Pastor Leo Colon's Blog

Category: Devotional

  • His Righteousness

    His Righteousness

     

     

    Grace and peace be multiplied to you through the knowledge of God our Father and Jesus Christ. Welcome to my blog! I hope the thoughts you encounter here encourage you and inspire you to become a diligent seeker of God’s Kingdom. Today, I want to continue reflecting on our foundational verse for 2025. I strive to prioritize seeking God’s Kingdom and righteousness first, trusting that all these things will be added to me. My goal is to live a life that embodies God’s intention for me. I am learning that I can achieve this by transforming my mindset from personal thinking to Kingdom thinking. This requires a shift from my current perspective to a Kingdom-focused mindset. 

    33 But seek ye first the kingdom of God, and his righteousness, and all these things shall be added unto you. 

     The Holy Bible: King James Version, Mt 6:33

    33 Seek the Kingdom of God* above all else, and live righteously, and he will give you everything you need. 

    Holy Bible: New Living Translation Mt 6:33.

     

     

    The second imperative in this verse tells us that we must seek His righteousness. Today, I would like to investigate what is meant by the phrase “His righteousness.” To apply this imperative, we need to know what Christ means by His righteousness. We should understand the difference between our righteousness and His righteousness. Then, we should look at other texts in Holy Writ that speak to the idea of godly righteousness. 

     

    The Greek word for righteousness is δικαιοσύνη (dikaiosune), which is defined as the quality of being upright. One of the primary aspects of the word δίκαιος, its lexical form, is the quality, state, or practice of judicial responsibility with a focus on fairness, justice, and equitableness. Thus, the concept of righteousness involves practicing judicial responsibility with an emphasis on fairness, justice, and equitableness. 

     

    As a seeker of the Kingdom of God, I should practice making responsible judgments with a focus on fairness, justice, and equity, starting with my own life. I need to be fair to myself and make judgments about how I manage my life. Am I fair to myself? Fairness means that after considering what should be done, I hold myself accountable for doing it or not doing it. If I need to take better care of myself, am I doing what I should do? Even if I use the legal standard of the “reasonable person” theory, would a reasonable person treat their spouse that way? Would a reasonable person stay in bed knowing that the right thing to do is to get exercise in at least four days a week? Thus, righteousness begins with me, but it does not end there. I have a responsibility to be righteous in my community. Am I a good citizen? Am I involved in my community? Seeing the plight of my community, is there more I could do? Do I regularly attend community board meetings? Righteousness is a civic responsibility. 

     

    His righteousness means I need to practice this judicial responsibility on God’s terms, not mine or according to secular norms. The apostle Paul addresses this in Romans 10:1-4. In that passage, Paul expresses “his heart’s desire” for his people, “the Israelites.” Parenthetically, the apostle conveys his love for his people. He affirms his Judaism and his love for Israel here and in other texts, namely Romans 9:3-4. In that text, he states that he is willing to be “cut off” from Christ if that is the price to be paid for “his people,” Israel. If Paul can express his love for his people, I should be bold enough to declare my love for my people, those of the African diaspora. In this text, Romans 10, he also critiques the very object of his love because his people, although zealous for God, had a zeal that was not “based on knowledge” (verse 2). Because it was not rooted in the knowledge of God, it was doomed to failure. He said: 

     

    “Since they did not know the righteousness of God and sought to establish their own, they did not submit to God’s righteousness.”

    (Romans 10:3 NIV11-GK)

     

    His righteousness means our righteousness needs to be informed by the Word of God. Knowledge of God cannot be gained without knowledge of His word. So, my righteousness is righteousness practiced with knowledge of God or His Word. Practicing “his righteousness” means righteousness done God’s way. 

     

    How can I put this into practice? Read God’s word daily, even multiple times a day, and then practice judicial responsibility based on that knowledge. How do I do that? Make an effort to emulate God’s principles when making decisions. Plato said, “A good decision is based on knowledge, not numbers.” Consider how you dress, how you speak to others, and primarily, how you treat the people you love. Live according to the principle of 1 Corinthians 10:31. 

     

    “So whether you eat or drink or whatever you do, do it all for the glory of God.”

