Comments for Pastor Ron's Blog http://gcclewistown.com/Blog Welcome to Grace Covenant Church's Pastor Blog Wed, 28 Jul 2010 13:02:47 -0400 http://wordpress.org/?v=2.8 hourly 1 Comment on Going to War by Randal Winrich http://gcclewistown.com/Blog/?p=20&cpage=1#comment-138 Randal Winrich Wed, 28 Jul 2010 13:02:47 +0000 http://gcclewistown.com/Blog/?p=20#comment-138 I always love reading articles and truly enjoyed yours! I always love reading articles and truly enjoyed yours!

]]> Comment on Going to War by Brook Stewart http://gcclewistown.com/Blog/?p=20&cpage=1#comment-137 Brook Stewart Tue, 27 Jul 2010 23:21:43 +0000 http://gcclewistown.com/Blog/?p=20#comment-137 Great post. I want to be "In On IT" as well. Lord keep us sensitive to your leading. Remind us that serving is the best opportunity to proclaim Your Name in all the earth. Thanks for the reminder Ron Great post. I want to be “In On IT” as well. Lord keep us sensitive to your leading. Remind us that serving is the best opportunity to proclaim Your Name in all the earth. Thanks for the reminder Ron

]]> Comment on Goldilocks Syndrome by Kathy S. http://gcclewistown.com/Blog/?p=17&cpage=1#comment-118 Kathy S. Sat, 17 Jul 2010 12:42:02 +0000 http://gcclewistown.com/Blog/?p=17#comment-118 Thanks, Pastor. Keep sharing your God thoughts with us. Thanks, Pastor. Keep sharing your God thoughts with us.

]]> Comment on Goldilocks Syndrome by Sharon W http://gcclewistown.com/Blog/?p=17&cpage=1#comment-67 Sharon W Fri, 28 May 2010 16:26:19 +0000 http://gcclewistown.com/Blog/?p=17#comment-67 This is good. I don't know why it took me so long to notice that you'd written another blog. Keep it up. Your journaled thoughts are worth pondering and applying for the cure. This is good. I don’t know why it took me so long to notice that you’d written another blog. Keep it up. Your journaled thoughts are worth pondering and applying for the cure.

]]> Comment on Don’t Get Fooled by Sharon http://gcclewistown.com/Blog/?p=11&cpage=1#comment-12 Sharon Fri, 19 Feb 2010 03:12:46 +0000 http://gcclewistown.com/Blog/?p=11#comment-12 This a hard word, but so true. We can so easily be fooled. But God has made us to be trusting. It is hard to stay that way when we experience deceit, manipulation and other difficult situations. God heal us. Keep us from turning into the same. I like the Psalm at the end. It is an appropriate conclusion. This a hard word, but so true. We can so easily be fooled. But God has made us to be trusting. It is hard to stay that way when we experience deceit, manipulation and other difficult situations. God heal us. Keep us from turning into the same.
I like the Psalm at the end. It is an appropriate conclusion.

]]> Comment on Don’t Get Fooled by Kathy S. http://gcclewistown.com/Blog/?p=11&cpage=1#comment-11 Kathy S. Thu, 18 Feb 2010 20:49:22 +0000 http://gcclewistown.com/Blog/?p=11#comment-11 Thanks, Pastor Ron, for reminding us to watch out for self deception - yes it is sinister! So glad that God has made a way - the WAY! Thanks, Pastor Ron, for reminding us to watch out for self deception – yes it is sinister! So glad that God has made a way – the WAY!

]]> Comment on Spiritual Revolution by Kathy S. http://gcclewistown.com/Blog/?p=1&cpage=1#comment-9 Kathy S. Wed, 30 Dec 2009 22:29:06 +0000 http://gcclewistown.com/Blog/?p=1#comment-9 I just heard a quote today 'freedom is not so you can do what you want, but to do what you ought' Thank you, Pastor Ronny, for reminding us of who we are and our Christ bought freedom! I just heard a quote today ‘freedom is not so you can do what you want, but
to do what you ought’
Thank you, Pastor Ronny, for reminding us of who we are and our Christ bought freedom!

