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New Covenant Church
Advance in Intimacy
Thank you for joining us at New Covenant Church! Pastor Stephen Warnock continues in our series, Advance, with the message “Advance in Intimacy.” Join us in person at 9:00am or 10:30am at our North or South Locations, or tune in to our online service at 10:30am. For more information, visit wearencc.com.
Locations & Times
New Covenant Church - South Campus
5621 Farm to Market Rd 2087, Longview, TX 75603, USA
Sunday 9:00 AM
Sunday 10:30 AM
The word for the year is Advance.
Advance - To accelerate growth or progress of. To move forward. To progress in development. To intentionally and aggressively take ground.
Advance - To accelerate growth or progress of. To move forward. To progress in development. To intentionally and aggressively take ground.
We live in a culture that if we are honest it feels hard to find intimacy with Jesus.
You grow in intimacy with Jesus the same way you do in any relationship - by being present. Time spent together. Intentional attention. Honesty and transparency. Being together
You grow in intimacy with Jesus the same way you do in any relationship - by being present. Time spent together. Intentional attention. Honesty and transparency. Being together
You cannot have intimacy without intentionality
What keeps us from intimacy with God?
1. Distance
What creates distance? - Sin and shame.
1. Distance
What creates distance? - Sin and shame.
Sin creates distance. Distance creates distortion. Distortion creates disgrace.
What keeps us from intimacy with God?
1. Distance
What creates distance? - Sin and shame.
2. Distraction
We are addicted to distraction.
1. Distance
What creates distance? - Sin and shame.
2. Distraction
We are addicted to distraction.
Distraction is a plan of the enemy to take your focus off of God or look to another source
If the enemy can’t destroy you, he’ll distract you. He will distract you from time with God, time in the Word, time with His people….time from what really matters in this life.
If the enemy can’t destroy you, he’ll distract you. He will distract you from time with God, time in the Word, time with His people….time from what really matters in this life.
One of the greatest spiritual challenges of this generation isn’t belief in God, but distraction FROM God.
John Mark Comer - "We are distracting ourselves into oblivion….It’s not that we have anything against God, depth, and Spirit, we would like these, it’s just that we are too habitually preoccupied to have any of these show up on our radar. We are more busy than bad, more distracted than nonspiritual, more interested in the movie theater, sports stadium, and shopping mall and the fantasy life they produce in us than we are in church."
John Mark Comer - "We are distracting ourselves into oblivion….It’s not that we have anything against God, depth, and Spirit, we would like these, it’s just that we are too habitually preoccupied to have any of these show up on our radar. We are more busy than bad, more distracted than nonspiritual, more interested in the movie theater, sports stadium, and shopping mall and the fantasy life they produce in us than we are in church."
This is why we intentionally give the first of the year to prayer and fasting. To reset priorities in our life - They are two primary disciplines that develop intimacy in our lives.
- Prayer draws us close to God.
- Fasting distances us from the world.
- Prayer draws us close to God.
- Fasting distances us from the world.
When you fast your spirit gets strong and your flesh gets weak.
When you pray and fast, you feed your spirit and starve your flesh.
When you pray and fast, you feed your spirit and starve your flesh.
The reward of the secret place is intimacy with God.
God doesn’t care about your religious activity, He cares about your heart.
God doesn’t care about your religious activity, He cares about your heart.
2 Practical Focuses for Intimacy with Jesus to Get to His Heart:
1. Focus on remaining not rushing
1. Focus on remaining not rushing
A life of fruitfulness comes from abiding in Jesus. Being WITH Jesus precedes doing FOR Jesus.
2 Practical Focuses for Intimacy with Jesus to Get to His Heart:
1. Focus on remaining not rushing
2. Focus on hearing not having
1. Focus on remaining not rushing
2. Focus on hearing not having
Don’t make your time with God not about getting something from His hand, but from His heart - to get to His heart you have to hear His voice.
The point of prayer is not to get what we want, but to get what HE wants.
What would change in your life in 2026 if you went deeper in your intimacy with God?
Need Prayer?
God cares about every need in your life and knows what you need even before you ask Him for help. At New Covenant, we have prayer partners who are ready to pray for your needs.
https://wearencc.churchcenter.com/people/forms/9017Share Your Story!
Everyone has a story—and yours matters! Whether it’s a moment of life change, a breakthrough, or how God has been moving in your life lately, we’d love to hear it. Your story has the power to encourage others and show how God is working through our church family.
https://wearencc.churchcenter.com/people/forms/781890Upcoming: 21 Days of Prayer + Fasting
January 11th - 31st - 6:30am - 7:15am - both locations. Weekdays only. As we start the Year and look ahead to the rest of the year, join us for 21 Days of Prayer— 21 Days of seeking God together in worship, intercession, and spiritual alignment. Each morning is an invitation to pause, reflect, and believe for what’s ahead.
https://wearencc.com/21-days-of-prayer-fasting/