    (1 Corinthians 10:31 NIV11-GK)

     

  • A Shifted Mindset

    A Shifted Mindset

    Grace and peace be multiplied to you through the knowledge of God our Father and Jesus Christ. Welcome to my blog, “From the Desk of the Pastor.” I hope that you will be encouraged by some of the thoughts you read on this site and that this will inspire you to be a diligent seeker of God’s Kingdom. Today, I want to continue reflecting on our foundational verse for this year, 2025. I desire to seek God’s Kingdom first and His righteousness so that all these things will be added to me. I aim for a life that reflects God’s intention for me. I am learning that this is achieved by shifting my mindset from personal thinking to Kingdom thinking. This means I need to transition from my current mindset to a Kingdom mindset.

    Living in a democracy, the concept of a kingdom may seem foreign to many of us. To truly understand Jesus’s message, we must let go of our Americanized view of the kingdom and embrace a biblical perspective. On Sunday at In His Presence Family Worship Center (IHP), I offered a working definition of the Kingdom that I believed would be beneficial for us as we pursue the Kingdom of God. This definition was drawn from Myles Monroe’s work:

    “A kingdom is… The governing influence of a king over his territory, impacting it with his personal will, purpose, and intent, producing a culture, values, morals, and lifestyle that reflect the king’s desires and nature for his citizens.”1

    This is a radical shift from a democratic mindset. In a democracy, one of the primary concerns is “my rights.” In a democracy, “my rights” are the main things that I and the law should focus on. Conversely, in a kingdom, the king influences his territory and impacts it with “his personal will.” This shift is crucial because I prefer to seek God’s influence over my life rather than my right to create chaos in it. The beauty of this perspective is that God’s influence is much more valuable than my right to make my own decisions. I am fallible, but God is not. His wisdom far exceeds mine, and the Bible repeatedly proves this. (NIV)

    Prov. 3:5 Trust in the LORD with all your heart

    and lean not on your own understanding;

    Prov. 3:6 in all your ways submit to him,

    and he will make your paths straight.

    In God’s Kingdom, I trust God over my own understanding. If I am honest, so much of the mess in my life came from trusting my own wisdom. My life has proven to me that my wisdom is nowhere near as valuable as God’s. I have learned not to lean on my limited understanding of any situation; His knowledge far outpaces mine. The way God thinks surpasses my thinking. When I submit, my path is straight, and my way is clear.

    Is. 55:8 “For my thoughts are not your thoughts,

    neither are your ways my ways,”

    declares the LORD.

    Is. 55:9 “As the heavens are higher than the earth,

    so are my ways higher than your ways

    and my thoughts than your thoughts.

    In the Kingdom, I need to think more clearly. I must think like God to achieve His results. This means I need to consult God and His word to know how to think. There is a saying:

    “All that you achieve and all that you fail to achieve are the direct results of your thoughts.”2

    If everything I achieve, and even my failures, are a direct result of my thoughts, then improving my thinking will lead to the shift that I want my life to reflect. If my thoughts reflect God’s way of thinking, then I can look forward to God’s results. A kingdom mindset reflects the success that comes with doing things God’s way.

    Matshona Dhliwayo said:

    “What you think is a seed, what you say is the bud, and what you do is the fruit.”3

    I am convinced that I want fruit that comes from Kingdom thinking. If the Word of God is the seed of my thinking, then the fruit that I bear resembles God’s best. What I do then brings forth the harvest that brings glory to God and benefits me and my family. This shift in thinking helps me prevent the wrong/negative results I want to avoid. This shift in the Kingdom mindset is vital. Why?

    This shift is crucial because:

    1. The wrong mindset can hinder us from reaching the right goals

    2. It can lead to misguided decisions

    3. We may accept incorrect priorities, causing unnecessary stress

    I am seeking God’s help to think more clearly. Remember, “All that you achieve and all that you fail to achieve are the direct results of your thoughts.” I will improve my thinking. How will I think better? I will first seek the Kingdom of God. How? By reading God’s word more, mainly. Additionally, I am creating a “Book List.” You should too. This year, commit to reading more and thinking God’s way.

    I would again 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. 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

    http://www.ihpfwc.org

     

     

    1. Munroe, Myles. Kingdom Principles: Preparing for Kingdom Experience and Expansion (Kingdom series Book 2) (p. 31). Destiny Image. Kindle Edition. 

     2. 90 Quotes That Will Change The Way You Think – John Spence https://johnspence.com/90-quotes-change/ 

    3. Top 15 Powerful Quotes on Thoughts & Actions (by Matshona … https://www.linkedin.com/pulse/top-15-best-quotes-thoughts-actions-matshona-dhliwayo-dhliwayo 

     

  • The Blessings of Prioritizing God’s Kingdom First. 

