Pastor Leo Colon's Blog

Tag: Christian

  • 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

  • Living In God

    Living In God

    Bless you, beloved. Today is Day number three (3). For some of you, it is Day number four (as some have informed me). You are doing outstanding. Keep it up; either way, we only have two days and a wake up to get to victory. Let’s look 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)

    Today, I wanted to encourage you from the word of God, and I used the text in 1 John 4:17-18 to illustrate perfect love from John’s perspective. We have adapted the theme “Let us go on Towards Perfection” as our theme for the year. To diligently pursue perfection, we must understand it in a biblical context. Jeremiah Wright credits Cornell West with saying, “We do not define terms, so we talk all around them.” Perfect love is defined by the Apostle John in this text. 

    John explicates that perfect love is achieved through the process of “living in God.” In the New Living Translation, the text is rendered, “As we live in God.” This alone is a process. How does one live in God? The notion of living speaks to the ability to exist in a particular context. For a long time, I lived in Brooklyn, New York. I was born there and spent my formative years there. I do not live there now, but I have lived there for over half my life. In a very real way, Brooklyn defines me. I have travelled all over the world, literally, but all the places I have been do not define me. The places I have been may affect me, but they don’t define me. I enjoy Paris, I enjoy the people I have met there, the food I have enjoyed there, Selah. That notwithstanding, I would be a fraud to suggest that I am Parisian. 

    Today, I am still comfortable in Brooklyn. I recognize Brooklyn; even when things change, I still am from Brooklyn. This defines my mindset to a certain degree. It defines my tastes, and Brooklyn defines my sense of community. 

    Imagine what it would mean to be able to say, I am defined by my “living in God.” God defines my tastes; God defines my thoughts. I am comfortable with what God says is right. I detest what God says is not correct. I dress like I am from God. I may love my neighbor who does not know God. I can communicate with them, but they do not define me. Their tastes and politics are different because I live in and am defined by God. This is the process by which love is perfected. 

    I want to be perfected and live in God. Let’s look at more of this text tomorrow. 

    Yours Because I am His, 

    Leo Colon D. Min., M.Div. 

    Pastor

  • Be Perfect.

    Be Perfect.

    Grace and Peace be multiplied to you through the knowledge of God and of Jesus our LORD. Today is day number two (2). You are doing very well. Remember, drink all the water you can today and have one bowl of soup after 3 PM. Let’s take a look at today’s scripture. 

    Matt. 5:48 Be ye therefore perfect, even as your Father which is in heaven is perfect. (KJV)

    Matt. 5:48 ¶ “In a word, what I’m saying is, Grow up. You’re kingdom subjects. Now live like it. Live out your God-created identity. Live generously and graciously toward others, the way God lives toward you. (Message Bible)

    If we are going to move on toward perfection, we owe it to ourselves to do it on purpose. Remember, our theme for the year of Moving on toward perfection comes to us from the text in Hebrew 6:1. Since we need at least two texts to form a doctrine, let’s look at this text in Matthew as a reference. What is God saying? 

    Matthew 5:48 Be ye Perfect, even as your Father which is in heaven is perfect. (KJV) 

    Again, the word in Greek for perfect is the word τελειος. Be mature, complete, an achiever, perfect as your God is perfect, complete, mature, an achiever. 

    In the Message Bible, it is iterated in four mandates for us.

    1. Grow Up.
    2. You’re Kingdom subjects- Live like it. 
    3. Live out your God-created identity.
    4. Live generously and graciously toward others. 

    Then he tells us the reason why we should, because it is “the way God lives towards you.”

    I will take the time to deal with each of these iterations on Sunday, so don’t miss church, but I will take the time to just say this. I need to consider how God lives towards me and remember that this Christian Life is not a joke. I need to do better, and I will. 

    Not just in my prayer life but in my business life. Imagine if I approached my entire life as if I wanted to honor God with my life. Are you seriously honoring God with your whole life? How did God live toward you? 

    I’ll wait. 

    Yours Because I am His,

    Leo Colon, D. Min., M.Div. 

    Pastor

  • Let us Go on Toward Perfection

    Beloved, 

    Grace and Peace be multiplied to you through the knowledge of God and of Jesus our LORD. Today, we begin our yearly Beginning of The Year Fast. Remember, drink all the water you can today and have one bowl of soup after 3 PM. Let’s take a look at today scripture. 

