Pastor Leo Colon's Blog

Tag: Encouragement

  • Restore our Fortunes, O LORD

    Good morning and grace and peace. Today is day number four of our fast. Congratulations again. You are at a pivotal point in this journey. Take the time to appreciate how far you’ve come in this spiritual work. You are now at the halfway point. You have engaged God with prayer. You have started off your year with the same to God: I need your wisdom, your guidance, your direction, and only you are the path to success. So congratulations. Well done. 

    Today, I want to keep it simple. Sometimes just reading the text is enough. Enjoy.

    Psa. 126:0 ¶ A song of ascents.

    Psa. 126:1  ¶ When the LORD brought back the captives to Zion,

    we were like men who dreamed.

    Psa. 126:2 Our mouths were filled with laughter,

    our tongues with songs of joy. ¶ Then it was said among the nations,

    “The LORD has done great things for them.”

    Psa. 126:3 The LORD has done great things for us,

    and we are filled with joy.

    Psa. 126:4  ¶ Restore our fortunes, O LORD,

    like streams in the Negev.

    Psa. 126:5 Those who sow in tears

    will reap with songs of joy.

    Psa. 126:6 He who goes out weeping,

    carrying seed to sow,

    will return with songs of joy,

    carrying sheaves with him.

    Remember to drink at least 8 to 12 glasses of water today, and one bowl of soup after three pm. Make sure that you are actively engaging God with your prayer list. This is not a time to pray aimlessly. Be succinct and accurate in your prayers. I look forward to hearing your miracles. 

    Yours Because I am His,

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

    http://www.ihpfwc.org

  • His Mercies Never Come to an End

    Good morning and grace and peace. Today’s day number three of our fast. Congratulations again. You are at a pivotal point in this journey. Take the time to appreciate how far you’ve come in this spiritual work. You have denied yourself sustenance. You have engaged God with prayer. You have started off your year with the same to God, I need your wisdom, your guidance, your direction, and only you are the path to success. And because of that, I’m here to declare to you that God says this is a fast I will honor. So congratulations. Well done. 

    Lam. 3:22  ¶ The steadfast love of the LORD never ceases,a 

    his mercies never come to an end;

    Today I would like to encourage you using the same word we looked at yesterday. Jeremiah, the writer of this text, Lamentations chapter 3 verse 22 says to us, “The steadfast love of the Lord never ceases; his mercy never comes to an end.” (NRSV) Yesterday we looked at the fact that God’s love is steadfast. You can depend on it. Today as we continue in our shift, here is a word of the Lord to you. His mercy never comes to an end. Beloved, that is great news. Why, you ask? 

    “Sometimes the clearest evidence that God has not deserted you is not that you are successfully past your trial but that you are still on your feet in the middle of it.” – Warren Wiersbe

    To answer that, we fully have to engage in an understanding of what mercy is. In the text, which is a Hebrew text, the word “mercy” is the word רחמ ‘racham’. It means that God is gentle. That God is compassionate. But not that he’s just compassionate or that God’s is gentle just on general principle, and certainly that application could be made. Mercy is a word that presupposes our guilt. In a court of law, when I have done nothing wrong, I demand justice. But when I’m guilty of the crime and have laid the truth out for all to see, what I tend to beg the judge for is mercy. It means I’m guilty of a thing, but please don’t subscribe to me a punishment worthy of the crime that I’ve committed. 

    “So let’s not allow ourselves to get fatigued doing good. At the right time we will harvest a good crop if we don’t give up, or quit.”

    (Galatians 6:9 MESSAGE)

    When I look at this text, it’s telling me, even though I have blown it, God has been merciful to me. This means that he has not administered the justice I deserve. That he continually looks at me and says, “ I will be gentle with Leo, even though he hasn’t been gentle with himself.” Mercies, plural, are the way that they’re structured in this text. It then means that because I’m human and have the propensity to consistently blow it. God has the ability to be consistently merciful. As I go into this new year and we are looking towards that shift, I understand that I’m going to blow it, make mistakes, do things that were not part of the plan, and hopefully learn by them. It is my prayer that as I shift and go towards purpose, every mistake I make would be met with mercy. And I decree that for you. His mercies, plural, are never ceasing. 

    That’s good news. I want to encourage you today. You can do anything you put your mind to, and the scripture says that everything you put your hands to shall prosper. Prosper today. Succeed today. Remember, His mercies are never ending. 

    “Failure is not the end of your calling; it is the classroom of your calling”

    Let me close with this. I remember hearing a story about the Wright brothers as they were endeavoring to achieve flight for the first time. When they determined that they were going to build these airplanes and test them, they settled in their mind that in order to succeed in flight, it meant that they would crash a plane every day. But they never stopped believing that they can achieve, what they set out to achieve. You are endeavoring to do something you’ve never done before. You’re intending to shift your entire existence to something you’ve never done before. Be OK with the fact that every day it is possible that you will crash a plane. Get back up, clear the debris, and go forward and test the plane again. You will soar. You will fly. 

