We are so thankful to Jon Payne, coming to us from Stevens Point as our Forest Lakes District Superintendent, for bringing our message this morning! How do we endure hard times? How do we persevere? Turn with us to 2 Corinthians 4 as we hear the apostle Paul encouraging and strengthening the church in Corinth not to give up!

It's a hard truth that sometimes Christians have pure words and polluted words come out of the same mouth. God's Word addresses our speech aplenty, so we're turning to His wisdom in the book of Proverbs this Sunday to put away the speech-patterns of our sinful hearts and to let our lips lead with love like our Lord Jesus Christ!

Space for sermon notes and study questions for the week ahead can be found in a PDF right here.

We continue to give thanks for those who give to the Lord in financially supporting our church and our ministries. If you'd like to give online, please visit this page.

Loving modern-day Samaritans around us like Jesus is a real challenge. There can be people still harder to love like Jesus: people that Jesus warns us about, even warns us not to become! How do we follow Jesus' footsteps in love and truth when it comes to modern-day Pharisees? We'll walk through several stories of Jesus and His disciples on Sunday to prepare our hearts to love the Pharisees as Jesus loved them.

Space for sermon notes and study questions for the week are available here.

We thank God for how He provides for the financial needs and the ministry opportunities of our church--through you! Thank you for your giving! If you'd like to give online, you can do so on this page.

In Jesus' day, nobody trusted a Samaritan. They'd built up a history, even a legacy, of betrayal, abandonment of God, and even sabotage. Then Jesus meets a Samaritan woman, heals a Samaritan leper, even tells a story about a Good Samaritan! So why did Jesus cut against the grain towards "those people" who were so repugnant in their culture? How did his disciples change to follow His lead? Join us this Sunday as we visit several Scriptures* about the Samaritans to learn to extend trust beyond our tribes.

A PDF with space for sermon notes and with study questions for the week is available here.

Many thanks to those whose partnership in the Lord's work through our church includes financial support! If you'd like to give to the ministries of CEFC online, you can do so at this page.

* If you're looking for Scriptures to study up on, check out 2 Kings 17:21-41, John 8:48, and Luke 9:51-56; then look into John 4:1-40, Luke 17:11-19, and especially Luke 10:25-37.

God's people are FREE! Free, fully, finally, at last! They do what anyone must do in light of such wonderful deliverance: they break out in song! Celebrate with us, let your joy be raised, as we sing through Exodus 15:1-21 to the LORD who is our strength, our song, and our salvation!

A PDF with space for sermon notes and with study questions for reflections will be up here soon!

Many thanks to all whose giving makes it possible for us to gather as a church and to send the Good News into the world! If you'd like to give to CEFC online, please visit this page.

When we turn to Jesus with our lives, we commit to following Him. But what happens when we don't understand why He leads in *this* direction? What about when He leads us into hardship? What about when we feel trapped by our enemies, doubted by those who were following us? Approach the Red Sea with Moses and the people of Israel with us today in Exodus 13:17--14:31; where God leads, He also makes a way!

A PDF for sermon notes and study questions for the week is available here.

Many thanks to those whose giving enables us to continue ministering in and to our community and through our missionaries around the world! If you'd like to give online, you can do so on this page.

Our story turns from the real-time action of God's people in Egypt to God's instructions for days to come: who can keep the Passover, how to celebrate this feast, what to do with the firstborn. Why this? Why here? But then we let God choose what to talk about--and we learn about becoming part of His people, about remembering what He has done for us and before us, and about honoring the sacrifice of His only Son for us. Join us in Exodus 12:43–13:16 as we bring God's ancient Word to modern times for eternal truth!

We learn better when we take notes and when we review what we've heard! You can click here for a PDF with room for sermon notes and with study questions for the week.

Also, we thank God for so many people willing to give financially so that we can continue to meet and minister in our community and beyond through our church. If you are able to support Carney Free Church and want to do so online, please visit this page.