    Heb. 6:1 ¶ 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, NRSV.

    This is an excellent time of year. Today, January 2nd, 2024, many are making resolutions, promises to themselves, and big plans, and that is a good thing if you have a plan to follow through with them. I have been inspired by this scripture, and I intend to move on toward perfection. 

    With that being said, it is also customary for many to begin to look forward. What does my 2024 look like? I have decided to “Go on Toward Perfection.” This agreement between Pastor Paul and the church interests me because of how the phrase is rendered. In the Greek, it reads, ἐπὶ τὴν τελειότητα φερώμεθα. The word I need to bring to our attention is the Greek word for Perfection, which is τελειοτητα. It is a word we are very familiar with in the lexical form. It is τελειος. The word we associate with “Achievement.” In this context, we can understand the text as saying Let us go on toward achievement/perfection/maturity/completeness. They all carry real meaning in this text. 

    The text also makes something clear to us. In order to move toward this, we need to be willing to leave something behind. This text tells us we must leave behind the “basic teaching.” Not that the basics are unimportant, but they will not get us to achievement if we are not ready to leave the foundational things. 

    I am committed to leaving behind anything that will not help me get to achievement, towards perfection, towards maturity, towards completeness. 2024 will be a year of τελειος for me. How about you? 

    Yours Because I am His

    Leo Colon, D. Min., M.Div. 

    Pastor

  • Day Three: Are you a Disciplined Believer?

    Grace and Peace be unto you, from God our Father and from the LORD Jesus Christ. Beloved, I wish you all Shalom. I am writing to you from Nazareth on my way back to Jerusalem by way of Jericho. Today, January 9th, 2019, we are on day three of our journey of fasting and praying. Congratulations, you are doing well! This is a year that God has anointed you to live. You are anointed to do this. Let’s look at the text for this week:

    Prov. 1:1 These are the proverbs of Solomon, David’s son, king of Israel.
    Prov. 1:2 Their purpose is to teach people wisdom and discipline, to help them understand the insights of the wise.
    Prov. 1:3 Their purpose is to teach people to live disciplined and successful lives, to help them do what is right, just, and fair.
    Prov. 1:4 These proverbs will give insight to the simple, knowledge and discernment to the young.

    In the New Living Translation, the verse is rendered “Their purpose is to teach people wisdom and discipline,” this is the first clause of verse two (2). In the King James Authorized it is rendered as:
    Prov. 1:2 To know wisdom and instruction; to perceive the words of understanding;

    The word instruction in the King James version, instruction is translated as discipline in the New Living Translation. The word used in the Hebrew is the word מוֹסֵר   mosēr, it actually means; chains, shackles, fetters. Instruction will allow one to self impose shackles based on what they have learned. When I was a child I was instructed to cross the street when there was a green light because that helped me to understand when it might be safe to cross the street. I was also instructed not to allow the green light to be my only gage for safety. I was instructed to look both ways when I cross the street. Not to do so could mean life-threatening injuries that I could avoid if I followed instruction. As a result, I restrain myself when crossing the street to make sure I am safe. This is what the New Living Translation calls discipline.
    Discipline keeps us safe and it is self-imposed. What chains do we put on ourselves to prevent ourselves from preventable harm? Eating well and working out is a discipline. Studying is a discipline that allows us to obtain and retain information that helps us to make our future better. God is calling us to discipline and instruction that informs that discipline. Again, the two should go together. What I mean is that uninformed discipline, discipline without instruction is just a bad habit or bad behavior. I want to be disciplined in my walk with God. I will place shackles on my own behavior if it means a better life in Christ.
    What’s the alternative?

    Prov. 20:13 If you love sleep, you will end in poverty. Keep your eyes open, and there will be plenty to eat!

    An undisciplined life is a life not worth living. It leads to poverty and poverty is not what we are called to be as believers. Are you a disciplined believer? What can you do, Today to be disciplined, the way God wants you to be disciplined? Could you start your day with set-aside time for prayer? Do you have a devotional you could start reading today as a disciplined believer? How about in your family? Do you get to work on time so that you are not threatening your job and by extension, threatening your family’s well being? Are you a disciplined churchgoer? Do you take the Bible seriously enough to do what it says?
    I want to be a disciplined believer, how about you?

