Leading up to this Christmas has felt like nothing but surprises, nothing but the unexpected! And wasn't our Savior's birth the same? Under Roman occupation and rule, forcing his mother to travel for a census while nine months pregnant, only to give birth and lay her baby in a manger? And the Savior wasn't all people expected when He grew up, either? Yet in these unexpected times, God works the salvation for people for all time. Thank you for joining us to worship the Lord together on Christmas Eve.

Every year we set aside a Sunday for a special musical celebration of the birth of our Savior, Jesus Christ. While this year had to be an online-only event due to Covid concerns, we still thank God for the opportunity to celebrate and to share together this time of worship, led by Don Anderson and several musical members of our church. Thank you for joining us to praise God for His glorious gift as the Word became flesh and dwelt among us (John 1:14).

In our culture, it's common to demonize the enemy, to take up our crusades, and to deliver those who differ to the devil! But in 2 Samuel 17:24––19:8 we're confused by the king who cares for his rebellious son, who's crushed by the news of his estranged enemy-offspring's death. And in the New Testament, we love the story of the prodigal son––so long as we're the prodigal! But can we confront ourselves when we feel more like the older brother, more like Joab? May God give us His broken heart for the lost!

Sermon notes are available here.

The wisdom of this world puffs out its chest like a prizefighter, stepping into the ring to contend with the wisdom of God. Yet the world's wisdom can never last; God, in His wisdom and power laughs at the so-called wise men of this age and casts down even the wisest of this world. Turn to 2 Samuel 16:15 through 17:23 as we see the raging battle of wits between Absalom's advisors, Ahithophel and Hushai, and how God thwarts the wisdom of this world to protect the life of His anointed king––and even His people today.

Sermon notes are available here, and song lyrics will be here as well (and, hopefully, on-screen!).

Even David's kingdom could be turned upside down--and when it was, whom did he trust? Whom did he meet along the way? In a "Pilgrim's Progress"-like section of Scripture, we prepare to encounter many of the same people when hardship comes our way. Join us in 2 Samuel 15:1––16:14, and may the people you meet draw out clear evidence of your faith in the Lord Jesus Christ!

You can find sermon notes here and song lyrics over here.

Even the Christmas movie Home Alone points out how hard it is to be reconciled to our own family after harsh words have been said. But what's the nature of forgiveness? And are we willing to take the steps to offer forgiveness, fully, and freely? Open your Bible with us to 2 Samuel 14 as David learns to live out the character of God, Who finds a way to bring back the banished.

Sermon notes are available here, and song lyrics are available here.

What a burden it is for a parent to see his or her sins amplified in his own children! Yet this is what we see happen to King David in his sons Amnon and Absalom, the first two in line for his throne. As we reluctantly tread through 2 Samuel 13, we pray that God will have mercy on our children, and that He will use us to teach our children how to avoid the sins that have ensnared us before.

For a guide to take notes on the message and for follow-up study questions, get your sermon notes here. For words to the songs we're singing this morning, click here for lyrics.

When Saul sinned, he failed to repent when Samuel held him accountable. While we mourn the sin that David so callously charged into, we thank God for a better example of repentance when Nathan calls him out! Join with us in 2 Samuel 12 as we see David's example of righteous repentance after his awful sin against Uriah, against Bathsheba … and against God.

Song lyrics are available here, and sermon notes are available here.

When it comes to sin, none of us is so perfect and holy that they can't fall into it –– and none of us is so far behind in our lives that we can't overcome it! What do we see in the lives of fallen King David and righteous Uriah the Hittite? The mercy of God, the seriousness of sin, and the call to live a holy life. Check out 2 Samuel 11 for the story of David and Uriah, and thanks for joining us as we continue in God's Word!

Sermon notes are available here, and song lyrics are available here.

We struggled to get the sound working right on our livestream this week, but please check in again later this week: we may do some re-recording to keep our church family on track as we walk through God's Word together!

Three virtues have been hit hard this year: goodwill, dignity, and trust. Will we show goodwill to others––even those we feel are hostile to us, or enemies towards us? Will we work for the dignity of all people––upholding the image of God in people who are different from us in politics, in skin color, in the womb? Will we choose to trust that others are not necessarily against us and give the benefit of the doubt when are fearful or suspicious? Join us in reading through 2 Samuel 10 as David, the man after God's own heart, works to let these qualities reign in his life.

Sermon notes and song lyrics for the service can be found here. You can also watch our service from home by following this link: facebook.com/carneyfreechurch/live.

Troy Meissner brings the message from 2 Samuel 9, where David shows unexpected kindness to Mephibosheth. Thanks for joining us for the message: apologies that our audio was not working for more of the service!