    The Blessings of Prioritizing God’s Kingdom First. 

    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

    http://www.ihpfwc.org

  • A Shift in Decision Making

    Grace and peace be multiplied to you through the knowledge of God our Father and of Jesus Christ. You have made it to day number five (5). Well done! You are almost finished with your journey. We have the privilege of counting down now: “You have one day and a wake-up.” Congratulations! You are on your way to a marvelous 2025. We have been focusing on our foundational verse for the year, Matthew 6:33. Today, I want to explore one of the ways seeking the Kingdom of God impacts our decision-making.

    Matthew 6:33: “But seek ye first the kingdom of God, and his righteousness; and all these things shall be added unto you.” KJV

    Seeking the Kingdom of God first means just that. Seeking the Kingdom first involves a change in our priorities. A change in our priorities signals that God is inviting us to shift our focus. We no longer rely on our instincts. We no longer prioritize our upbringing over God’s perspective. I have often told someone, “I can’t do that; that’s not how I was raised.” The way I was raised may be special and significant to me, but it cannot take precedence over God’s will for my life. It jeopardizes my purpose in God to use my past as the primary basis for my decision-making.

    Miles Monroe said:

    “The greatest mistake in life is to be busy but not effective. Life’s greatest failure is to be successful in the wrong assignment. Success in life is measured by the effective use of one’s time.”1

    I want to actively follow what God deems right rather than making my own choices and being ineffective in fulfilling my purpose. Therefore, when we prioritize seeking the Kingdom of God, our decision-making and priorities significantly shift, which will change our lives. Let’s examine three key points.

    When we prioritize God’s Kingdom:

    •We concentrate on God’s will and purposes instead of our own desires or worldly concerns.

    •Our decisions align with eternal values rather than momentary gratification.
    •We reflect on how our choices will glorify God and further His Kingdom rather than just benefit ourselves.

    I could write for days on these three points. I won’t take any more of your time, but I will discuss these issues in the coming weeks at In His Presence Family Worship Center. I invite you to be my special guest. Let’s seek the Kingdom of God together. We meet on Sundays at 2418 Church Avenue in Brooklyn, NY. Meet us at 10 AM. We would thrilled to have you as our special guest.

    Remember to drink plenty of water and have a bowl of soup after 3 PM. Create your prayer list for the year 2025. Today marks our last daily prayer for the fast. 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

    Also, I would like to invite you to subscribe to the blog. I will be blogging regularly, with entries every Tuesday. Subscribe at the bottom of this page by entering your email.

    Remember, invite someone to church with you this Sunday.

    Yours Because I am His,

    Leo Colon, D.Min., M.Div.,

    In His Presence Family Worship Center

    http://www.ihpfwc.org

    1. Munroe, Myles. Kingdom Principles: Preparing for Kingdom Experience and Expansion (Kingdom series Book 2) (p. 25). Destiny Image. Kindle Edition. ↩

  • You are important to God.

    Grace and Peace be multiplied to you through the knowledge of God our Father and of Jesus Christ. You have made it to day number four (4). Well done. You are more than halfway through your journey. We have the privilege of counting down at this point. Instead of saying we have three days left, our late Archbishop McKinley would say, “You have two days and a wake-up.” Congratulations to you. You are on your way to a marvelous 2025. We have been concentrating on our foundational verse for the Year, Matthew 6:33. Today, I want to contextualize what we have been looking at.

    Matt. 6:28 “And why do you worry about clothing? Consider the lilies of the field, how they grow; they neither toil nor spin,

    Matt. 6:29 yet I tell you, even Solomon in all his glory was not clothed like one of these.

    Matt. 6:30 But if God so clothes the grass of the field, which is alive today and tomorrow is thrown into the oven, will he not much more clothe you—you of little faith?” NRSV

    God often uses comparisons to make his points clear to us, using references that would make sense to the hearer of his word. In verse 33, in the latter clause, Jesus states, “And all these things will be given to you as well.” NRSV