    Enjoy today. I look forward to your miracle. And I believe and decree that God will do exceedingly above all that you can ask or think. 

    Remember, drink all the water you can, at least 8 to 12 glasses today, and one bowl of soup after three pm. Make sure that you are actively engaging God with your prayer list. This is not a time to pray aimlessly. Be succinct and accurate in your prayers. I look forward to hearing your miracles.

    Yours Because I am His,

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

    http://www.ihpfwc.org

  • The Year of “The Shift.”

    Profile Picture Leo (2).

    Good day, and Happy New Year. Warning, this is a longer blog than usual. Congratulations, you’ve made it to 2026. Today, before we get into it, I want to say, “Happy Founders’ Day” to all my brothers of Kappa Alpha Psi Fraternity, Inc. Today marks one hundred and fifteen (115) years of “Achievement in Every Field of Human Endeavor.” To all my brothers, I greet you in Phi Nu Pi.

    “The Year of the Shift.”

    Grace and peace, and Happy New Year. Today, January 5, 2026, marks Day One of our corporate fast at In His Presence Family Worship Center, and it marks something even deeper: the beginning of “The Shift” God has proclaimed over this house for this year—“The Year of the Shift.”

    You Have Been Here Long Enough

    Deuteronomy 2:3 declares, “Ye have compassed this mountain long enough: turn you northward.” KJV Israel had been circling the same region, Mount Seir, for decades as part of the 40 years of wilderness wandering that followed their refusal to enter the promised land at Kadesh-barnea. By the time we arrive at this verse, roughly 38 of those years have passed, and God interrupts their cycle of wandering with a clear command to change direction.

    Israel had been delivered from Egypt, set free from slavery, and promised a land—but when it was time to enter, 10 of the 12 spies returned with a fearful, faithless report. Only Joshua and Caleb declared, “We are well able,” yet the people chose to listen to the wrong voices and missed their appointed moment to walk into promise. As a result, that generation was sentenced to walk in circles in the wilderness until the unbelieving adults died off, turning what should have been a journey into a cycle.

    When Obedience Still Feels Like Circles

    “Be not afraid of growing slowly; be afraid only of standing still.” – Chinese Proverb

    Here is the challenging part: Israel was circling that mountain because that is where God told them to go. Sometimes the season that frustrates you is still a season of obedience—you are where God told you to be, doing what you understood God asked you to do, and yet it feels like going around and around with no end in sight. There are times when our frustration is the fruit of our own disobedience, but there are also times when God keeps us in a holding pattern to deal with unbelief, refine character, and prepare us for what comes next.

    Over time, it becomes easy to get comfortable with the mountain. Instead of treating the mountain as a temporary training ground, we start decorating it as if it were home. We find our favorite turn along the path, hang spiritual “drapes,” set up our favorite chair, and rest in a familiar spot simply because it is predictable and safe. The problem is this: the mountain is not your destination; it is the place of discipline, delay, and development—not the place of destiny.

    The Shift Is Direction—and Mindset

    “If you don’t like something, change it. If you can’t change it, change your attitude.” – Maya Angelou

    In Deuteronomy 2:3, God’s word is both directional and mental: “turn you northward.”Northward is more than “stop going in circles and walk in a straight line”; it is “stop being comfortable with what has numbed you for the last 38 years and embrace a new way of thinking.” The same God who ordered their circling now declares that the circling has lasted “long enough,” meaning the season of discipline has done its work and the time has come to move toward promise again.

    In 2026, God is calling us to that same kind of shift. This is a year where God is not only changing directions but changing mindsets. For many, that will mean becoming comfortable with things you have never done before—steps of faith you have never taken, disciplines you have never practiced, levels of responsibility you have never carried. This year, choose to be comfortable not in what is familiar, but in knowing that God is giving you a renewed mind, a fresh direction, and another chance to walk toward what was promised long ago.

    Personally, this is a year of shifting:

    “To rise out of poverty you must change your way of thinking. You can’t live in abundance with impoverished thoughts.”
    ― Germany Kent

    – From settling for “southward” cycles to pressing “northward” into God’s next.

    – From “just getting along” to believing God for true wealth and abundance, so that Kingdom work can be resourced.

    – From being a manager to becoming an owner—shifting into stewardship at another level, where responsibility, authority, and impact increase.

    This is a year to shift from repeating what you have seen to stepping into what you have not seen yet—trusting that God is still faithful to old promises even as God leads you into new territory.

    Fasting into the Shift

    Today is Day One of our 2026 fast. As we enter this time, think of fasting as an embodied “turn northward”—a physical choice that agrees with God’s spiritual command to stop circling and start moving. Many churches and ministries encourage intentional water intake and simple meals during a fast to care for the body while seeking God with greater focus. For this fast, we are committing to:

    – Drinking plenty of water each day—aiming for at least 8 to 12 glasses—to cleanse and support the body as we pray.

    – Eating one bowl of soup after 3:00 p.m. each day, treating that simple meal as a reminder that we do not live by bread alone but by every word that proceeds from the mouth of God.