    Please, take the time to subscribe to this blog. This way, you can receive notice of this blog when posted. It is my intention this year to post weekly. Consider subscribing, I believe it will bless you.

    Remember beloved, drink all the water you can drink and take one bowl of Soup after 3PM. I pray this blog was an encouragement to you. Please, plan now to bring someone to church with you this week. This is part of what we are called to do. This too is wisdom. If you are not a member of a church, you need a place to run as if every step matters, come to In His Presence Family Worship Center at 1673 Dean Street, Brooklyn NY, every Sunday at 8 AM and every Wednesday at 7:30 PM. Some of the best people in the world are there and we would love to have you as our guest.
    If you would like to sow into this word, please obey what God is saying and give. Go to this link, http://ihpfwc.org/online-giving.html you can give by downloading our ‘Givelify’ app and going to In His Presence Worship Center. This gives you a one-step option. Honor the LORD with your substance. Proverbs 3:9
    Also, new this year, download the IHP app. Go to where you obtain your apps, Google Play for Androids or the App store for iPhones and look for In His Presence FWC. Download the app and stay connected.

    Yours Because I am His,
    Leo Colon
    www.ihpfwc.org
    pastor@ihpfwc.org
    888.640.5550

  • Day One: Know what is Right and Do It!

    Grace and Peace be unto you, from God our Father and from the LORD Jesus Christ. Beloved, I wish you all Shalom. I am in Israel as I write to you and I am learning so much. I must tell you, I miss my church, IHP, and like the Apostle Paul wrote, “I long to see you”. (Rom 1:11) I am writing to you from Nazareth and I pray I can get this to you, the internet is not the best here. Today, January 7th, 2019, we begin our journey of fasting and praying. This is a year that God has anointed you to live. You are anointed to do this. This will be my declaration to you when I get back to IHP, this Sunday the 13th of January. Let’s look at the text for the week:

    Prov. 1:1 These are the proverbs of Solomon, David’s son, king of Israel.
    Prov. 1:2 Their purpose is to teach people wisdom and discipline, to help them understand the insights of the wise.
    Prov. 1:3 Their purpose is to teach people to live disciplined and successful lives, to help them do what is right, just, and fair.
    Prov. 1:4 These proverbs will give insight to the simple, knowledge and discernment to the young.

    This morning, I want to encourage you from the scriptures. We at IHP are currently, studying the book of Proverbs and I felt led to share a small passage with those that are joining us today on our fast. As believers we should be a people of discipline and we should be informed. One of the things we learned here about Judaism is that the studying of God’s word is a mitzvah. It is a command from God. It is for us as Christians as well.

    2Tim. 2:15 Study to shew thyself approved unto God, a workman that needeth not to be ashamed, rightly dividing the word of truth. KJV

    As we begin this fast and ask God for the ability to live this year better than we ever have, we should be focused on improving ourselves by studying the word of God. Here are some benefits we should look for. One goal I should expect by studying the word of God is gaining wisdom and discipline. Wisdom and discipline are two things I want to procure more of this year. One of the best definitions of wisdom I ever heard is, wisdom is the “application” of knowledge. Having knowledge is never enough for the believer. If I have knowledge and do not apply it, how can it benefit me or my community? If I know prayer works and never pray, do I have the right to question the efficacy of prayer? I need to apply the wisdom found in the word of God.

    Today, I want to apply wisdom. Know what is right and do it. There is no guarantee it will be easy, nor was there ever a promise that it would be, but it will be beneficial. Know what is right and do it! The benefit will come. You may not see it immediately, but it will manifest itself in due time. Learn what is right and apply it. Watch God come through and move mightily in your life.

    Remember beloved, drink all the water you can drink and take one bowl of Soup after 3PM. I pray this blog was an encouragement to you. Please, plan now to bring someone to church with you this week. This is part of what we are called to do. This too is wisdom. If you are not a member of a church, you need a place to run as if every step matters, come to In His Presence Family Worship Center at 1673 Dean Street, Brooklyn NY, every Sunday at 8 AM and every Wednesday at 7:30 PM. Some of the best people in the world are there and we would love to have you as our guest.
    If you would like to sow into this word, please obey what God is saying and give. Go to this link, http://ihpfwc.org/online-giving.html you can give by downloading our ‘Givelify’ app and going to In His Presence Worship Center. This gives you a one-step option. Honor the LORD with your substance. Proverbs 3:9
    Also, new this year, download the IHP app. Go to where you obtain your apps, Google Play for Androids or the App store for iPhones and look for In His Presence FWC. Download the app and stay connected.