    When investigating the Kingdom of God, it is wondrous to see not only that God will perform a task but also how he will achieve it. This text invites us to examine his prior work in nature: the lilies. In the King James Version, it is rendered as “the flower”; in the New Revised Standard Version, it appears as “lilies.” Jesus says, “Consider the lilies of the field.” Lilies are beautiful, and all flowers, for that matter, are too! Whether in California, England, or Morocco, flowers and lilies are simply gorgeous. They come in various colors, and none ever fade. When you touch them, the petals feel soft against your skin. They are masterpieces of God’s creation. But let’s reflect on them. I have never encountered a rose with substandard petals. Never have I seen a rose that was anything less than exquisite. In fact, Jesus draws a comparison: King Solomon, the wisest king, made so by God, and one of the wealthiest kings in Scripture, also because God made him so, was known for the beauty of all his possessions, yet he did not compare to these lilies. It is said that the Queen of Sheba lost her breath when she beheld King Solomon’s court (1 Kings 10:4,5).

    This is how excellent King Solomon was. He impressed even other monarchs by the way his court was appointed. Not only his clothes but the robes of his servants blew Queen Sheba away. Yet Jesus said, Solomon, in all his glory, could not hold a candle to the lilies of the field. Then he makes the point, if God can do this for the grass of the field, “which is alive today and tomorrow is thrown into the oven, will he not much more clothe you?” It is not just about clothing you, but when he does it, you should expect God to do it in such a manner as to give you the best. This is how the Kingdom of God works. You should look for God’s best when he provides. You should not get used to meager fare. You are God’s child. You are a citizen of the Kingdom. Live that way.

    The Message Bible renders verse 30 like this: Matt. 6:30 “If God gives such attention to the appearance of wildflowers—most of which are never even seen—don’t you think he’ll attend to you, take pride in you, do his best for you?”

    You are important to God. God takes pride in you. Live that way.

    Remember, drink all the water you can, and eat one bowl of soup after three (3) PM. Make out your prayer list for the year 2025. Join us tomorrow, Friday, for prayer at six (6) AM. Here is the link: https://us02web.zoom.us/j/797700935

    Remember, invite someone to church with you this Sunday.

    Yours Because I am His,

    Leo Colon, D.Min., M.Div.,

    In His Presence Family Worship Center

    http://www.ihpfwc.org

  • Implementing the Kingdom of God

    Today is day number three. You are doing amazingly. This is already a victory. Remember, you are attracting God’s attention. Make a point of praying throughout the day. Have your prayer list and be focused on what you need from God. Today, let’s go back to our primary scripture.

    Matthew 6:33: “But seek ye first the kingdom of God, and his righteousness; and all these things shall be added unto you.”

    We understand that we should seek the Kingdom of God first; we understand what it means to seek, but how do I apply this to my day-to-day living? Here are a few thoughts.

    Start your day with God. Take time to start your day with prayer. Make it a priority so that you are not disturbed by routine. What I mean is this: Get up an extra 30 minutes early to talk with God. I know I tend to want to wake up and get right to my day. That’s OK, but take the time to spend with God. Pray, and make that a necessary part of your morning.

    Meditate on God’s word. Even take the time to memorize scripture. This will help you envelop your mindset in the things of God. Practice taking time to think on His word, meditate, and consider how scripture can be the basis for how you think, feel, and engage your community.

    Play and listen to Christian content. Listen to a sermon, podcast, or devotional throughout your day.

    Try journaling. Set aside time to write down your ideas, thoughts, and reflections as you go through this year. Your faith journey is worth writing down. You could even turn this into a blog which can encourage someone else.

    Practice righteousness throughout your day. Before you make a move, find out how God would want you to behave, create, and deal with the issue before you decide what to do.

    Try these few things to practice seeking and functioning as citizens of the Kingdom of God. I am looking forward to your testimony. Try one of these things and make it a habit. It is said that you are making a habit when you do something consistently for 21 days in a row. Then, add another item that will help you keep your mindset on the Kingdom of God.

    Remember, Drink all the water you can, and eat one bowl of soup after three (3) PM. Make out your prayer list for the year 2025. Join us this week, Monday through Friday, for prayer at six (6) AM. Here is the link: https://us02web.zoom.us/j/797700935

    Remember, invite someone to church with you this Sunday.

    Yours Because I am His,

    Leo Colon, D.Min., M.Div.,

    In His Presence Family Worship Center

    http://www.ihpfwc.org

  • Seek Ye First

    Welcome to day two of the fast. Your dedication is commendable and is drawing God’s attention. Let’s focus on a key paradigm for our lives, found in Matthew 6:33:

    “But seek ye first the kingdom of God, and his righteousness; and all these things shall be added unto you.”