John Kakuk fills the pulpit for us as we look at the military victories of King David in 2 Samuel 8. God fulfills His promises to stretch Israel's land from way up to the Euphrates all the way down to Egypt! And praise God for those who trust God's promises and seek to be part of God's action!

Song lyrics are available here.

There's a bigger story of our salvation for us to get caught up in! Every person needs a personal relationship with Jesus Christ as Lord and Savior--but does each of us need the Son of David, the promised and everlasting King of His people? Turn with us to 2 Samuel 7 this morning, and just as God calls us every time we worship, let us join in His story together.

Song lyrics and sermon notes are available here. God be with you!

For so many years the ark of God, where God made His special presence known to His people, was ignored, collecting dust. How sad when our worship of God dies out … and how WONDERFUL when it's revived again! May we all, and especially those who lead God's people, be eager to worship before the Lord with all our might! Thanks for joining us as we jump into God's Word in 2 Samuel 6 together!

If you're looking for song lyrics for Sunday morning, just click here. For sermon notes and study questions for the week ahead, click to download this PDF.

AT LAST we see God's chosen King, the man after God's own heart, receive his throne and his full kingdom! We see him conquer standing enemies and invading enemies; we see him receive from foreign kings the honor that is his due. Have you been waiting for the day David would finally receive these things? Do you long for the day when Jesus will finally and fully receive His kingdom that will never end? Join us in 2 Samuel 5 for the exaltation of the Shepherd-King.

Song lyrics are available here, and sermon notes (with study questions) are available here too.

What do we say when someone goes too far … but for a cause we approve of? We grieve abortion, we want to rescue children and to help moms--but what do we do when someone bombs a clinic? We lament when injustices happen in our country, when innocent people are killed as vigilantes assume the worst--but what do we do when peaceful protests erupt with more violence? David shows us the way forward, even as Christ the Suffering Servant does: not to be overcome by evil, but to overcome evil with good. Thanks for joining us in 2 Samuel 4 this morning.

You can find song lyrics for this service here, as well as sermon notes and study questions here.

"It was the best of times; it was the worst of times." The rollercoaster of life rushes us up so high with great hopes--and can suddenly dash them before us as well! How will David handle the highs and lows between Abner and Joab as he waits for God to fulfill His promise to him? And what methods are we willing to accept, or condemn, as we seek God's kingdom come and God's will be done, on earth as it is in heaven? Thanks for joining us as we walk through 2 Samuel 3:6-39 this Sunday!

Song lyrics are available here and on our media page. For both sermon notes and questions for reflection through the week, print off this page.

We had some trouble with the Internet and with the wind on Sunday, but here's what we were able to capture of Sunday's service! Thanks for joining in, even from afar …

Every four years we face all the rhetoric and persuasion that our country can offer as we count down to November. When there's an opportunity for someone to take power, it leads people to do everything in their power to take it! As we read 2 Samuel 2, in the wake of Saul's death, how do the major players move forward––and what are the results? Thanks for joining us as we jump back into 2 Samuel, into David's ongoing story where we left off back in early March!

Song lyrics for this Sunday are here, and sermon notes (for both during the sermon AND follow-up questions for your week) are available here too.

What does it mean to be a missionary? What's the driver for us: why would someone feel compelled to tell others about Jesus? Our guest preacher, visiting missionary Jim Panaggio, walks us through 2 Corinthians 5:10–21 to show what motivated Paul to proclaim the gospel--and why we should do the same.

Only the sermon was able to be recorded for this Sunday due to Internet issues at the church. Thank you for your understanding: we hope next week will turn out better!

Before we return to the story of David in 2 Samuel, we're wrapping up our David's Life in Psalms series with Psalm 57. How does one keep faith in God from inside a cave? On the run, trying to care for others, with vicious enemies lying in wait and trying to find you … how is it that David's heart is so transformed that he prays from there, "Be exalted, O God, above the heavens! Let Your glory be over all the earth!"?

We'll be including song lyrics in our bulletins for this coming Sunday, but if you're joining us online for a livestream (Lord willing!), here are the words to the songs we plan to sing.

Our service this Sunday was our annual Baptism Service (and Church Picnic) at LLBC! What a wonderful time to sing hymns together, to have another visiting missionary challenge us to keep training in the Christian life, to hear children tell us about the good news of the Gospel, to hear adults share their testimonies, and to finish with six public declarations of faith in Jesus Christ through baptism. It was a wonderful morning!

Since livestreaming couldn't happen yesterday out at LLBC, we're gathering some videos together for you here for you to catch what you may have missed earlier. Please be sure to reach out and encourage those who took this step of baptism! And continue to cheer them on as they follow Jesus each day!

Our missionary series continues this Sunday! In addition to what we will be able to livestream, we also welcome you to join us in person for an update on our missionaries and how they are able to serve in the region God has called them to.