    Yours Because I am His,
    Leo Colon
    www.ihpfwc.org
    pastor@ihpfwc.org
    888.640.5550

  • Day One. Insight and Understanding.

    Beloved,

    Grace and Peace be unto you, through the knowledge of God and of Jesus Christ. I wanted to take the time to write you guys during the fast period, to encourage you as you go forth in this Journey we engage on our 10 day fast. This is a repost of an earlier posting. I pray that it encourages you. Look for a note from me daily with the exception of Sunday during the fast.

    Today we begin our journey, hear the word of the LORD. From the beginning of this journey God has already sent an answer to you. The answer will bring to you insight and understanding. The bible records Daniel engaging in fasting and praying after discovering some things through the word of God.

    New Living Translation:
    Dan. 9:2 During the first year of his reign, I, Daniel, was studying the writings of the prophets. I learned from the word of the LORD, as recorded by Jeremiah the prophet, that Jerusalem must lie desolate for seventy years.
    Dan. 9:3 So I turned to the Lord God and pleaded with him in prayer and fasting. I wore rough sackcloth and sprinkled myself with ashes.

    Point 1.
    This 21 day fast is a time of prayer, great visions and fasting.
    Remember to compile your prayer lists, and pray about the concerns on your lists daily.

    Point 2.
    Take the time to read your scriptures with diligence. There are answers and promises for you in the word of God, and many times this can direct your prayer. The sackcloth and ashes let’s us know that he subjected himself to discomfort during this time. Fasting means denying yourself comfort and luxury. You will get through it, remember do it one day at a time.

    Beloved, I want to encourage you with this text. While you are praying, things are happening.

    Dan. 9:21 As I was praying, Gabriel, whom I had seen in the earlier vision, came swiftly to me at the time of the evening sacrifice.
    Dan. 9:22 He explained to me, “Daniel, I have come here to give you insight and understanding.
    Dan. 9:23 The moment you began praying, a command was given. I am here to tell you what it was, for God loves you very much. Now listen, so you can understand the meaning of your vision.

    While Daniel was praying, things were happening.  The text tell us the angel of the LORD, Gabriel came swiftly. God will speak to you during this time of fasting and prayer, and he will speak swiftly. The angel of the LORD explained his purpose for coming. “I have come to give you insight and understanding”. Be encouraged as you guys pray today. God has every intention, and has purposed to bring you insight and understanding. I speak in the name of Jesus, that no one will end this fast without insight into what God has for you, and that your insight will be clear to you. May God bring you understanding.

    So beloved, look for insight.
    insight |ˈinˌsīt|
    noun
    the capacity to gain an accurate and deep intuitive understanding of a person or thing

    Thesaurus:
    insight
    noun
    1 your insight has been invaluable intuition, discernment, perception, awareness, understanding, comprehension, apprehension, appreciation, penetration, acumen, perspicacity, judgment, acuity; vision, wisdom, prescience; informal savvy.
    2 an insight into the government understanding of, appreciation of, revelation about; introduction to; informal eye-opener about.

    And may God give you understanding.
    understand |ˌəndərˈstand|
    verb ( past and past part. -stood )
    1 [ trans. ] perceive the intended meaning of (words, a language, or speaker)
    Thesaurus:
    understanding
    noun
    1 test your understanding of the language comprehension, apprehension, grasp, mastery, appreciation, assimilation, absorption; knowledge, awareness, insight, skill, expertise, proficiency; informal know-how; formal cognizance. antonym ignorance.
    2 it was my understanding that this was free belief, perception, view, conviction, feeling, opinion, intuition, impression, assumption, supposition, inference, interpretation.
    3 she treated me with understanding compassion, sympathy, pity, feeling, concern, consideration, kindness, sensitivity, decency, humanity, charity, goodwill, mercy, tolerance. antonym indifference.
    4 we had a tacit understanding agreement, arrangement, deal, bargain, settlement, pledge, pact, compact, contract, covenant, bond, meeting of minds.

