Tag: church god

  • 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

  • Day Eleven of our Twenty-One Journey:The Naked Tree

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

    Beloved to is day number eleven and you are well on your way to conquering your second week. You are doing a great job, congratulations. Some of you didn’t think you would make it this far. Remember just do today. Tomorrow will handle itself. Drink as much water as you can, at least 10 to 12 glasses of water and make sure you doing what you need to do to get the toxins out of your body. Either take a strong laxative or schedule some colon therapy at least once a week if possible. You are doing great and I for one am proud of the job you are doing.

    Today, once again, my colleague, friend and brother, Pastor Paul Dean is our guest blogger. 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 that God has bless you through this effort.

    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

    The Naked Tree

    Proverbs 3:5-6 (NKJV)
    5 Trust in the LORD with all your heart, And lean not on your own understanding;
    6 In all your ways acknowledge Him, And He shall direct your paths.

    The Naked Tree
    This morning after coming home from the gym, I took my dog out and as he was walking around I sat down and looked up and seen two trees. One tree had leaves on it (although some leaves were falling) the other one was naked (no leaves at all), yet they was both very much alive.
    As I gazed at the tree with leaves, I began to also notice that many birds landed on this tree, while none of them went to the naked tree. The naked tree had no leaves.  It did not provide shade; neither did it look very pretty, yet it was strong and still standing. It was stripped of its beauty; all leaves fell, no bird to land.  Yet it was still rooted and grounded, waiting for its new season.
    It reminded me of times when God has to strip us naked, where we don’t look so beautiful, where our leaves have fallen off and no one wants to land upon us, so to speak or be around us only because of what we look like. Not knowing that we are still connected to Him! Still rooted, still grounded in Christ. When we go through this, it’s called the “Stripping Season”, where God removes the outer layers to humble the inner man, to prepare you for your next season. It will seem like everything is gone, and everyone around you is leaving (falling off). Money starts to deplete, and somewhere in all of this, it feels like God is nowhere to be found, yet you stand there naked and not ashamed because you know this is not your end.
    The enemy is laughing and your friends and family are wondering what you did to deserve such turmoil. Your mind begins to doubt God, but He whispers in a small voice and says “I’m still with you”. He says “I’m just prepping you for your next season”. I know it doesn’t feel like it, and it’s a little chilly in the financial dept, but remember God is the thermometer! He controls the temperature of your life. And although the house is cold and He won’t turn up the heat, He will give you a blanket to keep you warm. Don’t fret in these times, don’t worry in the blizzards. It’s not how you look above ground, but it’s knowing that you are still connected to the root of your God! Soon your leaves will spring forth, nests will be made, and the whistling of a bird will be heard from the tree of your spirit.
    So if your life tree is naked, hold on, He will soon give you a blanket blessing to keep you warm until your new season…
    Until then keep Smiling…
    God bless you, heaven smile upon you, go in peace and may your peace be multiplied.
    Endure to the End!

    Pastor P