God's last plague on Egypt was one to be remembered--intentionally. We mark down milestone moments in our lives to celebrate somehow from year to year. So why a plague? Why such detail? Come see why the Passover matters so much to God as we read Exodus 11-12 together -- as we continue to celebrate God's power to save!

Study questions for the week and space to write down notes from the message are available by downloading this PDF.

Our church has taken a financial hit this year, but you can make a difference! Many thanks to those who have continued to contribute to our church for our ongoing ministries here and abroad. You can give online by clicking this link.

How hardened can our hearts become? What is the length to which many have gone to show their rebellion against God? Even as ruin and death approach, those who have long hardened their hearts continue to hurt themselves and those close to them in false confessions, controlling compromises, and angry outbursts. May God deliver us from such fates! Join us in Exodus 9:13--10:29, that we might recognize, repent, and run from everything that comes from long-term rejection of God.

A PDF for sermon notes along with sermon questions for the week is available by clicking here.

As our church's General Treasurer Jill Brown said in the service last week, we are so thankful for those who have committed to support our church financially. God calls us to give back to Him out of what He has provided for us, but our church's giving is far behind its budget this year. Would you be willing to give to Carney EFC? You can do so at this page on our site.

As the plagues roll on, God calls attention to His authority over all the earth by separating out and protecting His own people. How do we understand the persecution God's church endures today, worldwide, while still trusting that the Lord knows how to rescue the godly from trials (2 Pet. 2:9)? Walk with us through Exodus 8:20--9:12 as the battle of wills between Pharaoh and the LORD continues!

Taking notes is a great way to lock what we learn into memory; follow-up questions help God's Word abide in our hearts. You can find space for notes and questions for later by clicking here.

We praise God for some recent financial gifts that have given our church a much needed boost! Many thanks to you who give regularly and you who give sacrificially! If you haven't given to the ongoing ministries of our church before, would you consider giving online on our church's giving platform?

Our livestream computer was down this Sunday, so we were unable to record the service! Please pray for us as we seek to get the computer repaired in time for next week -- and thanks to all who made the effort to join us online!

At last! God puts His power on display! Who can stand against Him? … And why does Pharaoh keep hardening His heart? The showdown begins as God brings signs and plagues against Pharaoh and the Egyptians in Exodus 7:9--8:19 this morning. Walk with us as we follow Moses, Pharaoh, and God in this struggle for power, allegiance, and service.

Space for sermon notes and questions to keep thinking on through the week are available right here.

Special thanks to those who regularly give -- and to those who have recently given larger gifts to support our church's ministries this year! You are answering prayers! If you'd like to give online, please visit this page.

Is God still the LORD when the oppressors are winning? Is He still the LORD when God's people are disheartened, discouraged? Is He still the LORD when nobody wants to hear what God has told us to say? Walk with us in Exodus 6:2--7:7 as we walk with Moses and our God, keeping faith in His promises, even before He extends His mighty hand!

Space for sermon notes, and questions to dig deeper through the week, are available in this PDF.

We continue to give thanks to all who support the ministry of our church in prayer, in service, and in finances. If you'd like to give online, please visit this page.

What's your move when God's let the situation go too far? When He promises relief, when He gives you guidance … but then it looks like everything is spiraling out of control? Can we still trust Him … *will* we still trust Him? Sit with us in Exodus 5 as God sets the stage to deliver His people at last, with a mighty hand!

Space for sermon notes and study questions for the week are available on this printable PDF.

Also, we continue to give thanks to those who give to Carney Free Church so we can continue to offer the good news of Jesus Christ to everyone in our area. You can give to our ministry online by clicking here.

Moses has been sent -- but the story doesn't launch into him and Pharaoh yet. Yet we tend to overlook these parts of the Bible to "get on with the story." Does God still have more of His plan to show you? Does God have warnings you need to pay attention to? Does God have people to bring into your life for what He calls you to? Slow down with us to catch the end of Exodus 4 (verses 21-31) -- to be aware of God's plan, to respect His will, and to worship Him for His compassion.

