Pastor Leo Colon's Blog

Tag: Christian Thought

  • Day Seventeen of our Twenty-One Day Journey : Fast as unto the LORD.

    Grace and peace be multiplied unto you, through the knowledge of God and of Jesus Christ our LORD.

    Today we are on day number Seventeen (17) of our twenty-one day fast. Beloved, as our late Bishop use to say, you don’t have four (4) days left, you have three (3) days and a wake up. You are to be commended. You are counting down. There is less time ahead of you than there is behind you. I want to encourage you, drink as much water as possible, and least 10 to 12 glasses of water today. Have your bowl of soup and remember to pray from your prayer list. You want to be specific about what you would like God to do for you.

    Today again, I felt lead just allow the scripture to speak to us. Jesus reminds me that fasting is not an exercise to impress men with. This fast is unto to God and our behavior determines where our reward comes from. It is hypocritical to say you doing this unto God and behaving in a manner that assures you the approbation of men. Let God be your rewarder. Do the Fast as unto the LORD. Let’s look at the word of God.

    New Living Translation:

    Matt. 6:16 ¶ “And when you fast, don’t make it obvious, as the hypocrites do, for they try to look miserable and disheveled so people will admire them for their fasting. I tell you the truth, that is the only reward they will ever get.

    Matt. 6:17 But when you fast, comb your hair and wash your face.

    Matt. 6:18 Then no one will notice that you are fasting, except your Father, who knows what you do in private. And your Father, who sees everything, will reward you.

    Matt. 6:19 ¶ “Don’t store up treasures here on earth, where moths eat them and rust destroys them, and where thieves break in and steal.

    Matt. 6:20 Store your treasures in heaven, where moths and rust cannot destroy, and thieves do not break in and steal.

    Matt. 6:21 Wherever your treasure is, there the desires of your heart will also be.

    Again beloved, I want to encourage you at the mid-week point, to make plans to bring someone to church with you. For IHP, tonight is bible study. Bring someone to church with you. Think about someone you would like to share the Gospel of Christ with and bring them with you to church. Remember, no matter what church you belong to, evangelism is a vital part of every believer’s faith. Don’t come to church by your self. Bring a guest and share the Gospel. Why? Because Christ commands us.

    Luke 14:23 And the lord said unto the servant, Go out into the highways and hedges, and compel them to come in, that my house may be filled.

    God wants his house filled. Do your part. Be a part of God’s plan to fill his church. Think of 10 people you want to come to church with you this week. Write their names in your prayer list and make the sacrifice to get them to church. God commands it. Stay encouraged.

    Live Life on Purpose and not By Mistake,
    Yours Because I am His,
    Leo Colon
    pastor@ihpfwc.org
    www.ihpfwc.org

  • Day Sixteen of our Twenty-One Day Journey : Isaiah 58

    Grace and peace be multiplied unto you, through the knowledge of God and of Jesus Christ our LORD.

    Today we are on day number Sixteen (16) of our twenty-one day fast. Beloved, as our late Bishop use to say, you don’t have six (6) days left, you have four (4) days and a wake up. You are to be commended. You are counting down. There is less time ahead of you than there is behind you. I want to encourage you, drink as much water as possible, and least 10 to 12 glasses of water today. Have your bowl of soup and remember to pray from your prayer list. You want to be specific about what you would like God to do for you.

    Today, I felt lead just allow the scripture to speak to us. This scripture reminds me that my attitude, even while fasting, needs to be kept in check. I cannot allow my fasting to be an exercise in futility. I cannot allow my fasting to be just a diet. I want to be pleasing to God and I must maintain the privilege of being the kind of Christian God calls me to be. How about you? Let’s look at the word of God.

    Is. 58:1 ¶ “Shout with the voice of a trumpet blast. Shout aloud! Don’t be timid. Tell my people Israel of their sins!

    Is. 58:2 Yet they act so pious! They come to the Temple every day and seem delighted to learn all about me. They act like a righteous nation that would never abandon the laws of its God. They ask me to take action on their behalf, pretending they want to be near me.

    Is. 58:3‘We have fasted before you!’ they say.‘Why aren’t you impressed? We have been very hard on ourselves, and you don’t even notice it!’“I will tell you why!” I respond. “It’s because you are fasting to please yourselves. Even while you fast, you keep oppressing your workers.

    Is. 58:4          What good is fasting when you keep on fighting and quarreling? This kind of fasting will never get you anywhere with me.

    Is. 58:5 You humble yourselves by going through the motions of penance, bowing your heads like reeds bending in the wind. You dress in burlap and cover yourselves with ashes. Is this what you call fasting? Do you really think this will please the LORD?

    Is. 58:6 ¶ “No, this is the kind of fasting I want: Free those who are wrongly imprisoned; lighten the burden of those who work for you. Let the oppressed go free, and remove the chains that bind people.

    Is. 58:7 Share your food with the hungry, and give shelter to the homeless. Give clothes to those who need them, and do not hide from relatives who need your help.