    Let this week be more than a change in diet; let it be a change in direction. As you feel hunger, name the “mountains” you have been circling—fear, procrastination, small thinking, financial bondage, unhealthy relationships, or spiritual complacency—and then ask God to show you what “northward” looks like in that area.

    Join the Journey in 2026

    You are invited to walk out this shift in community. Join us every Sunday at 10:00 a.m. at In His Presence Family Worship Center. We meet at 11 Woods Place (formerly Johnson Place) in Brooklyn, New York, gathering as a people who believe that wandering is not permanent and that God still opens the path to promise when God says, “You have compassed this mountain long enough.”

    Enter 2026 with expectation. This is the year you will see God pull you out of frustrating circles and move you toward fulfilled purpose, visible promise, and realized destiny. By God’s grace, this will be the year of your shift northward.

    Yours Because I am His,

    Leo Colon

    http://www.ihpfwc.org

  • Buy Black

    Buy Black

    Profile Picture Leo (2).Grace and peace be multiplied to you, through the knowledge of Christ and of God our Father. I pray this missive finds you well. There is currently an initiative going on that is meant to strengthen the African American community economically. It is being referred to as the “Mass Economic Blackout.” We are being encouraged not to take part in any normative buying of goods and services from November 25th through Dec 2nd. This forces the dominant society to acknowledge the impact of our dollar and to playfully get them to understand that we do not stand with their racist acquiescence of racist norms and policies. Even if they are silent, we affirm that silence is complicity. We are also being asked to either begin to, or redouble our efforts to buy black. 

     

    There are a number of online opportunities to buy black, such as shopredbag.com/, and although we know that Amazon is not black-owned, there is a way to buy black on Amazon. (https://www.amazon.com/b?ie=UTF8&node=69662226011) I have also listed at the end of this lengthy blog resources on buying black in Brooklyn. I did that because I am from and presently have the privilege to pastor in Brooklyn. But you can just as easily use a search engine or AI to get a listing in your community. In some places, it will be harder than in others, but the online option can help. 

     

    Here are some biblical arguments for buying black or for buying with in your community. I have attached the resources from which I have obtained the information. Enjoy. 

     

    Yours Because I am His,

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

    In His Presence Family Worship Center

    http://www.ihpfwc.org

    Scripture gives a strong foundation for intentionally directing economic life to bless “our own” while still loving and serving all people.

    Priority of the faith community  

    Therefore, as we have opportunity, let us do good to all people, especially to those who belong to the family of believers.

    (Galatians 6:10 NIV)

    – Galatians 6:10 teaches that believers are to “do good to everyone, and especially to those who are of the household of faith,” which clearly establishes a priority of care and support for the believing community.[3][4]

    – The Jerusalem church modeled this priority by sharing resources so that “there were no needy persons among them,” showing that economic decisions were consciously directed to meet the needs of their own community.[1][2]

    Economic justice and local impact  

    – The Law and the Prophets consistently call God’s people to structure economic life so the poor, vulnerable, and marginalized are protected, not exploited, which includes fair wages, just lending, and preventing generational poverty.[5][6][2]

    – Passages like Isaiah 1:17 and Proverbs 31:8–9 call believers to “seek justice,” “defend the rights of the poor and needy,” and “speak up” for the oppressed, which today can include directing spending power toward businesses that strengthen oppressed communities rather than systems that exploit them.[7][8][9]

    learn to do good; seek justice, rescue the oppressed, defend the orphan, plead for the widow.(Isaiah 1:17 NRSV)

    Speak out for those who cannot speak, for the rights of all the destitute. Speak out, judge righteously, defend the rights of the poor and needy.

    (Proverbs 31:8-9 NRSV)

    Stewardship, solidarity, and “buying Black”  

    – Biblical stewardship means money is a tool entrusted by God to advance His kingdom purposes, not just to maximize individual comfort, so believers are called to align their economic choices with justice, mercy, and love of neighbor.[10][11][12]

    – In contexts where Black communities have been systematically excluded from wealth-building, intentionally supporting Black-owned businesses can be preached as a concrete application of doing good “especially” to the household of faith and standing with the poor and vulnerable in pursuit of economic wholeness.[1][6][11]

    Teach those who are rich in this world not to be proud and not to trust in their money, which is so unreliable. Their trust should be in God, who richly gives us all we need for our enjoyment.

