When it feels like the world is falling apart around you, God says, "Be still and know that I am God."

God is in control, even if everything is out of our control. God is all-powerful. He can silence storms and muzzle lions. But even better, God is with you. That's his promise and that's your refuge even and especially in times of trouble.

You'd think that a man who ALWAYS prays with joy EVERY time he thinks about EVERY person in a specific church - you'd think that that church would be practically perfect in every way, right?

What if I told you that was the same place where Paul was thrown into prison for saving a demon-possessed slave girl and then later run out of town for fear of his life just because he was preaching about Jesus? Does that sound "practically perfect in every way"?

And yet, Paul can pray that way not because of the people or the circumstance, but because of what God does for and through people in any and every circumstance.

As we celebrate the 100th anniversary of our Dakota-Montana District, we share Paul's thankfulness for what God has done for us in the past and pray with confidence in what he will continue to do through us in the future.

God waited through 36 chapters of Job arguing with his friends before speaking up, but when he does, he silences everyone with wisdom too wonderful to understand and mercy that's even greater.

Sometimes we need to be silenced so that we can finally give full attention to God. Listen to this week's sermon to remember who really is in control, and why that's a good thing.

Is a Christian allowed to question God? Is it really a function of faith to ask, "Why? Why me? Why this? Why now?"

Job asked those questions, but he also made incredible confessions, and in the process Job shows us what it's like to be real, authentic Christians. Even in the midst of fear and anxiety, when we feel uncertain, we don't have to rely on our own ability to understand or stay grounded. We rely on our Redeemer.

Listen to this week's sermon to hear why Job's confession is so powerful for you.

"I scratch your back. You scratch mine."

It's a fine philosophy for living with your neighbours, but does it work with God?

Job and his friends thought so -albeit from two very different perspectives. However, Elihu shows us how God breaks that paradigm and shows us an entirely different truth.

Listen to this week's sermon to see how God is really in control.

Good friends are hard to come by. A recent study showed that nearly a quarter of those surveyed had no one they could confide in, and when it came to being able to talk about "important matters," the average person only had 2 people they could talk to.

Good friends are hard to come by, which makes them precious and priceless blessings from God.

Listen to this week's sermon, not only to know what to look for in a friend, but how to BE a good friend to others.

Is there anything more precious than your family? Is there anyone who can cause you more heartache? Is there anyone who can cause you more joy?

God blesses us all with family, whether that's a spouse and kids or just mother and father. And this special relationship has a major impact on your and their eternal good. Listen to this week's sermon to see how faith and family are hard to separate.

Pain presents a problem with God. If there's pain in our lives, does that mean that God doesn't have the power to prevent it? Or does it mean that God doesn't care?

Those are the thoughts that often go through our heads when we suffer. But they're not the only options. As we read about God's Suffering Servant, we will see God's love on display even in painful moments we can't understand.

There are many times in life when God's plan is unclear. Why would he allow this pandemic to happen? How can cancer be for my good? How can God tolerate the foolish decisions of sinful human beings? We may not always understand God's plans (especially while they're still unfolding) but we can still praise him for them. I pray that this sermon may help you to see why.

We see so many divisions in this world. It's nothing new. Whether it was race or gender or creed or status, there has always been tension between people. Paul reminds us, however, that as Christians we have no moral high ground. We are members of God's family the same way anyone else is - purely by grace. So, ours is not to be arrogant or conceited, but humbly to mirror the love and mercy of our God to us.