Space for sermon notes and follow-up questions for the week are available right here.

We continue to give thanks to those who are making it possible for us to minister near and far through the church. If you'd like to give online, please visit this page. Thank you!

God interrupted Moses' whole life and called him to His service; how did Moses respond? How do we reply when the Lord demonstrates His power for us and through us? Even though many of us have resisted Him, God patiently persists with us so that we will be instruments for His glory. Join us in Exodus 4:1-20 as Ruth Hryshkanych leads us in music and Troy Meissner teaches us from the Word.

Many thanks to those whose love for God expressed in financial support keeps our ministries going. You can give online by clicking here.

A special note: there will be no livestream on August 8, as we are having our baptism service and church picnic at Lake Lundgren Bible Camp! We would love to see you there at 10 am!

Imagine that God wanted to talk with you tomorrow. What would He say? What would you say? What would it be about? God interrupted Moses' everyday with His holy presence to declare to Moses his role in His powerful plan. Soak in the perfect, commanding, saving heart and plan of God as we read Exodus 3 together this Sunday!

Space for sermon notes and follow-up questions for the week are available here. Will you meditate on God's Word with us this week, in your heart and in your mind?

Thank you so much to all who give to the ongoing ministries of Carney Free. Our giving has dropped down this summer, but as you are able to give, we want to say thank you! You can give online here.

Justice matters: to God, and to us. Taking justice into our own hands … doesn't turn out well for us or for anyone else! Are we looking to humans, to gifted people, for our salvation? Or will we wait on God to use the right people, at the right time, to truly and effectively set things right? Join us in Exodus 2:11-25 as we read Moses' backstory -- and read how we need God to move in us above all!

Space for sermon notes, as well as study questions for the week, are available here.

As always, thank you so much to all who give to the ongoing ministries of Carney Free Church! If you'd like to give online, you can do so here.

How to you keep hope in a hopeless situation? We find God's people faced with this--and the very people that had been overlooked and written off as worthless or inconsequential are the very one God uses to raise up the deliverer of His chosen people. Join us in Exodus 2:1-10, where we find our hope in how God will use His nobodies to bring hope out of nothing!

Space for sermon notes and study questions for the week are available right here.

A continuing THANK YOU to those whose giving to Carney EFC make possible our ministry here, in our area, and around the world! You can give online by going to this page.

Our unity in the gospel pours into our everyday relationships--even for children and parents, even for employees and supervisors! What do relationships in the home look like when Christ unites kids with their moms and dads? How must our work be transformed when the gospel of Jesus rules us first? Turn with us to Ephesians 6:1-9 to see the beautiful harmony God brings about in our daily relationships, to the glory of God.

Sermon notes and study questions for the week are available here.

Many thanks to those who give to support the work of the Lord in our church and through our church! You can give online by clicking here.

This Sunday we follow Paul from mystery to ministry: when we know, we go and we show! God revealed these blessings and purposes to Paul--then He sent Paul to make them known to Gentiles, people who would have no clue that God cared about them until someone went and brought them this good news. What about you? What about the people around you: will they ever know the incredible blessings that God is pouring out for them in Jesus Christ if we just talk among ourselves without going to them? Join us in Ephesians 3:1-13 as God fills up our hearts to overflow to people around us!

Space for sermon notes and follow-up questions for the week are available here. Many thanks to those willing to give to sustain the ongoing ministries of Carney EFC! You can give online on this page.

The peace across boundaries of ethnicities and race, of the churched and the unchurched, that God has made possible in Christ is unlike any other! And what God has accomplished and proclaims, His people in the church must now bring to life. Join us in Ephesians 2:11-22 as we not only proclaim the peace made by Christ at the cross but live it out together.