    (1 Timothy 6:17 NLT-SE)

    Sources

    [1] Topical Bible: Economic Justice https://biblehub.com/topical/e/economic_justice.htm

    [2] What Does The Bible Say About Economic Justice? https://www.biblestudytools.com/commentaries/csb-apologetics/what-does-the-bible-say-about-economic-justice.html

    [3] Galatians 6:10 Therefore, as we have opportunity, let us do good to … https://biblehub.com/galatians/6-10.htm

    [4] Galatians 6:10 – Bible Gateway https://www.biblegateway.com/verse/en/Galatians%206:10

    [5] A List of Bible Verses on Poverty, Justice, and Compassion https://sojo.net/list-some-more-2000verses-scripture-poverty-and-justice

    [6] Seeking Justice and Compassion for the Poor and Vulnerable https://www.nae.org/for-the-health-of-a-nation/seeking-justice-and-compassion-for-the-poor-and-vulnerable/

    [7] “WEALTH, POVERTY, and ECONOMIC JUSTICE in the Bible … https://www.royalpalmchristianchurch.org/pastor-craigs-corner/wealth-poverty-and-economic-justice-in-the-bible/

    [8] Bible Verses About Justice – Justice in the Bible https://sharedhope.org/2018/06/04/biblical-justice-and-social-justice/

    [9] 35 Bible Verses for Addressing Income Inequality – Believers Refuge https://believersrefuge.com/bible-verses-for-addressing-income-inequality/

    [10] In God We Trust? Five biblical lessons for believers during an … https://www.jonathanmorrow.org/in-god-we-trust-five-biblical-lessons-for-believers-during-an-economic-recession/

    [11] Economics and the Christian Worldview: 12 Theses – Southern Equip https://equip.sbts.edu/publications/journals/journal-of-theology/economics-and-the-christian-worldview-12-theses/

    [12] THE DISCIPLE AND MONEY: A LESSON IN STEWARDSHIP https://discipleship.org/blog/the-disciple-and-money-a-lesson-in-stewardship/

    [13] Social Justice 101: 12 Scriptures, 7 Proposals, and 3 Appreciations … https://davidschrock.com/2020/08/11/social-justice-101-12-scriptures-7-proposals-and-3-appreciations-from-what-is-the-mission-of-the-church/

    [14] What Does The Bible Say About Giving? (12 Principles) https://thethink.institute/articles/what-does-the-bible-say-about-giving-12-principles

    [15] What is the household of faith mentioned in Galatians 6:10? https://www.gotquestions.org/household-of-faith.html

    [16] Scott Rae: Why Pastors Need to Be Economically Literate https://cfc.sebts.edu/faith-and-economics/scott-rae-pastors-need-economically-literate/

    [17] “So then, while we have opportunity, let us do good to all people … https://www.reddit.com/r/Christianity/comments/2czhkm/so_then_while_we_have_opportunity_let_us_do_good/

    [18] 20 Inspiring Bible Verses About Helping The Poor – Bright Hope https://www.brighthope.org/blog-stories/serving-the-poor/20-inspiring-bible-verses-about-helping-the-poor/

    [19] 20 Bible Verses on Showing Kindness to Others – Cara Ray’s https://cara-ray.com/20-bible-verses-on-showing-kindness-to-others/

    [20] 8 Bible Verses about Helping the Poor and Needy https://globalchristianrelief.org/stories/bible-verses-helping-the-poor/

    Yes. While Scripture does not use the modern language of “buying Black,” it clearly supports prioritizing economic care for “your own” community—especially the people of God and the vulnerable in your midst.[1][2]

    Household of faith priority  

    – Galatians 6:10 commands believers to “do good to everyone, and especially to those who are of the household of faith,” which creates a biblical principle of prioritized care for one’s own spiritual community.[1][3]

    – The Jerusalem church in Acts 2:42–47 and 4:32–35 models an internal economy where resources circulate among believers so that “any had need” is met within the community first.[1][3]

    Community-centered economics  

    – Old Testament law required provision for “your brother” and “the poor man with you…in any of your towns,” showing that economic decisions (lending, release of debts, gleaning) were to be structured to directly benefit one’s own local community.[4][5]

    – Household and family economy teaching emphasizes governing the resources of the home in a way that protects and strengthens the household and its neighbors, not just pursuing abstract profit, which parallels the idea of keeping spending power working within the community.[6][7]

    Application to “buying Black”  

    – Loving neighbor and seeking the good of others (Mark 12:31; 1 Corinthians 10:24) provide warrant for directing spending toward those historically disadvantaged, so that economic life aligns with justice and mercy, not neutrality in the face of injustice.[8][9]

    – In a context where Black communities have been systemically excluded from wealth-building, intentionally supporting Black-owned businesses is a contemporary application of prioritizing the household of faith and the local “neighbor” community in economic practice. [3][2]

    Sources

    [1] 10 Key Bible Verses on Community | Crossway https://www.crossway.org/articles/10-key-bible-verses-on-community/

    [2] Household Economics | Practicing Our Faith https://practicingourfaith.org/practices/household-economics/

    [3] Philippians 4:16: financial support? – Bible Hub https://biblehub.com/q/Philippians_4_16_financial_support.htm

    [4] Financial Assistance – The Bible On Helping the Poor – NeverThirsty https://www.neverthirsty.org/bible-studies/topical-bible-studies/financial-assistance/

    [5] Biblical verses that encourage people to donate to the needy? : r/Bible https://www.reddit.com/r/Bible/comments/cx2pzo/biblical_verses_that_encourage_people_to_donate/

    [6] The Biblical Principles of Household Economy https://chalcedon.edu/resources/articles/the-biblical-principles-of-household-economy

    [7] The Family Economy https://churchandfamilylife.com/resources/6544102e6c1bbf0c10aee22b/the-family-economy