Thanks to Ruth H and her team for leading our music in the worship service this Sunday! You can find the song lyrics to sing along with the livestream right here.

Don't neglect to keep what you hear in your head and your heart as you go through the week! Download the sermon notes sheet to help recall what you heard and to help you put God's Word into practice through the rest of the week.

To start off this season of welcoming back our missionaries, we get a word about our identity. Who are you? What defines you? When people boil down what you're made of, what can't they avoid? Our visiting missionary this week charges us to anchor our identity in being disciples of Jesus Christ. And if that's who we are, then that's how we'll live!

The song lyrics for this Sunday are right here.

Looking for a guide to help you write down what you've heard? Or to keep thinking about the message as you go through your week? Get a pen or pencil and print off this sermon notes guide to plant what you hear deeper in your heart and mind.

This summer we've seen David hounded by Saul's bloodthirsty assassins in Psalm 59, caught in a no-win situation in Psalm 56, elated by his deliverance in Psalm 34, and vindicated against the treacherous Doeg in Psalm 52. But how could one's own kin turn David in? Those who were strangers but should have stood up for a brother in need––how does David handle betrayal by those who hardly even know him? Find out as we look at Psalm 54 together.

Song lyrics are right here – glad you're singing along with us!

Sermon notes are back! Note-taking helps us remember what we've heard, so fill up that first page while you listen to the sermon. Use the second page for personal application with a question each day, Monday through Saturday.

How do you pray when the wicked are winning? How do you pray when evil men are getting their way by murdering the innocent and deceiving those in power? David pens Psalm 52 in response to Doeg the Edomite, whose actions left a city of defenseless priests dead. We need David's confidence in God that "their foot shall slide in due time" (Deut. 32:35), and that we are secure when we are planted and flourishing in the house of God.

Lift up your voice with us in singing during the service! The lyrics to our songs are right here.

Also: sermon notes are back! After taking notes on the message, the second page gives a question to think through and live out each day for the rest of the week.

Last week, we saw David crying out to God to deliver him from enemies in Israel and enemies of Israel. This week is part two: David crying out to celebrate out loud God's amazing deliverance! Do we have a story of deliverance to tell? Are you ready to shout it out to those who will hear? Join us in Psalm 34 for a story of celebration, testimony, and instruction!

Looking for lyrics? Here you go.

Kids get bullied at school. Men and women are abused by their spouses, physically, verbally, emotionally. Ladies get shunned by those who flock to gossip around them. When the fear descends … will we flee? Will we fight? Or will we turn to trust God? As David descends into one of the most fearful episodes of his life, we learn with David to cry out to God from the dark in Psalm 56 and trust Him back into His light.

Looking for song lyrics? Here you go!

When we move from skimming the psalms and humming through them to meditating on them and letting them live in us, we're moved to a new conversation with God in our lives. God is ready to hear us when we are being hunted down without cause by people who don't care about Him––God is our Strength, our Fortress, and His steadfast love for us will never fail. May you be restored as you seek the Lord of hosts with us this morning in Psalm 59!

Looking for lyrics? Here you go!

We had some sound issues while we were recording during the service, so we captured the sermon on an iPhone. Glad you can join in with us:

James wraps up a supremely practical letter for Christian living with instructions for anyone among you, in whatever situation: suffering, celebrating, sick, or straying. How are we living out an active conversation with God in every circumstance? Open up with us to James 5:13-20 as we talk with God through everything He sends our way in life.

Looking for lyrics? Got some right here for you.

When we experience bullying, when we get overlooked for something we've worked hard for, whenever we know we've been slighted by someone who has the power to do right towards us but doesn't … it's so easy for us to launch into righteous anger, to retaliate, and to take power into our own hands. And patience? Patience gets thrown into our emotional trunk. But in James 5:7–11 we learn to follow in the footsteps of Jesus and others, with patience, waiting for the judgment of the Lord. In James 5:12 God commands us to be men and women of integrity with every word we speak. Thanks for joining us as we let God's Spirit transform our actions and reactions through His Word.

Need some lyrics sheets for the songs we'll be singing? Here they are!

Isn't it wonderful that God saves sinners! Isn't it wonderful that God matters in what we do every day! Isn't it wonderful that God cares for those who are weak and powerless! … and isn't that what we need to show to the world around us by what we say and what we do?

Open your Bibles to James 4:11 – 5:7, as we turn away from those actions that tell a false story about God and proclaim instead that God saves, God matters, and God cares. You can also find song lyrics here for the start of the service!

We often think lightly of our following our passions and our own desires, but James takes our halfheartedness to task––showing us how we have become adulteresses in our fights, quarrels, murders and coveting for the things WE want! Will God have us back? And depending on what He does next, how must you and I respond?

