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| Pastor Ron Falcone's blog |
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| I am so overjoyed with the honor to be able to return to Africa and once again be a vessel for Gods mercy and grace. The newsletter turned out spectacular, the web page link is great, and the blessing of my two great friends joining me is the crowning glory. For anyone reading this who has not visited the link you can go to www.livingfountain.net/africa to see or drop me an email and I will send you the newsletter via email attachment. I know it means a lot of sacrifice in way of finances, time away from work and family, physical challenges, and spiritual warfare, but I cannot shake the desire to go or even what great pleasures await in seeing those whom I had the great honor to be bonded to in love last year. Please keep us in prayer now and thru the trip on November 26th to December 9th as we desire Gods perfect will and favor. Thank you in advance for your prayers and support.
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How does He do it?
How does He love when we fail to love back?
How does He give when we simply keep taking?
How does He forgive when we hold onto grudges and wrongs done?
How does He stand by us when we abandon Him because things are not as we feel they should be?
How does He remain unwavering when we buckle under the slightest pressure of doubt, fear, addiction, lust, or low self esteem?
How does He see in us hope when we only find fault and flaw?
How does He remain the course when we abandon the journey when it seem to be going on too long?
How does He remain faithful when we choose the things of this world over Him?
How does He move beyond hurt and casualties when we seem to alter our course because of them?
How does He keep the vision alive and unaltered when we change, rearrange, or blur out of discomfort?
How does He stay loyal to family when we pull away for so called self preservation?
How does He deal with the neglect when we use it to get out of our responsibilities?
How does He still call us His own when we are more focused on the needs of the flesh over the spirit and only consider ourselves as an unwanted step child?
How does He remain with arms open wide when we walk past to get the latest and greatest?
How does He see past the sin and short comings when we deny our own and point fingers at others?
How does He do it?
It would seem as of late that as the challenges of life increase with intensity, the true man is exposed, no matter what the outer shell, covering, facade, or whatever you choose to call it portrays.
Lately, I have been forced to come to grips with many personal character flaws to great despair and disappointment, but in my drive to stay afloat I have come to the realization of not only my own short comings, but those that God must see in us all.
Casualties are some times part of the journey along with sacrifice, but we usually try to avoid those possibilities and put safety checks in place to warn of danger so we can deviate from it.
But what if it is the course you are intended to travel? What if you are truly supposed to continue to go down that road where you see the sign posted "Danger Ahead"? We have this image that only missionaries are called to places of risk and danger, but that is where we miss it.
"Let the dead bury their own", "Pick up your cross and follow Me" are more than just grand words for the disciples of old, but a call to all who would believe and lay down their nets, step out of the boat, risk offending a friend or family member, and following after that which Christ has called you.
Catch phrases that we simply repeat or adapt such as "Bigger is better"
"If it ain't broke don't fix it" and "know when to hold 'em and know when to fold 'em", have all surfaced in different applications for me recently and I must choose the promises of God over them all.
"He will never leave nor forsake you", "His love endures forever", and "He is the Lord and will reign forever"
Oh by the way! If you answered the question above with the statement that "He is God, thats How!"
Well, then if you really believe that, why are you not living like it???
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| I remember before I got saved how I would argue my reason for not going to church yet still insisted on believing in God. I would tell people that the word of God and prayer were the standard of measure, and that God was everywhere so advice from others, or singing songs, and even words from Pastor's simply served as filler for what I could do, hear or find on my own. From that I began to over scrutinize and close my ears to most if not all who spoke, unless I was in the mood to hear it, and even then it must line up with the scripture "I" fit around it. So often I missed the directions given from that talking mule, or failed to see the writing on the wall because I was trying to pin things down to absolutes. I wish I could go back and undo those moments of ignorance that existed because I allowed my upbringing to dictate what the spirit was trying to tear down, so that the new creature Christ was calling me to be, would have a chance to break forth. It took a long time and many missed blessings, along with damaged relationships that were there to garner strength and sharpen. Now I stand in the presence of some who seem to be in a similar place. Some are servants of the Lord, but on their terms of understanding, then others who just do not know what to believe or who to trust. So I stand willing to help, hurt with, guide, listen, or simply hug, and yet I find I must be standing invisible. I am looked right through, stepped around, and just flat out left out. Oh that God would give them the strength to reach out, the trust to speak, and the desire to move beyond what they know to be self inflicted stress. May God break generational curses and inspire a faith walk were we can be free to trust again in the mysteries of God that are not spelled out word for word in scripture, yet you will find throughout each chapter of each book. Who stands before you to help, and when will you look into the spirit and see them?
