Grace and peace be multiplied to you through the knowledge of God our Father and Jesus Christ. You have reached day six (6). Well done! You are almost at the finish line of your journey. You are nearly done with this seven-day adventure. “You have only one wake-up left.” Congratulations! You’re on your way to a marvelous 2025. One of the benefits of seeking the Kingdom of God first is that God blesses obedience. God blesses that obedience because you “seek first his kingdom and his righteousness” (NIV). Today, I wanted to share some of the blessings God has in store for those who seek His Kingdom first. Sometimes, it’s good to let the Word of God speak for itself without commentary. So today, I want to share Psalm 1 with you seekers of God’s Kingdom. I will present it in the NIV (New International Version) because many conservative scholars use it in contemporary English. Then, I will share The Message (a paraphrase Bible by Eugene Peterson). While not a scholarly rendering, it is often very descriptive. Enjoy.
NIV (New International Version)
Psa. 1:1 ¶ Blessed is the one
who does not walk in step with the wicked
or stand in the way that sinners take
or sit in the company of mockers,
Psa. 1:2 but whose delight is in the law of the LORD,
and who meditates on his law day and night.
Psa. 1:3 That person is like a tree planted by streams of water,
which yields its fruit in season
and whose leaf does not wither—
whatever they do prospers.
Psa. 1:4 Not so the wicked!
They are like chaff
that the wind blows away.
Psa. 1:5 Therefore the wicked will not stand in the judgment,
nor sinners in the assembly of the righteous.
Psa. 1:6 For the LORD watches over the way of the righteous,
but the way of the wicked leads to destruction.
The Message (a paraphrase Bible by Eugene Peterson)
Psa. 1:1 ¶ How well God must like you—
you don’t hang out at Sin Saloon,
you don’t slink along Dead-End Road,
you don’t go to Smart-Mouth College.
Psa. 1:2 ¶ Instead you thrill to GOD’S Word,
you chew on Scripture day and night.
Psa. 1:3 You’re a tree replanted in Eden,
bearing fresh fruit every month,
Never dropping a leaf,
always in blossom.
Psa. 1:4 ¶ You’re not at all like the wicked,
who are mere windblown dust—
Psa. 1:5 Without defense in court,
unfit company for innocent people.
Psa. 1:6 ¶ GOD charts the road you take.
The road they take is Skid Row.
Remember to drink plenty of water and have a bowl of soup after 3 PM. Create your prayer list for the year 2025. Today we will NOT be holding corporate prayer. Join Pastor Dorothy Colon for her scheduled prayer calls on Tuesday and Thursday at 6 AM. Here’s the link: https://us02web.zoom.us/j/797700935
I would also like to invite you to subscribe to the blog. I will be posting regularly, with an entry every Tuesday. You can subscribe at the bottom of this page.
Remember to invite someone to church with you this Sunday. This Sunday is Victory Sunday at IHP. I look forward to seeing you there. Seek God’s Kingdom first!
Yours Because I am His,
Leo Colon, D.Min., M.Div.,
In His Presence Family Worship Center
Pastor Leo Colon's Blog 
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