]]> Comment on Spiritual Revolution by Brook Stewart Pepple http://gcclewistown.com/Blog/?p=1&cpage=1#comment-8 Brook Stewart Pepple Fri, 20 Nov 2009 11:16:37 +0000 http://gcclewistown.com/Blog/?p=1#comment-8 I read this every so often just as reminder to myself to follow hard after God and not to "lean on my own understanding". I know this blog talks about freedom and boundaries, but I was thinking how well last Sunday's sermon related (concerning the issue of pride), in regard to everything "being permissible" these days. We do not say NO to ourselves or to our children. We accept unacceptable behaviors (such as gossip, slander, swearing, drunkenness, lying and taking our Lord's name in vain) from our spouses, children, friends and relatives. To speak up or out might be embarrassing to us or to them and they might accuse us of being intolerant. And I believe that Pride is at the Root of it all. We are afraid our egos might get damaged. We are more concerned about what "they" think about us than what God thinks about us. James 4 verse 6 tells us what God thinks about us when we choose to act out of pride and protect our egos: But he gives us more grace. That is why Scripture says: "God opposes the proud but gives grace to the humble." (NIV) Pastor David Jeremiah said the word EGO was an acronym for "Edging God Out". I thought that was good, because when we (and I am including myself) start worrying about our egos and our pride, God and His Kingdom work becomes secondary in our lives. When we say Yes to the flesh or the carnal nature, which is where the Ego and Pride reside, we are almost always saying No to God; “Edging God Out”. Each time we make that wrong choice it is easier to do the next time, because our pride becomes more puffed up and our ego is emboldened. You said it well on Sunday; we must lay an axe to that root of pride in our lives to allow God to work through us and to fulfill His desires for our lives. To experience everything that Christ died to give us we must repent for the choices we have made in catering to our egos and ask for forgiveness. We must ask God to remove that root of pride from our lives and to purge all the people, places or things that keep Him from having first place in our hearts. Not our will Lord, but yours. Let that be our prayer. "Humble yourselves before the Lord, and he will exalt you."(James 4:10 ESV) To be exalted by God, who could ask for anything greater than this? I read this every so often just as reminder to myself to follow hard after God and not to “lean on my own understanding”. I know this blog talks about freedom and boundaries, but I was thinking how well last Sunday’s sermon related (concerning the issue of pride), in regard to everything “being permissible” these days. We do not say NO to ourselves or to our children. We accept unacceptable behaviors (such as gossip, slander, swearing, drunkenness, lying and taking our Lord’s name in vain) from our spouses, children, friends and relatives. To speak up or out might be embarrassing to us or to them and they might accuse us of being intolerant. And I believe that Pride is at the Root of it all. We are afraid our egos might get damaged. We are more concerned about what “they” think about us than what God thinks about us. James 4 verse 6 tells us what God thinks about us when we choose to act out of pride and protect our egos:
But he gives us more grace. That is why Scripture says:
“God opposes the proud
but gives grace to the humble.” (NIV)

Pastor David Jeremiah said the word EGO was an acronym for “Edging God Out”. I thought that was good, because when we (and I am including myself) start worrying about our egos and our pride, God and His Kingdom work becomes secondary in our lives. When we say Yes to the flesh or the carnal nature, which is where the Ego and Pride reside, we are almost always saying No to God; “Edging God Out”. Each time we make that wrong choice it is easier to do the next time, because our pride becomes more puffed up and our ego is emboldened.

You said it well on Sunday; we must lay an axe to that root of pride in our lives to allow God to work through us and to fulfill His desires for our lives. To experience everything that Christ died to give us we must repent for the choices we have made in catering to our egos and ask for forgiveness. We must ask God to remove that root of pride from our lives and to purge all the people, places or things that keep Him from having first place in our hearts. Not our will Lord, but yours. Let that be our prayer.

“Humble yourselves before the Lord, and he will exalt you.”(James 4:10 ESV) To be exalted by God, who could ask for anything greater than this?

]]> Comment on Spiritual Revolution by Tim Leister http://gcclewistown.com/Blog/?p=1&cpage=1#comment-6 Tim Leister Thu, 13 Aug 2009 00:47:54 +0000 http://gcclewistown.com/Blog/?p=1#comment-6 This is really good Ronny. The fence analogy is really something. I'm really liking your blogs, they're a great way to reach out and further the Kingdom. Nice to see that it's not just us journalism people that like to write :). Take care brother. This is a great tool for me to be able to stay up with the church and get to hear (and read) some good words! This is really good Ronny. The fence analogy is really something. I’m really liking your blogs, they’re a great way to reach out and further the Kingdom. Nice to see that it’s not just us journalism people that like to write :) . Take care brother. This is a great tool for me to be able to stay up with the church and get to hear (and read) some good words!

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