Open your Bibles to James 4:1-10 as we find hope in the jealousy and grace of God and humble ourselves before Him. You can also find song lyrics here for the start of the service!

Today we walk through the rest of James 3: on wisdom that is from above, and so-called wisdom that's from below. And as our culture and its perspectives are increasingly polarized and vicious, what a witness we must be for Christ in bringing His wisdom––and the godly character that must go with it! You can find words to our songs here.

• If you would be wise, you'll operate out of meekness––okay with being under the radar.
• If you would be wise, you'll search your heart to rid yourself of bitter jealousy or selfish ambition.
• If you would be wise, you'll desire the good fruit that comes out of wisdom.
• If you would be wise, you'll have a harvest of righteousness for your end goal.

Hope that you had a fantastic Mother's Day! Here's our service from May 10, as we sing together, pray together, and apply God's words to our lives together. Turn to James 3 as you join in on our time of worshiping God as the Carney Free family.

Looking for words to the songs for this morning? They're right here.

Open up your Bibles to James 2:14-26 as we learn about grace and discipleship, faith and works––about what makes the difference between a corpse faith and a real, living, useful faith.

Looking for lyrics? Here you go!

Glad that you could join us for our Sunday morning service on April 26! Break out the Bibles to James 2:1-13 where we examine favoritism in the church. Do we really prefer the rich? Do we even realize it when we do? How can we work on loving all our neighbors as ourselves? (We also go to 1 Corinthians 1:26-31, Matthew 25:31-46, and Micah 6:8 during the service.)

Looking for words to the songs? Here you go.

A month in, and we're still going strong as a church, gathering together to worship the Lord, pray for one another, and attend to God's Word. Pull out your Bibles to James 1:19-27 as we receive, remain in and remember, and respond to what God has to say to us.

We had hoped to do this service from the cross under the Carney water tower, but in God's purposes it simply wasn't meant to be. But we still remember with such thankfulness when Jesus Christ died in our place to take away the sins of all who believe in Him. So glad that you can join us in worshiping God together in our Good Friday service.

He is risen! He is risen indeed!

It was good to worship together as the church on this best Sunday of the year, Easter Sunday––even while we were all spread apart in our homes. Thank you for gathering to worship. And if you're watching this video for the first time, we're so glad you can celebrate the resurrection of our Lord Jesus Christ with us!!

Happy Palm Sunday to all! Here's our service from April 5. The message was from James 1:1-18, teaching us how to go through trials of various kinds. Announcements for the week ahead include:

• Pastor Kit is collecting your pictures for Palm Sunday! Find a palm, put the camera in selfie mode, and share it with Pastor Kit to put up on our Facebook page. Let's celebrate together, even while we're apart!
• Tuesday, April 7, is a day of prayer for the Forest Lakes District. Consider joining us in setting aside this day to seek the Lord during our current crisis.
• Friday, April 10, is Good Friday! Pastor Kit will be sharing a livestream song service on Facebook from the cross by the water tower in Carney, starting at 6pm Central time. Lyrics will be available on our Media page.
• Next Sunday is Easter Sunday! If you are able, please send your Easter videos to Pastor Kit so that we can abundantly share in our celebration of Jesus' resurrection with one another!

Apologies to all for streaming the service on the Pastor's personal Facebook page rather than the church's! But thanks to some teamwork between Laura Strietzel and Troy Meissner, we got the stream shared back on the church's Facebook again. And, of course, it's now here.

Songs that We Sang

• Holy, Holy, Holy! Lord God Almighty!
• Great Is Thy Faithfulness
• Come Lord Jesus (Even So Come)
• I Will Wait for You (Psalm 130)
• My Tribute (To God Be the Glory)

Scripture from the Message

• Proverbs 27:1 – Do not boast about tomorrow …
• Luke 12:19-21 – … so is the one who lays up treasure for himself and is not rich toward God.
• James 4:13-15 – "If the Lord wills, we will live and do this or that."

• Revelation 20 – key passage on the thousand-year reign of Jesus on earth
• 2 Peter 3:8 – … with the Lord one day is as a thousand years …

• Matthew 24:30 – … they will see the Son of Man coming on the clouds of heaven with power and great glory.
• Matthew 25:31 – When the Son of Man comes in his glory, and all the angels with him, then he will sit on his glorious throne …
• Philippians 3:20-21 – the Lord Jesus Christ … will transform our lowly body to be like His glorious body …
• Colossians 3:4 – When Christ … appears, then you also will appear with Him in glory.
• 1 Peter 4:13 – … rejoice insofar as you share Christ's sufferings, that you may also rejoice and be glad when his glory is revealed.

Here's our worship service from Sunday morning, March 22, 2020.

Facebook Livestream