Sermon notes and application questions are available here. Also, thanks to those of you who give so that we can minister both near and far! To give online, click on this link.

When Paul describes what it's like to be saved, He keeps pointing to the immeasurable greatness of God's power towards us who believe -- that is, he points to God's grace. As we read Ephesians 2:1-10 today, we'll let Paul bring our blurred ideas about salvation back into focus. Thanks for joining us!

Sermon notes and study questions are available right here. Also, thanks to everyone who gives to support the ongoing ministries of CEFC! You can give online by clicking here.

When we believe the gospel, it shows in our faith in Jesus and our love for His people! And God seals us with His Holy Spirit … so what does that mean? What is the Holy Spirit like, and what does His presence with us mean for us? Turn to Ephesians 1:15-23 as we learn about and live out our triune God's active work in every believer!

Sermon notes and study questions are available right here. Also, many thanks to all who give to the ongoing ministries of CEFC! If you'd like to give online, you can do so here.

"Blessed be the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, Who has blessed us in Christ with every spiritual blessing in the heavenly places …" So begins one of the longest sentences of the Bible, Paul's exuberant praise that delights in what God has done to save us! Join us in Ephesians 1:1-14 this morning as we shake off our ho-hum attitudes about being saved to rejoice in our salvation--"to the praise of His glory"!

You can find follow-up questions for the week and space for sermon notes right here. Also, thanks to everyone who gives to the ongoing ministries of Carney Free Church! If you'd like to give online, you can do so on this page.

Happy Easter, everyone! It is wonderful to celebrate that God raised Jesus from the dead for our salvation, for our assurance of eternal life! The message from Micah 7:8-20 will be shorter, but you can find space for sermon notes and questions to dig deeper during the week right here.

Also, many thanks to all who contribute to the ongoing ministries of Carney Free Church -- and to those whom we are able to support and send near and far around the world! You can give online on this page.

Happy Palm Sunday! We celebrate the King Who comes to save … and we recognize what He has come to save us from. Micah points to the fame and success we so often seek at the cost of our souls -- and then points forward to the One Who set aside His glory to save our souls instead. Join us in Micah 6:9 through 7:7 as we fix our hope on God yet again.

"What does the LORD require of you but to do justice, and to love kindness, and to walk humbly with your God?" Join us in Micah 6:1-8 as we remember how He has saved us, made us His people, and called us to live for Him.

Sermon notes and questions to go further are available here. We plan to post the video from our service here on Monday, but you can go there anytime after 10am on Sunday with this link.

Also, thanks to all who give to support the ministry of Carney Free Church! You can give online at this page.

Tucked away in Micah's words to 8th-century Judah are promises about Jesus: the Shepherd-King, born in Bethlehem, to rescue, redeem, and lead His people. How is it that these words from so far away would mean so much to us? Only through the perfect plan of our God! Join us in Micah 4:8 through chapter 5 as we look together to our Shepherd and King.

To find space for sermon notes and questions to live out the Word this week, you can print off this PDF.

Thanks to all who generously give so that we can minister in our community, online, and around the world! You can give online by following this link.

How much does God care about what's just? And what does a just world look like to Him, the source of all that is just and righteous? As we read Micah 3:1 through 4:7, we see a God Who cares to punish injustice and Who restores a just society in all its life-giving hope and glory.

A page for sermon notes and with questions to live out the Word is available here.

Also, thanks to those who give so that we can continue our ministry in Carney and to the world! If you'd like to give online, you can do so here.

Should pastors rock the boat and call out sin? God is full of blessing and love--so why disturb the peace by going after "respectable" sins? Turn with us to Micah 2 to see why turning a blind eye to sin among God's people is a Titanic problem in the church.

Space for sermon notes and a collection of follow-up questions are available here. Also, many thanks to those who give to the church to make our local ministry possible! You can give online over here.

