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LOVE, A Holy Command – Oswald Chambers FROM: He Shall Glorify Me The reason the desert came is that man ate of the fruit of the tree of knowledge of good and evil. God placed the tree in the garden, but He did not intend that man should eat of its fruit; He intended man to know evil only by contrast with good as Our Lord did. The man who knows good by contrast with evil shall find life a desolating desert. When the cosmic order of earth and the moral nature of man are in touch with God, the order of the earth is beauty, and the order of human life is love. Immediately a man gets out of touch with God, he finds the basis of things is not beauty and love, but chaos and wrath. – Oswald Chambers He must be a GOD of CONTRASTS. Selah.

3 “You said, ‘Who is this that belittles my advice without having any knowledge about it?’ Yes, I have stated things I didn’t understand, things too mysterious for me to know. 4 “You said, ‘Listen now, and I will speak. I will ask you, and you will teach me.’ 5 I had heard about you with my own ears, but now I have seen you with my own eyes. 6 That is why I take back what I said, and I sit in dust and ashes to show that I am sorry.” ~ JOB 40,41, & 42 [42:3-6] (GWT) ~ Job was a righteous man. Job was a faithful man. But even the righteous and faithful in their distress, have moments of careless wonder and doubt. The response of God, which may sound more like a cold and stern words, is sweet to the soul. After all His pleas to God for understanding in what seems to be unjust, God takes Job through a “Refresher Course” of Who He really is, and who Job really is. And at the end of this Refresher Course, Job, who humbles himself before the Lord, is restored. God never ceases to be a just and loving God—always acquainted with our grief and suffering, and never lacking in wisdom and complete Sovereignty over all.

Father, there are days in which my focus is like a honed laser. There are other days when my mind is a whirl with all sorts of distractions and tasks. I think this morning is such a morning. That said, I PAUSE. Those things are not life. YOU ARE LIFE! You are my Breath. I focus on this breath and breathing that is COMMUNION LIVING. Everything else gets properly ordered and prioritized as You hold and shape my heart’s position and posture. Rescue me, Jesus! Rescue me from myself. Clean out my eyes from the matter and debris of self and this world. Spirit, let me see, hear, touch, taste, and even waft the sweet aroma of Jesus this day, and likewise, be that to my Savior as well.

LOVE, A Holy Command – Oswald Chambers FROM: If Thou Wilt Be Perfect The majority of us have a bloodless idea, an impersonal, ethereal, vague abstraction, called “love to God.” Jesus mentions relationships of the closest, most personal, most passionate order, and says that our love for Him must be closer and more personal than any of those [“father, mother, wife/husband, children, brothers, sisters, and their own life”] (Luke 14:26). – Oswald Chambers This is how a real disciple loves. Is my love for Jesus greater than these?

1 Then the LORD answered Job out of the storm. 2 “Who is this that belittles my advice with words that do not show any knowledge about it? 3 Brace yourself like a man! I will ask you, and you will teach me. ~ JOB 37, 38, 39 [38:1-3] (GWT) ~ When the LORD God speaks to “set the record straight,” not even the righteous must be brought low-er. To His great and unspeakable wisdom, the righteous and certainly the foolish can give a perfect account. And there may be a strategy here, too…as so there is no misunderstanding as to how much a man needs redemption and restoration, let’s measure him (and all) up against The One Who is getting ready to be his saving-restorer.

Father of Life and Light, I stand blessed this day, as every day I’ve drawn a breath on this planet—in this universe. It does not matter if I account for the days of old, present, our future. It does not matter as to the circumstances that surround me. Even in times of tragedy…I am blessed, though the pain of my heart would say otherwise. You are the God Who is higher and greater than my circumstances. You run deeper than my deepest emotions for anyone or anything on this earth. There is this “soul-place,” which is a place of either turmoil or peace (sometimes a little of both). It is created and seeks to be at perfect peace in You—no matter the outward factors. “There is a place of quiet rest, near to the heart of God…”

This SUNDAY, JULY 23rd, from Noon to 4:00 pm, TRIBE-rs get your wheels greased! You will be lunching and rolling at Sk8Way Roller Rink. Pastor Ben has all the information you need.

THE QUEST continues! Ladies, we hope you will be in attendance for the next and final two sessions on Monday evenings at 6:00 pm, in the Family Life Center.

Next Sunday, June 30th, is a big day at NCC as we will be taking up our quarterly offering for the CHILDREN'S GOSPEL CLUBS of India Gospel League, and we will be having a SOUP-&-SALAD immediately following the service. Please plan on staying and having some great food and even better fellowship.

DON'T FORGET...Saturday, July 6th, from 10:00 am to Noon, we will be meeting at CARING PARTNERS INTERNATIONAL for our monthly Outreach Day. They are located in the Business Park off State Hwy. 123, at 601 Shotwell Dr., Franklin. CPI are long-time partners with New Covenant.

New Covenant KID'S (and their parents)...You are invited to join us for a Family Swim at the Hoffer's home located at 312 Kenec Dr., in Middletown, on FRIDAY, JULY 12th, for swimming and a cookout. See Pastor Brooke for details. More to come.

TRIBE STUDENTS...Saturday, July 13th, at 3:00 pm, you will be meeting at the Brock's for an afternoon of swimming and fun. See Pastor Ben or Brooke for more info.