    [8] 20 Bible Verses About Neighbors & Community https://biblehealth.com/bible-verses-about-neighbors/

    [9] 20 Inspiring Bible Verses About Helping The Poor – Bright Hope https://www.brighthope.org/blog-stories/serving-the-poor/20-inspiring-bible-verses-about-helping-the-poor/

    [10] 40 Scriptures on Giving – Compassion International https://www.compassion.com/christian-faith/bible-verses-about-giving-and-generosity.htm

    [11] What does the Bible say about helping your family financially? https://seedtime.com/helping-family-financially/

    [12] 10 Key Bible Verses on Fellowship | Crossway https://www.crossway.org/articles/10-key-bible-verses-on-fellowship/

    [13] Bible Verses about Financial Blessings and Breakthrough https://www.biblestudytools.com/topical-verses/bible-verses-about-financial-blessings/

    [14] 10 Biblical Principles About Finances and Stewardship https://manhoodjourney.org/bible-verses-about-finances/

    [15] 5 Bible Verses About Community: How to Have Christian Family https://www.askaboutmyfaith.com/blogs/pursue-community

    [16] Did You Know God Has an Economy? – Bibles for America Blog https://blog.biblesforamerica.org/god-has-an-economy/

    [17] Understanding the Kingdom Economy: How Faith Works as … https://www.micahsutton.com/2025/02/understanding-the-kingdom-economy-how-faith-works-as-heavens-currency/

    [18] 25 Bible Verses About Serving and Volunteering https://smartchurchmanagement.com/bible-verses-about-serving/

    [19] 13 Bible Verses About Giving & the Generous Life | Bill High https://billhigh.com/faith/13-bible-verses-on-the-generous-life/

    [20] 9 Bible verses on the importance of community | Caring Magazine https://caringmagazine.org/9-bible-verses-importance-community/

    Buy Black

    You can find comprehensive listings of Black-owned businesses in Brooklyn through these dedicated websites.

    Each site offers different features—some have interactive maps, others let you search by category or neighborhood. These resources offer the most current and verified information for supporting Black entrepreneurs in Brooklyn. For grocers and cleaners specifically, narrowed searching or map features on these sites are recommended.

    Sources

    [1] Black-Owned Brooklyn https://www.blackownedbrooklyn.com

    [2] Brooklyn NY Black Owned Business & Black Entrepreneurs Directory https://www.afrobizworld.com/Black-Owned-Business-Brooklyn-NY

    [3] Black-Owned Businesses – Shop Your City https://shopyourcity.cityofnewyork.us/syc-black/

    [4] Black-owned business Directory – Brooklyn, New York – BuyBlack.org https://www.buyblack.org/new-york/brooklyn?page=48

    [5] New York City Launches a Black-Owned Business Directory https://nbltop100.org/new-york-city-launches-a-black-owned-business-directory/

    [6] Black-Led Co-ops to Support – NYC Network of Worker Cooperatives https://nycworker.coop/blackcoopsmatter/

    [7] BK Entrepreneur Academy – Brooklyn Chamber of Commerce https://www.brooklynchamber.com/services/bea/

    [8] Black-Owned Brownsville – Brooklyn – Pitkin Avenue BID https://www.pitkinavenue.nyc/blackownedbrownsville

    [9] Central Brooklyn Food Coop (@cbfoodcoop) – Instagram https://www.instagram.com/cbfoodcoop/?hl=en

    [10] New York City Black Chamber of Commerce – Business Assistance … https://bccnyc.org

    [11] Support Black-Owned Businesses Now & Always – Soho Grand Hotel https://www.sohogrand.com/stories/support-black-owned-business-new-york-copy/

    [12] Black-Owned Businesses at Your Co-op! – Flatbush Food Coop https://www.flatbushfood.coop/article/black-owned-businesses-at-your-co-op-1

    [13] Assistance Programs – Brooklyn Chamber of Commerce https://www.brooklynchamber.com/services/assistance-programs/

    [14] Support Black Entrepreneurs This Black Business Month https://downtownbrooklyn.com/news/2025/black-owned/

    [15] Black-owned supermarkets/vegetable markets south of Harlem? https://www.reddit.com/r/AskNYC/comments/18bil07/blackowned_supermarketsvegetable_markets_south_of/

    [16] Economic Development Solutions – Brooklyn Chamber of Commerce https://www.brooklynchamber.com/services/education/economic-development-solutions/

    [17] Map – Black-Owned Brooklyn https://www.blackownedbrooklyn.com/map

    [18] What are some favorite small businesses in Brooklyn? – Facebook https://www.facebook.com/groups/bedstuybrooklyn/posts/1386977678875472/

    [19] Chamber on the Go – Brooklyn Chamber of Commerce https://www.brooklynchamber.com/services/assistance-programs/chamber-on-the-go/

    [20] African American Business Directory – I Am Black Business https://iamblackbusiness.com/businesses.php?filter=category%7CBusiness+Services%2Bstate%7CNY%2Bcity%7CBrooklyn&sort=

     

  • Happy Thanksgiving

    Happy Thanksgiving

    Profile Picture Leo (2).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 find here will encourage you and inspire you to diligently seek God’s Kingdom.