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| On Friday I had the wonderful joy of spending the day with my wife and two boys at "A Day with Thomas the Tank Engine", along with thousands of others of course! But in the experience I saw several things that remind me of not only me but others in the Christian walk. For the kids the excitement was unheralded as they got closer to the train yard and the number of signs and posters increased with the assurance that soon you would be near to Thomas, and with that the unbridled energy began to break forth in wiggles and screams to get them to Thomas. After we parked and passed through the gates, it was a surge of driven desire that somehow made even the smallest body seem to posses great strength. As the time progressed and we fluttered from tent to tent and interest to interest, I noticed that the greater goal was no longer to be where the initial excitement stemmed from, rather, it was the fun things along the way. Once removed from each area and the new explored, it was as though the previous never existed. Even the ride on the mighty Thomas was anticlimactic as there were so many distractions all around that seemed to promise so much more. Good fun was had. excess money was spent, toys are added to the multitude, and mommy and daddy survived, it was a good day. Grandma got an ear full of all the happenings and expressed great joy that they had a wonderful day and this made it all seem worth it. Now, as you read did you see the parallels to our Christian walk? When we first get saved, the excitement is pulsing through our veins and we want to so much to save the world. And for many who actually get involved and start into some form of ministry, i.e. Sunday school, ushering, clean-up, etc..... you begin to feel accomplished and desire more. But during the process you simply want more and not necessarily for the right reason. You bounce from ministry to ministry, or church to church seeking to fill what you have justified as a desire to get deeper in serving God, but for many is simply a distraction by the enemy to take away your focus. Oh the things you get into may not be bad, in fact they may be terrific and set up by God, but not for you to be part of in your state of heart. Never looking back to see what you have gained from each thing, you plow your way forward as though you may be missing something, until it is more about the way it makes you feel rather than what the purpose is. Sometimes pulling others along who are trying to help or keep you from harm, and throwing a fit if they intercede in your intentions. It's time to ease up and regroup. God knows what and where you want and where you need to be. Trust in Him to plan out your agenda and then learn to take in the sights, sounds, and experiences along the way so that you might share with others and perhaps bring them joy. Being driven is not always bad, but when it can lead you past the intended target, than let others help you get back on track and all will find the joy intended by our Father in heaven who delights in our joys.
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| There are times when but a single word can have the impact of thousands. Sunday was such a day, that my spirit had been hurting for several days from something in my heart and I simply could not put a handle on it. There are some things which can be said and even more that cannot, so rather than mince, confuse, jumble, or otherwise mess-up, I must simply work through it with God. I do not recall all the scriptures that were spoken on Sunday morning, nor even recall the majority of what was said, but I do recall saying that I did not have the joy to teach my sermon that day and that if you are going to give, you should do so with joy. I must say that it has never really happened where I did not have the joy to teach. I walked up front with every intention of doing just that and simply putting on a happy face, but it was not to be had. It was as though I was put on pause. I am truly sorry to all for any confusion I caused and the absence of an explanation didn't help, but as I am trying to sort through my own emotions, be assured that I will do my best not to let it happen again. I try very hard to consider all in every decision, but it is really an impossible and painful task. Yet in the wake of that there is often things that arise and someone feels overlooked. This does not justify or forsake what will be done, rather, it serves as a reminder to put God first and His greater good. My heart grieves yet I cannot fully grasp the reasoning, other than that which I cannot say for very reason of being misunderstood. But in it all I will work to see Gods hand at work, I will live on the premise of Phil 4:13 and believe the "I can do all things through Christ Jesus who strengthens me", and seek to find resolution in His arms of love.
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