Many thanks to Don Anderson and his team for leading our worship in song, and to Pastor Lonnie Wilson for leading our worship in the Word! We look forward to seeing you again in person next Sunday, February 28.

Hello, and Happy Valentines Day! We're glad you can join us online as we sing songs of God's great love for us and as we listen closely to God's Word through the book of Ephesians. Many thanks to Ruth Hryshkanych and her music team for leading our worship of God in song, and further thanks to Don Anderson, Mike Brown, and Tim Johnson for reading Scripture for us in our time together. Thanks also to our AV team––Gerry Guard, Brian Kuntze, Kevin Strietzel, and Laura Strietzel––for making this available to us online!

Many Christians know that God's storing up judgment for those who are far away from Him: people worshiping false gods, or rebelliously enslaved to their own lusts. But when God warns us that He's winding up to judge His own people, we find ourselves shocked! Appalled! Why does judgment start with the house of God? And how are we, evangelicals, "Good News" people, to incorporate lament and repentance when we realize that we have slid and been stuck in sin? Turn in your Bible to Micah 1, where we'll make a long-neglected visit to a dustier part of many Bibles.

You can find space to write sermon notes and questions to help you live out the Word on this handout.

Thanks to all who give to support the weekly needs of the church in ministry! You can give online by going to this page.

We measure what we treasure. What happens when God's people treasure their own numbers more than or instead of their God? Join us in 2 Samuel 24 to read through David's last story of the census, the plague, and the sacrifice--and to find how to break free of our idolatry of numbers.

Sermon notes and digging deeper questions are available here.

Thanks again to all those who give generously so that our church can minister in Carney and beyond. To give online, please go to carneyfreechurch.org/give.

The blessing of a godly and just leader brings the fresh and living confidence and hope of the sun rising on a cloudless morning, the rain that nourishes the grass and the fields! And these leaders are blessed by those who serve them with faithfulness, bravery, and courage. Join us in 2 Samuel 23 as we ask––how are we praying for our leadership, in our churches, our businesses, our families, and our government? And are we jumping in as the courageous people who serve faithfully behind them?

Sermon notes and study questions for the week are available here!

We're diving into 2 Samuel 22 this Sunday--a huge song of praise to the God Who delivers us from our enemies! The worship we witness comes from a heart that knows it's been powerfully saved from evil forces it couldn't handle on its own. Those who are saved from much, worship much! So glad you can join us as we celebrate in the worship of God.

Study questions and sermon notes are available here.

Again, thanks to all who give so that our church can minister in our community and support those who minister around the world. You can give online here.

We find two reminders as we read 2 Samuel 21 together: don't lose sight of the terrible end of the wicked, and don't forget the heroes who have been out of the spotlight. We will lose our focus of both warning and rewards if we neglect to look back and learn!

Sermon notes and study questions for the week are available by clicking here.

Also, many thanks to all who give to the ongoing ministries of Carney EFC. If you'd like to give online, you can do so by clicking here.

Most of us have rarely been so eager to begin a new year! But how would we react if the new year gets tainted by the old, one bad situation complicated by another, and another? As we turn to 2 Samuel 20, may God give us the wisdom, peace, and faithfulness of the unnamed wise woman at Abel to deescalate the craziness and to offer righteousness and peace to those around us.

Wish you had a guide to go deeper with what you've heard and apply it to your week? Grab our Digging Deeper questions and sermon notes right here.

Also, a huge thanks to those whose giving enabled us to minister throughout this past year. If you'd like to help kick off our new year financially, consider giving at carneyfreechurch.org/give.

When David's kingdom was broken, he moved ahead to restore it, heal it, and bring peace even to his enemies. This is the way of God's kingdom--far from the kingdoms and the wisdom of this world! Turn with us to 2 Samuel 19:9-43 to follow in the steps of David, and of the Son of David, to find healing and peace with Him and offer it to others.

Sermon notes and study questions are available here.

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.

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!!

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.

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.

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