    We are in the month of November. In this, what Frederick Haynes calls “these dis-United States,” we as a nation tend to celebrate what we now call Thanksgiving. The whitewashed version is that we are commemorating the providence of God to early settlers who have come from Europe to these shores and celebrate God’s provision for them and their progeny. What we are really celebrating is hegemony, murder, and cheating of indigenous people, in order to take what did not and does belong to these now white Americans. For our purposes, we take the time to celebrate how God has continuously provided for us as African American survivors of marginalization, oppression, and racism by the occident in times past and today. The scriptures give us so many examples of text of actual thanksgiving, and I thought I would share some of them with you. 

     

    O give thanks unto the LORD; for he is good; for his mercy endureth for ever.

    (1 Chronicles 16:34 KJV)

     

    Enter into his gates with thanksgiving, and into his courts with praise: be thankful unto him, and bless his name.

    For the LORD is good; his mercy is everlasting; and his truth endureth to all generations.

    (Psalm 100:4-5 KJV)

     

    O give thanks unto the LORD, for he is good: for his mercy endureth for ever.

    (Psalm 107:1 KJV)

     

    And you will say in that day: Give thanks to the LORD, call on his name; make known his deeds among the nations; proclaim that his name is exalted.

    (Isaiah 12:4 NRSV)

     

    Beloved, while we have no reason to engage in the celebration of America’s need to rewrite history and celebrate the lie that is the American construct of truth, we do owe our God praise and worship for his mighty acts of sustaining us in the face of American hegemony. For this, we should give thanks. In that light, I say to you all, even though we are a week away, Happy Thanksgiving. 

     

    Again, I would like to invite you to subscribe to the blog. I endeavor to post 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 would like to extend a special invitation to join us at In His Presence Family Worship Center this Sunday at our new home. That’s right, we have moved into our own building. Join me at IHP. We now meet at 11 Woods Place, (formerly Johnsons Place) in Brooklyn, NY. Join us at 10 a.m. I look forward to seeing you there. Seek God’s Kingdom first. And, visit our website to get more information about In His Presence Family Worship Center. 

     

    Yours Because I am His,

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

    In His Presence Family Worship Center

    http://www.ihpfwc.org

  • Go Vote!!!!

    Go Vote!!!!

    Profile Picture Leo (2).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 find here will encourage you and inspire you to diligently seek God’s Kingdom. Today, the word of the LORD to you is “VOTE.” Let’s look at the word of God and gain some perspective on what the scriptures say. 

     

    Jer. 29:7 And seek the peace of the city whither I have caused you to be carried away captives, and pray unto the LORD for it: for in the peace thereof shall ye have peace. KJV

     

    Jer. 29:7  And work for the peace and prosperity of the city where I sent you into exile. Pray to the LORD for it, for its welfare will determine your welfare.” NLT

     

    Jeremiah was an interesting prophet, but he was a real prophet. I told our church that he was not what we in the twenty-first century would consider a successful prophet. He spent most of his career in jail. He prophesied negative things that got him in more trouble than not. He consistently set order and told the people of God what they should do.

     

    This pericope is no different. This prophecy was written down. He sent this prophecy in a letter during a time when Israel was being occupied. Nebuchadnezzar had conquered Israel and had taken away many of its people back to Shinar. At this time, Israel was being oppressed, marginalized, and made into servants. They were no longer running their own affairs. It is in this context that Jeremiah sends this prophecy. He does not say that this time next year you will be free. He does not promise women a husband or children. Men are not being promised money, jobs, or even families. 

     

    The prophet says in verse five (5), while you are in exile, build houses, plant gardens, get married, and build families, “that you may be increased there, and not diminished.” (Verse 6 KJV). Even in your oppression, there is a plan from the LORD. This is the instruction that is given to the people of God so that even though you are not free, you should not be dependent on your oppressors for anything. This idea that we should constantly be dependent on people who think we are beneath them is a formula for disaster. Why would you depend on them to feed you, house you, and teach your children? As a matter of fact, you will find that they are not permitted to marry outside of Israel, and the reasons were always theological, not ethnic. The main concern expressed in passages such as Deuteronomy 7:3-4, Exodus 34:16, and Ezra 9-10 is that intermarriage with foreigners—specifically Canaanites and other idol-worshiping nations—would lead Israelites away from worshipping the one true God and towards idolatry. 

     

    In verse seven, in keeping with the theme of self-reliance, God says that they should “work for the peace and prosperity of the city where I sent you into exile.” NLT God says that we should work for, seek in the King James, the peace and prosperity of the city where you are in exile. Listen, even if you are not running the city, you should be involved. Because God says “its welfare will determine your welfare.” 

     

    If the welfare of this city determines your welfare, should you not be involved? We are called to be active and good citizens of the city. Voting should be the least we can do. The welfare of your city determines your welfare. Do not leave the direction of your welfare to someone else. Get involved. Go Vote!