    Is. 58:8 ¶ “Then your salvation will come like the dawn, and your wounds will quickly heal. Your godliness will lead you forward, and the glory of the LORD will protect you from behind.

    Is. 58:9 Then when you call, the LORD will answer. ‘Yes, I am here,’ he will quickly reply. “Remove the heavy yoke of oppression. Stop pointing your finger and spreading vicious rumors!

    Is. 58:10 Feed the hungry, and help those in trouble. Then your light will shine out from the darkness, and the darkness around you will be as bright as noon.

    Is. 58:11 The LORD will guide you continually, giving you water when you are dry and restoring your strength. You will be like a well-watered garden, like an ever-flowing spring.

    Is. 58:12 Some of you will rebuild the deserted ruins of your cities. Then you will be known as a rebuilder of walls and a restorer of homes.

    Again beloved, I want to encourage you at the mid-week point, to make plans to bring someone to church with you. Think about someone you would like to share the Gospel of Christ with and bring them with you to church. I said this on Saturday, no matter what church you belong to, evangelism is a vital part of every believer’s faith. Don’t come to church by your self. Bring a guest and share the Gospel. Why? Because Christ commands us.

    Luke 14:23 And the lord said unto the servant, Go out into the highways and hedges, and compel them to come in, that my house may be filled.

    God wants his house filled. Do your part. Be a part of God’s plan to fill his church. Think of 10 people you want to come to church with you this week. Write their names in your prayer list and make the sacrifice to get them to church. God commands it. Stay encouraged.

    Live Life on Purpose and not By Mistake,
    Yours Because I am His,
    Leo Colon
    pastor@ihpfwc.org
    www.ihpfwc.org

  • Day Fifteen of our Twenty-One day Journey: God is Never Wrong!

    Grace and peace be multiplied unto you, through the knowledge of God and of Jesus Christ our LORD.

    Today we are on day number Fifteen (15) of our twenty-one day fast. Beloved, as our late Bishop use to say, you don’t have six (6) days left, you have five (5) days and a wake up. You are to be commended. You are counting down. There is less time ahead of you than there is behind you. I want to encourage you, drink as much water as possible, and least 10 to 12 glasses of water today. Have your bowl of soup and remember to pray from your prayer list. You want to be specific about what you would like God to do for you.

    Today, I want to encourage you as you continue on your fast by sharing with an email sent to me by one of my good friends and colleagues, and one of the stalwarts of IHP, Michael Faulkner. Here is the issue that I hope encourages you. God does not make mistakes. Even the fact that God has called you to this fast, and he has, is no mistake. You may not realize what God is doing, but trust God. He knows what is best for you. Please read this blog, enjoy it and share it with you friends. I am looking forward to hear your reactions and to know if this is a blessing to you.

    “God Is Never Wrong”

    A king who did not believe in the goodness of God, had a slave who, in all circumstances, said: My king, do not be discouraged, because everything God does is perfect, no mistakes!

    One day they went hunting and along the way a wild animal attacked the king. His slave managed to kill the animal, but could not prevent his majesty from losing a finger.

    Furious and without showing his gratitude for being saved, the nobleman said “Is God good? If He was good, I would not have been attacked and lost my finger.”

    The slave replied: “My king, despite all these things, I can only tell you that God is good, and he knows “why” of all these things. What God does is perfect. He is never wrong!”

    Outraged by the response, the king ordered the arrest of his slave.

    Later, he left for another hunt and was captured by savages who made human sacrifices.

    In the altar, ready to sacrifice the nobleman, the savages found that the victim had not one of his fingers, so he was released. According to them, it was not so complete to be offered to the gods.

    Upon his return to the palace, he authorized the release of his slave that he received very affectionately.

    “My dear, God was really good to me! I was almost killed by the wild men, but for lack of a single finger, I was let go! But I have a question: if God is so good, why did he allow me to put you in jail?”

    “My King, if I had gone with you in this hunt, I would have been sacrificed for you, because I have no missing finger, therefore, remember everything God does is perfect. He is never wrong.”

    Often we complain about life, and negative things that happen to us, forgetting that nothing is random and that everything has a purpose.

    Every morning, offer your day to God, don’t be in a rush.

    Ask God to inspire your thoughts, guide your actions, and ease your feelings. And do not be afraid. God is never wrong!

    You know why this message is for you? I do not know, but God knows, because he never makes mistakes…….

    The path of God and his word is perfect, without impurities. He is the way of all those who trust in Him, as he says in 2 Samuel  22: 31

    What you do with this message is up to you. May God put in your heart the desire to send it to someone. God knows why He chose you to receive this message. Please bless someone with it.

    God is never wrong !!

    Melba Clement.

    Again beloved, I want to encourage you early in the week to make plans to bring someone to church with you. Think about someone you would like to share the Gospel of Christ with and bring them with you to church. I said this on Saturday, no matter what church you belong to, evangelism is a vital part of every believer’s faith. Don’t come to church by your self. Bring a guest and share the Gospel. Why? Because Christ commands us.