    This imperative from Jesus offers a blueprint for success in God’s Kingdom. Miles Monroe said, to seek “means to pursue, study, explore, understand, learn, and consider. Seekers must have a desire to know, and possess a passion for the object of their search. To seek means to give diligent dedication to and to preoccupy one’s self with that which one is seeking.”

     As Kingdom citizens, we should align every aspect of our lives—clothing, food, conversations—with God’s principles.

    Studying the Kingdom of God helps us function as proper citizens, understanding its laws, economics, norms, and relationships. We need to explore what’s important in God’s Kingdom: its anthem, capital, governing body, and protection.

    The Message Bible translates Matthew 6:33 as: “Steep your life in God-reality, God-initiative, God-provisions. Don’t worry about missing out. You’ll find all your everyday human concerns will be met.”

    Today, seek God’s Kingdom in everything you do. Ensure your clothes and speech represent His Kingdom. Pursue, study, and explore it diligently. Your life will be enriched as a result.

    Remember, Drink all the water you can, and eat one bowl of soup after three (3) PM. Make out your prayer list for the year 2025. Join us this week, Monday through Friday, for prayer at six (6) AM. Here is the link: https://us02web.zoom.us/j/797700935

    Remember, invite someone to church with you this Sunday. 

    Yours Because I am His,

    Leo Colon, D.Min., M.Div.,

    In His Presence Family Worship Center

    http://www.ihpfwc.org 

  • The Kingdom of God

    Welcome to our Yearly Beginning of the Year Fast.

    As we embark on our fast for the year 2025 at In His Presence Family Worship Center, I am filled with anticipation for what promises to be a pivotal year. Our theme, “The Kingdom of God,” is inspired by the powerful words of Jesus in Matthew 6:33:

    “But seek ye first the kingdom of God, and his righteousness; and all these things shall be added unto you.”

    The Transformative Power of Seeking God’s Kingdom

    A profound shift occurs when believers actively seek the Kingdom of God and His righteousness. This transformation begins with a fundamental change in mindset, particularly for those of us accustomed to the American way of life.

    Shifting from Democracy to Kingdom Thinking

    Living in a democracy, the kingdom concept can feel foreign to many of us. To truly grasp Jesus’ message, we must release our Americanized understanding of the kingdom and embrace a biblical perspective. This shift is crucial because:

    1. The wrong mindset can hinder us from reaching the right goals

    2. It can lead to misguided decisions

    3. We may accept incorrect priorities, causing unnecessary stress

    The Importance of Kingdom-Aligned Decisions

    Making decisions that align with God’s Kingdom is paramount. As the saying goes, “When we are born, we look like our fathers. When we die, we look like our decisions.” This profound statement challenges us to consider:

    Do your decisions reflect the Kingdom of God?

    Embracing Kingdom Risk

    The wrong mindset can prevent us from taking risks because our normal defines our safety net. However, as Kingdom-minded believers, we should be willing to step out in faith. I would rather take a risk based on God’s Word than rely on the perceived safety of public opinion.

    Conclusion: A Call to Kingdom-Focused Living

    As we begin this fast, let us commit to seeking God’s Kingdom first. May we allow our minds to be renewed, our decisions to be guided by His righteousness, and our lives to reflect the values of His Kingdom. This year, let’s embrace the transformative power of Kingdom living and witness the fulfillment of God’s promise to add “all these things” unto us.

    Remember, Drink all the water you can, and eat one bowl of soup after three (3) PM. Make out your prayer list for the year 2025. Join us this week, Monday through Friday, for prayer at six (6) AM. Here is the link: https://us02web.zoom.us/j/797700935

    Remember, invite someone to church with you this Sunday. 

    Yours Because I am His,

    Leo Colon, D.Min., M.Div.,

    In His Presence Family Worship Center

    http://www.ihpfwc.org 

  • Please God

    Please God

    Today, I want to encourage you as we consider our New Year. We are making a point of “making the most of every opportunity.”

    Eph. 5:16 Make the most of every opportunity in these evil days. NLT

    With an eye on this imperative, let’s consider this text as we approach this goal. Let’s look at the text:

    Eph. 5:10 ¶ Carefully determine what pleases the Lord. NLT

    The Apostle Paul teaches us from his letter to the Ephesians that we should consider what pleases God as a paradigm for our life. We should search the scriptures and engage in prayer and fasting to gain clarity on what “pleases God.” The nuance in the NLT version tells that we should “carefully determine.” Make a point of understanding fully, do not leave out anything, and do not trust people, especially when they have no relationship with God. 