    Remember beloved, drink all the water you can drink and take one bowl of Soup after 3PM. I pray this blog was an encouragement to you. Please, plan now to bring someone to church with you this week. This is part of what we are called to do. If you are not a member of a church, you need a place to run as if every step matters, come to In His Presence Family Worship Center at 1673 Dean Street, Brooklyn NY, every Sunday at 8 AM and every Wednesday at 7:30 PM. Some of the best people in the world are there and we would love to have you as our guest.
    Also, if you would like to sow into this word, please obey what God is saying and give. Go to this link, http://ihpfwc.org/online-giving.html you can give by downloading our ‘Givelify’ app and going to In His Presence Worship Center. This give you a one step option, our you can use PayPal or give directly from the website. Honor the LORD with your substance. Proverbs 3:9

    Yours Because I am His,
    Leo Colon
    www.ihpfwc.org
    pastor@ihpfwc.org
    888.640.5550

  • Every Step Matters!! Live a disciplined and successful life.

    Beloved, Grace and Peace be unto you, through the knowledge of God and of Jesus Christ. We have really been learning so much from the book of Proverbs and it is a privilege to share what we have been feasting on. Come and feast with us. Visit us at 1673 Dean Street, in Brooklyn NY. Also, visit our website, www.ihpfwc.org and keep up with what is happening at IHP and see what we’re about. Let’s continue looking at the book of Proverbs. The text:

    Prov. 1:3 Their purpose is to teach people to live disciplined and successful lives, to help them do what is right, just, and fair. NLT

    Their purpose, the purpose of the proverbs is to teach us. Teach us to live disciplined and successful lives. A working definition of disciplined is: showing a controlled form of behavior or way of working. So let’s look at it this way, proverbs will show us a controlled form of behavior for our life. This controlled life means it is not a reactionary life. A controlled life means no one can make you do anything. Discipline takes planning. This means your actions are defined by you. You plan your behavior and function accordingly. An undisciplined life means circumstances can rule you. When that happens, we tend to blame others for our actions. Wisdom from the proverbs teaches us to win. Not to win the approval of others but to achieve what we set out to achieve. Purpose is the goal. Discipline is essential even for the believer. This is not highlighted in today’s construct. We are taught that our feelings are more important than having a goal. Here is what the bible says about discipline:

    1Cor. 9:24 ¶ Don’t you realize that in a race everyone runs, but only one person gets the prize? So run to win!
    1Cor. 9:25 All athletes are disciplined in their training. They do it to win a prize that will fade away, but we do it for an eternal prize.
    1Cor. 9:26 So I run with purpose in every step. I am not just shadowboxing.
    1Cor. 9:27 I discipline my body like an athlete, training it to do what it should. Otherwise, I fear that after preaching to others I myself might be disqualified. NLT

    Run to Win. This is what proverbs, (the word of God actually) teaches us. The Apostle makes the point. Athletes run, not to be in the race, but to win the race. No athlete, in their right mind thinks there is no need to prepare for a race. Only we do that. I include myself in this example. I have learned that preparation is how purposed is achieved and without it, I really am playing games. So, athletes TRAIN. They train and they do it with discipline. Meaning, if they are running, they learn what is the best technique for what they are running for. Sprinters train differently than long distance runners. What is your technique for winning this race called life? Or do you just start running when you hear the word GO! That is a good way to lose. You have to train yourself. So the Apostle says, he “runs with purpose in every step”. Every Step Matters!!!! We have to run as if every step matters! This is not shadow boxing. Every step you take as a Wife, sister, Daughter, Church Member, Brother, Father, Mother, Husband, Accountant, Police Officer, what ever you are called to be, Matters!

    So live a disciplined life. The proverbs teaches us how. Every step matters. If they matter to you then hear what the scriptures say to you. Read the scriptures and obey it. Do what God says, this is the way to purpose. Pray, fast, tithes, evangelize, be ready to share your faith. Be disciplined. You cannot be a great athlete without a coach. Every great athlete has a coach. You cannot be a great believer without a Pastor. Make sure your discipline includes being a strong member of your church, whatever church God has called you to, support your church, pray for your pastor, discipline yourself to contribute to your believing community.

