. Through prayer, Scripture, and songs of worship, you can bring your pain to God rather than facing your struggles alone. The story of Job reminds us that we may not always understand why suffering happens, but we can continue trusting God’s character and faithfulness. When you shift your focus from the size of your problems to the greatness of God, praise can help strengthen your faith, renew your perspective, and remind you that His presence is with you through every storm.

Highlights

• What Hebrews 13:15 means when it calls believers to offer a continual sacrifice of praise

• Why praising God during pain and uncertainty requires intentional faith

• How Job’s response to suffering demonstrates trust in God during devastating circumstances

• Practical ways to worship God when you feel discouraged, overwhelmed, or distant from Him

• How praise can shift your focus from your problems to God’s goodness, power, and faithfulness

• Why you can trust God even when you don’t understand why He allows difficult seasons

• How prayer, worship, and praise songs can encourage you to persevere and find renewed hope in Christ

Click to Listen to Signs of Life: UM News Podcast Season One | UMNews.org

Join us this Fall for Season One of "Signs of Life," an original podcast from UM News. The journey begins in Atlanta, hearing how a book from an icon of the Civil Rights movement is bringing relationship and understanding to two congregations seeking to bridge divides. Then to Belfast, learning about the Northern Ireland Peace Process and the Methodist connection that was—and is—an essential part of healing and peacemaking. Finally, at the Global Young Peoples Convocation in Dublin, explore the world of translation and interpretation through diversity, language and culture.

UM News Podcast Season One | UMNews.org

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Full Transcript Below:

The Power of Praise

By Alexis A. Goring 

Bible Reading:
“Therefore, let us offer through Jesus a continual sacrifice of praise to God, proclaiming our allegiance to his name.” - Hebrews 13:15 (NLT)

Lately, God has been teaching me to worship Him through tough times and praise Him through my problems

Prayer turns our persecution into the most profitable preparation for future blessing and ministry. 

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