    It is possible for you to find what pleases the LORD in your life is different from your brother or sister. Whatever you see, go after it with diligence. Pleasing God takes faith. (Heb. 11:6) Pleasing God means you believe God’s word and put it into practice. Remember, faith in God and in his word is not blind faith because God has always been faithful to us, and his word has always been right. Trust God, Believe God, and do what pleases him. I want to please God, do you? Remember, your orthopraxy is informed by your orthodoxy. Meaning that what you do is informed by what you believe. You will please God because you believe there is a benefit to doing what God wants and doing it his way. Please God!

    Yours Because I am His,

    Leo Colon, D. Min.

  • Mature Love

    Mature Love

    Bless you, beloved. Today is Day number four (4). For some of you, it is Day number five (as some have informed me). You are doing outstanding. Keep it up; either way, we only have one day and a wake-up to get to victory. Let’s look again at today’s text:

    “Love has been perfected among us in this: that we may have boldness on the day of judgment,

    because as he is, so are we in this world. 

    There is no fear in love, but perfect love casts out fear; for fear has to do with punishment, and whoever fears has not reached perfection in love.”

    (1 John 4:17–18 NRSV)

    “And as we live in God, our love grows more perfect. So we will not be afraid on the day of judgment, but we can face him with confidence because we live like Jesus here in this world.

    Such love has no fear, because perfect love expels all fear. If we are afraid, it is for fear of punishment, and this shows that we have not fully experienced his perfect love.”

    (1 John 4:17–18 NLT-SE)

    “This way, love has the run of the house, becomes at home and mature in us, so that we’re free

    of worry on Judgment Day—our standing in the world is identical with Christ’s. 

    There is no room in love for fear. Well-formed love banishes fear. Since fear is crippling, a fearful life—fear of death, fear of judgment—is one not yet fully formed in love.”

    (1 John 4:17–18 MESSAGE)

    Yesterday, we spoke about living in God. Have you spent your day Living in God? Making every decision in such a way as to ask God how to handle this current situation. Treating people as your brother or sister. Being conscious of your place in the kingdom of God. According to our text, this is how “our love grows more perfect.” NLT More τελειος in the Greek. 

    This does not mean you will never lose it in the love category. Wouldn’t that be great? Perfect in this context means your love would be more mature and more complete, and your love would achieve more. Let’s look at that. 

    When you are more mature, you operate with better information. You are informed by experience when you are a mature person. Childishness is recognized by the idea that one should have known and done better in that circumstance. When an adult is childish, they operate in a way that suggests their experience should have equipped them to make better decisions. When one is mature, one avoids pitfalls. Both obvious ones and obscure ones. Maturity means making wise decisions because you know the problems associated with unwise choices. Maturity then would extend to every part of your life and yourself.

    Yes, mature love means loving yourself maturely as well. The same desire to see others do well also means you love yourself enough to do well. Mature love means the same passion you have for others you have for yourself. Love yourself enough not to settle for childish things. We can do better. Do we maturely love ourselves? Is our love mature enough to make those hard decisions?

    One of the young ladies in our church spoke for our women’s conference, and she said something intriguing. She said, “Often we show up for everyone else, but seldom do we show up for ourselves.” We celebrate everyone else, but seldom do we celebrate ourselves. We encourage everyone to love themselves enough to engage in the rigor of self-care, but we allow ourselves to be abused. Where is the maturity to say, “I MATTER!” This is mature love. Your love for your loved ones should also extend to you. Do you celebrate someone getting a new house? Have you thought about treating yourself to a new home? You are celebrating someone’s graduation. Have you decided where you are is not worth celebrating, and will you do something about it? 

    Maturity does not mean your love is mature for others and not for yourself. I want to love with perfection. I want to be a perfect, mature friend, someone my friends can count on for wise counsel. I also need to count on me. I also need to be there for myself. I need to show up for me.

    As we live in God, our love grows more perfect. (1 John 4:17a NLT-SE)

    “Therefore let us go on toward perfection, leaving behind the basic teaching about Christ, and not laying again the foundation: repentance from dead works and faith toward God,”

    (Hebrews 6:1 NRSV)

    Yours Because I am His, 

    Leo Colon D. Min., M.Div. 

    Pastor