    Every Step Matters!

    I pray this blog was an encouragement to you. Please, plan now to bring someone to church with you this week. This is part of what we are called to do. If you are not a member of a church, you need a place to run as if every step matters, come to In His Presence Family Worship Center at 1673 Dean Street, Brooklyn NY, every Sunday at 8 AM and every Wednesday at 7:30 PM. Some of the best people in the world are there and we would love to have you as our guest.
    Also, if you would like to sow into this word, please obey what God is saying and give. Go to this link, http://ihpfwc.org/online-giving.html you can give by downloading our ‘Givelify’ app and going to In His Presence Worship Center. This give you a one step option, our you can use PayPal or give directly from the website. Honor the LORD with your substance. Proverbs 3:9

    Yours Because I am His,
    Leo Colon
    www.ihpfwc.org
    pastor@ihpfwc.org
    888.640.5550

    #IHP #church #God #Jesus #fun #family #friends #follow #happy #love #pastor #teacher #inhispresenceny #church #apastorslove #apastorslife

  • You are a Masterpiece

    Grace and Peace to you. Thank you for taking the time to read this blog. Today, I want to encourage you. You are a MASTERPIECE. That’s not just from me, it’s the Word of God. Let’s look at the text:

    NLT
    Eph. 2:10 For we are God’s masterpiece. He has created us anew in Christ Jesus, so we can do the good things he planned for us long ago.

    Contextually, the Apostle Paul is encouraging all of us with what has to be one of the more pivotal verses in all Christendom.

    NLT
    Eph. 2:8 ¶ God saved you by his grace when you believed. And you can’t take credit for this; it is a gift from God.
    Eph. 2:9 Salvation is not a reward for the good things we have done, so none of us can boast about it.

    Letting us know, we are not save because of something we did or because we deserve to be saved but because of God’s love and purpose for our lives. Then he goes on in verse 10 to say that we are God’s Masterpiece. Wow, let’s think about that.

    The word masterpiece is defined in the MW Collegiate Dictionary as:
    MASTERPIECE: 1. a work done with extraordinary skill especially: supreme intellectual or artistic achievement.
    2. a piece of work presented to a medieval guild as evidence of qualification for the rank of master.

    OK, let’s think about this. No matter how I feel about myself, I am a work done with extraordinary skill. Imagine, me done with extraordinary skill but I have no confidence in myself. Seems crazy doesn’t it? Imagine any Masterpiece we know of. Let’s say the Mona Lisa. Can you imagine that you flew all the way to Paris to see this amazing work of art and all the while the painting is wondering does she belong there. The Painting is wondering does she belong in that museum. It would be easy to tell the painting, you are a masterpiece. You belong exactly where your Master put you. You belong here. You are worth the trouble we go through just to look at you. Also, anyone who would violate you, does not know your WORTH! You are precious. You are so precious that this museum goes through great lengths to protect you.

    Another thing, the Mona Lisa does not go through a lot of mental anguish trying to change after the Master has done His work. The Master has made the Mona Lisa just the way He envisioned. Why would the painting determine it should change and be like other paintings. Can you imagine that the Mona Lisa decided it wants to be a meme as opposed to a great painting?

    Well, here is my word to you, beloved, you are a work done with extraordinary skill. God did that. When God presented you, we all recognize God to embody the rank of Master. Anyone who would violate that does not know your WORTH! Don’t try to change, you are what God determined you to be. And anyone, including you, who does not see that, does not recognize a Masterpiece when they see one. You are a Masterpiece!

    Hey, Masterpiece, I want to invite you to come to our Church. In His Presence Family Worship Center is a place full of Masterpieces just like you. Join us, every Sunday an 8 AM and every Wednesday at 7 PM. We meet at 1673 Dean Street, Brooklyn NY. Come and join us. Miracles are happening there. You want to make plans to be there.

    Yours Because I am His,
    Leo Colon
    www.ihpfwc.org
    pastor@ihpfwc.org
    888.640.5550
    #IHP #church #God #Jesus #fun #family #friends #follow #happy #love #pastor #teacher #inhispresenceny #church #apastorslove #apastorslife