     

    Again, I would like to invite you to subscribe to the blog. I endeavor to post 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 would like to extend a special invitation to join us at In His Presence Family Worship Center this Sunday at our new home. That’s right, we have moved into our own building. Join me at IHP. We now meet at 11 Woods Place, (formerly Johnsons Place) in Brooklyn, NY. Join us at 10 a.m. I look forward to seeing you there. Seek God’s Kingdom first. And, visit our website to get more information about In His Presence Family Worship Center. 

     

    Yours Because I am His,

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

    In His Presence Family Worship Center

    http://www.ihpfwc.org

  • Walk in God’s Rest for Your Soul

    Walk in God’s Rest for Your Soul

    Profile Picture Leo (2).

    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 find here will encourage you and inspire you to diligently seek God’s Kingdom. This week was week three of Women’s Month at In His Presence Family Worship Center (IHP), and again, it was a privilege to be in the room with such powerful women. It was an opportunity to hear some of the gifts that God has placed in our midst. This week’s gift was Pastor Alva T Allen. She was our speaker for the morning. Pastor Alva Allen is a pillar of our church, and we thank God for her and her ministry. She took the time to bring tension from the word of God, during a month where the theme is Rest for Your Soul, Pastor Allen told us that some of our unrest is a result of our own disobedience. Let’s look at one of the texts that Pastor shared with us. 

     

    Jer. 6:16 Thus says the LORD: Stand at the crossroads, and look, and ask for the ancient paths, where the good way lies; and walk in it, and find rest for your souls. But they said, “We will not walk in it.” NRSV

     

    Pastor Allen taught that “disobedience to God’s directives causes unrest.” The text gives a clear mandate from God that tells us that obedience to his word gives us “rest for your souls.” With that said, she defined “soul” for us. Biblically, the soul is the place where decisions are made. It is the seat of reason, logic, the mind, and the like. This is why a troubled soul can look like depression, negative thinking, and poor attitudes. Imagine that we can avert much of the negativity by trusting God implicitly. Here is how we should do it. 

     

    Look and ask for the ancient path. There is often a good reason why ancient things persist. The path that was here when you got here and is still here serves a purpose bigger than you or your problem. The ancient ways, or path, often mean they derive from God and are determined to be profitable to those who would obey them. I remember a pastor saying once:

     

    “There is a difference between tradition and traditionalism. Tradition is the living voice of the dead. Traditionalism is the dead voice of the living.”

     

    The living voice of God telling us our new way will not work is the very fabric of wisdom, and we would do well to obey it. We should prefer and inquire about the old ways rather than the stuff we come up with, especially when those ways do not include the word of God. For example, it is still better to get married than to live together. It is still better to invest wisely than to follow an unproven trend. 

     

    The ancient path is where the “good way lies.” I want to know that when I make a decision about my life, my career, even my church, I want to choose the path where the “good way lies.” When I find that good way, I need to walk in it. Beloved, I have walked a bunch of paths that I thought would work. The one thing these wrong paths had in common is that I did not seek God for direction. Not only did I end up in places I never wanted to be, I discovered that I found “no rest” there.  

     

    Beloved, do not be that believer who tells God no, I do not want to obey you, and I want to find my own path. I want to walk in a way that affords me the privilege of God’s rest. Walk in God’s rest for your soul. 

     

    Again, I would like to invite you to subscribe to the blog. I endeavor to post 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 would like to extend a special invitation to join us at In His Presence Family Worship Center this Sunday at our new home. That’s right, we have moved into our own building. Join me at IHP. Remember, this is Women’s Month. We now meet at 11 Woods Place, (formerly Johnsons Place) in Brooklyn, NY. Join us at 10 a.m. I look forward to seeing you there. Seek God’s Kingdom first. And, visit our website to get more information about In His Presence Family Worship Center. 

     

    Yours Because I am His,

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

    In His Presence Family Worship Center

    http://www.ihpfwc.org

     

  • When rest is not enough, we serve a God who restores

    When rest is not enough, we serve a God who restores

    Profile Picture Leo (2).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 find here will encourage you and inspire you to diligently seek God’s Kingdom. This week was week two of Women’s Month at In His Presence Family Worship Center (IHP), and it was a privilege to be in the room with such powerful women. It was an opportunity to hear some of the gifts that God has placed in our midst. This week’s gift was Evangelist Meredith Boyd. She was our speaker for the morning. Preceding her was one of our gifts, Marchette Swindell, who is a daughter of the house, who with her husband has relocated but this week came back to share with us a sermonic solo. After her, another daughter of the house, one born in IHP, was the actual daughter of our speaker, who did a sermonic dance for her mother before she spoke. Evangelist Boyd has two daughters who are a delight to our church, and we thank God for them both. Let’s look at the text that the evangelist shared with us. 