    Luke 14:23 And the lord said unto the servant, Go out into the highways and hedges, and compel them to come in, that my house may be filled.

    God wants his house filled. Do your part. Be a part of God’s plan to fill his church. Think of 10 people you want to come to church with you this week. Write their names in your prayer list and make the sacrifice to get them to church. God commands it. Stay encouraged.

    Live Life on Purpose and not By Mistake,
    Yours Because I am His,
    Leo Colon
    pastor@ihpfwc.org
    www.ihpfwc.org

  • Day Twelve of our Twenty-One Day Journey:Are You Still Hungry?

    Grace and peace be multiplied unto you, through the knowledge of God and of Jesus Christ our LORD.

    Today we are on day number Twelve (12) of our twenty-one day fast. Beloved, you are now over the half-way point and are well on your way to achieving what God has called you to. You are to be commended. You are doing very well. I want to encourage you, drink as much water as possible, and least 10 to 12 glasses of water today. Have your bowl of soup and remember to pray from your prayer list. You want to be specific about what you would like God to do for you.

    Today, Pastor Maurice Johnson has submitted his entry for our blog for today. Please welcome, my colleague, friend and brother, Pastor Maurice Johnson, our guest blogger for today. He has submitted a word from the LORD to encourage us today. Join me in thanking him and don’t forget to leave a comment on the blog to let him know that God has bless you through this effort.

    Tomorrow, we are looking forward to an entry from our own Pastor Dorothy Colon.

    Again beloved, I want to encourage you early in the week to make plans to bring someone to church with you. Think about someone you would like to share the Gospel of Christ with and bring them with you to church. I said this on Saturday, no matter what church you belong to, evangelism is a vital part of every believer’s faith. Don’t come to church by your self. Bring a guest and share the Gospel. Why? Because Christ commands us.

    Luke 14:23 And the lord said unto the servant, Go out into the highways and hedges, and compel them to come in, that my house may be filled.

    God wants his house filled. Do your part. Be a part of God’s plan to fill his church. Think of 10 people you want to come to church with you this week. Write their names in your prayer list and make the sacrifice to get them to church. God commands it. Stay encouraged.

    Live Life on Purpose and not By Mistake,
    Yours Because I am His,
    Leo Colon
    pastor@ihpfwc.org
    www.ihpfwc.or

    Grace and peace be unto you from God our Father and the Lord Jesus Christ.

    It is an interesting thought that something as simple as fasting can call into question your walk and relationship with the Lord. For example, did the Lord really call this fast or is this something that the pastor is trying to impose upon us, or, am I going to make it through these 21 days. Hunger has a way of testing more than your faith, it will test both your physical fortitude and your mental ambiguity, that is to say, you may question yourself as to how clear your commitment is to spiritual things. All of this stems not only from the fact that you have not eaten but that you are hungry as well, my question to you is, what are you hungry for or what would you like to eat.

    The Greek word “Peinao” means to hunger, be hungry, to suffer want, to be needy, metaphorically speaking it is to crave passionately, to seek with eager desire. I am pretty sure that by this time we have all thought or spoken about our physical hunger, but have you addressed your spiritual hunger. Let’s put this into some sort of perspective, if your yearly fast only consist of the first fruits of this 21 days consecration, you would have given a sacrifice of 5.75% of your year in the pursuit of spiritual things through abstinence of you daily cuisine. However, you are not one dimensional; you have a soul, which also needs to be given a balanced diet, I mean let’s think about it, how often do you stuff the soul with the food it craves.

    Psalms 42: 1 As the deer pants for streams of water, so my soul pants for you, O God. NIV

    The example given here by David seems to suggest that the true believer has within their soul an appetite for sustenance just as our temporal frame has an appetite. In one of the most profound, if not the most profound messages found in the scriptures, Jesus declares in the sermon on the mount this phrase.

    Matthew 5:6 Blessed are they which do hunger and thirst after righteousness: for they shall be filled.

    Again the scriptures indicate a hungry of the soul, so I wish to congratulate and encourage you for feeding the other side of you. You have seated your soul at the table of consecration, you are praying (eat), you are studying the scriptures (eat) and you are detoxifying your mind, body and soul from worldly things (EAT). Note the promise of Jesus given to the righteous in the passage, “you shall be filled,” and I pray all the goodly things of God be upon you as you persevere. As Pastor Leo has admonished us time and time again, “drink lots of water,” but do not forget to feed your soul, it too is hungry. You can make it, you must make it, you will make it, let the words posted by Pastors Leo, Dorothy, Paul and yours truly be food for your soul.

    According to the wisest man in Biblical history, Solomon, the commandments of the Lord “It shall be health to thy navel, and marrow to thy bones.” – Proverbs 3:8

    Bon Appetite!

    Pastor Johnson