You scream, I scream, they scream, we're all screaming until ICE sCREAM will be the only thing that can sooth our sore throats. That said...SUNDAY, JULY 14th, at 6:00 pm, we will be having an ICE CREAM CHILLER. Bring your favorite ice cream (enough to share), and we'll supply the toppings.

More is coming about this fun and amazing event! The cost is only $10 per-person. Mark your calendars for Saturday, September 28th, from 9:00 am to Noon.

Some really surprising and awesome things are happening with the re-do of our sanctuary. The design team is excited about the changes and believe you are going to enjoy what is being done. We cant wait for THE REVEAL!

LOVE, A Holy Command – Oswald Chambers FROM: He Shall Glorify Me It is not faith to believe that God is making things work together for good unless we are up against things that are ostensibly working for bad. God’s order does come in the haphazard, but only to those who love God. The only way in which God’s order is recognized in our lives is by being what Jesus calls “born from above.” God’s order comes to us in the ordinary haphazard circumstances of life, and when we are in touch with Him, the sacrament of His presence comes in the common elements of Nature and ordinary people. – Oswald Chambers Oh’ what we see and how we see it, when we are “born from above.” It isn’t an event, but a lifestyle that is progressive in BECOMING more like Christ. The “ordinary” and the “haphazard” of life has powerful significance and purpose in our lives…and we come to recognize and revel in it.

7 He doesn’t take his eyes off righteous people. He seats them on thrones with kings to honor them forever. 8 However, if righteous people are bound in chains and tangled in ropes of misery, 9 he tells them what they’ve done wrong and that they’ve behaved arrogantly. 10 He makes them listen to his warning and orders them to turn away from wrong. ~ JOB 36 (GWT) ~ Out of the context of this conversation, we might think we were reading a Proverb. It sounds “biblical.” It appears to be “truth-like.” But what happens when biblical platitudes and unsubstantiated theories are being offered to you as “wise-counsel,” and their results are not what is promised? What happens when truly, the right path is followed—the heart is pure, yet the heavens are shut up? The Word seems contradictory, hollow, hurtful, un-just, and irrelevant to what we experience at times. It is in those times that we have nothing but the silence of God upon which to fall. We wait. It could be rightly said that the Book of Job has many themes. One that sticks out to me, besides the “faithfulness of Job” is, “Sometimes it’s best to keep your mouth shut.” There are moments (some prolonged) when the wisest counsel that can be given to a friend is simply to cry with them and embrace them tightly. No words. Another theme which is obviously evident: God hears. God knows. God will lovingly respond.

You are good in every way. Father, I reflect this morning… Whether I have been following You, was unaware of the Cross, or was running from You and the love you are—it doesn’t matter, You have been there all the while. Of course, it most certainly matters that I am aware of, and following You, but the heart that You have for us—Your “created image ones,” is faithfully proven by the intensity of Your pursuit. In times before I knew of You, I see Your love for me. In the times that I denied You and ran from You, I see Your love for me. In these times of sweet embrace, I see clearly and in retrospect, Your love for me. This is Who You are. This is what You do. I reflect upon these seasons this morning and I PRAISE You. I thank You for this unspeakable passion You are, and the consistency of Fatherhood You have shown to me. You are rightly to be praised.

LOVE, A Holy Command – Oswald Chambers FROM: Our Portrait in Genesis The nature of love is to give, not to receive. – Oswald Chambers Enough said.

14 Although you say that you pay attention to him, your case is in front of him, but you’ll have to wait for him. ~ JOB 35 (GWT) ~ FATAL MISTAKE #973: Pain and suffering does not always equate into wisdom gained. But the righteous do wait upon the LORD in their pain and suffering. They have questions. They feel the sting, devastating pain, and dark loneliness. They agonize in the fog of voices screaming in their soul to “give up,” “deny hope,” “forsake your faith.” Job was a man in such a process. He was finding and gripping hold of the handles. In time and in the faithful waiting—the faithful but painful waiting, there will come the restoration. Job is learning this. Elihu can only imagine. Real wisdom by one of these will be gained.

If you weren't with us on Sunday, you missed our TRIBE Students who did the first ever installment of video announcements. OUTSTANDING JOB, TRIBE! Take a look...

Beautiful Spring day at New Covenant, beautiful people, and this is what it sounds like...Pulse Percussion! “Please Don’t Go...”

Come to the table...

All day long and well into the night these young people do this...a red-eye flight from the west coast, little to no sleep, and across three time zones...IMPRESSIVE and INSPIRING = Pulse Percussion Ensemble.

What we do each year, the second week of April at New Covenant...Epic Pulse!

The pit is hard at work!

Cymbals working it!

Thanks volunteers !! You were all a blessing.

Ladies and gentlemen, I assure you, this video clip does not even begin to do justice for this year's performance of "Unguarded" by PULSE PERCUSSION. This year's schedule with us has been altered just a little. They will not be with us on Saturday, their sister company, POW Percussion will be however. Tonight (Wednesday), tommorrow afternoon, and on Friday morning, they will be rehearsing and doing "run throughs" of their incredible program. DON'T MISS IT!

MY APOLOGIES...NCC faimily, I didn't get this out in a timely fashion, but I wanted to post this video of our friends from ARCADIA High School, in Los Angeles. They were with us last week for the 2018 WGI Color Guard Championships. And while they did not place in the final round, we are proud of the hard work they do, and are thankful that this is third year we've been able to host them. God Bless, ARCADIA AZTECS! Some incredible talent.