     

    Psa. 23:3 He restoreth my soul: he leadeth me in the paths of righteousness for his name’s sake. KJV

     

     

     

    Her message, “When rest is not enough, we serve a God who restores,” centered around verse 3 of this familiar Psalm. She made a point of saying there is a difference between rest and restoration. She said, “You can rest your body and still feel weary at heart. You can pause your calendar and cancel your meetings and still feel empty inside. You can sit down and stop moving and still not be settled in your spirit.” The difference she articulated is “rest is what we do to stop and take a break.” Restoration is what “God does to heal us.” She said, “ Rest is your pause, but restoration is God’s power.” 

     

    Restoration is to rebuild, to repair, and to revive. “God doesn’t just calm you down; He starts fixing what’s broken.” She made the correlation: when your car starts making noises and driving strangely, you can pull over and shut the engine off. That will quiet the motor, and you will not hear noises or see it drive strangely, but that does not fix the problem. In order to fix the problem, you should take the car to a qualified mechanic. In order for him to fix the problem, you will have to give up control of the car. So, in order for you to be restored, you need to give up control of your situation, your life, your ideas, and leave it with the qualified mechanic, Jesus. 

     

    Also, I know from experience that it is not a good idea to try and be “Co-Mechanic.” Leave the car with the mechanic, then leave the garage. When I bring my car in for service, I listen to the qualified people who are going to fix my car. I do not go into the garage to show them where everything is. They know my car better than I do. I take their advice. When they tell me this is going to take a while, I ask them for a ride home. I leave the car with them. I do not text them what I think they should do. As a matter of fact, when I get home, even with my car in their hands, I do whatever I want. Watch television, clean up the backyard, or even get some rest. 

     

    Let God restore you. Do not try to be Co-Mechanic. When I go back to get my car, it operates like new. I can go on long trips, stay out all day, and I know I can depend on the car. When God restores you, you can operate like a new creation. You can go on long trips and not get weary. Let God restore you. It’s more than just rest. “When rest is not enough, we serve a God who restores.”

     

     

    Again, I would like to invite you to subscribe to the blog. I endeavor to post 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 would like to extend a special invitation to join us at In His Presence Family Worship Center this Sunday at our new home. That’s right, we have moved into our own building. Join me at IHP. Remember, this is Women’s Month. We now meet at 11 Woods Place, (formerly Johnsons Place) in Brooklyn, NY. Join us at 10 a.m. I look forward to seeing you there. Seek God’s Kingdom first. And, visit our website to get more information about In His Presence Family Worship Center. 

     

    Yours Because I am His,

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

    In His Presence Family Worship Center

    http://www.ihpfwc.org

     

  • Release the Clutter and Rest.

    Release the Clutter and Rest.

    Profile Picture Leo (2).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 find here will encourage you and inspire you to diligently seek God’s Kingdom.

     

     

    Matt. 11:28 ¶ “Come to me, all you that are weary and are carrying heavy burdens, and I will give you rest.

    Matt. 11:29 Take my yoke upon you, and learn from me; for I am gentle and humble in heart, and you will find rest for your souls.

    Matt. 11:30 For my yoke is easy, and my burden is light.”

    (Matthew 11:28-30 NRSV)

     

    At In His Presence Family Worship Center, the entire month of October is Women’s Month. I want to encourage you to come and worship with us as our women minister. Not just to other women but to all of us. I guarantee that we men benefit from their ministry and should take advantage of God’s gifting that is women’s ministry. 

     

    On Sunday, the 5th of October, our Pastor Kwania Ragler spoke from Matthew’s Gospel and encouraged us to “Release the Clutter and Rest.” Powerful and tremendous presentation to be sure. I thought I would highlight something she said to us. 

     

    She encouraged us to make a shift in how we deal with problems/burdens. She said, “Thinking about a problem is different than worrying about a problem.” What I worry about has the potential to define me, even for a while. Often, worrying about a problem defines my demeanor. I look worried, I act worried, I behave in a manner that suggests that something else is a problem. Worrying can lead to depression. The feeling that I do not have what it takes to cope adequately with a problem. This can overwhelm and cause me to come to conclusions that do not solve the problem, often having nothing to do with the problem. 

     

    Thinking about the problem, on the other hand, does give you the ability to see the problem in its proper perspective and find a solution to the problem. A thinker might even realize that they do not have the solution to the problem and go outside of their immediate construct to search for a solution. But thinking about the problem does not give the problem authority over your life. A problem can be fixed. A problem often has a solution; when it does not have one that you can find, the proper paradigm is to give it to God. 

     

    This does not mean that you are avoiding the problem; it actually means you are giving your problem to God, who can fix anything. That problem, that clutter, is an unnecessary weight. Give it to God and realize the victory you were made for. I will leave with a quote from Pastor Steve Sherod, who, in a meeting with the fellowship I am a part of, said to us, that “we as Christians fight from a position of victory, not to gain victory.” We are victorious when we got into this fight. This should mean that even in the fight, we are not worrying about victory; we think from victory, which means we fight differently. “Release the clutter and rest.”

     

    Again, I would like to invite you to subscribe to the blog. I endeavor to post 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 would like to extend a special invitation to join us at In His Presence Family Worship Center this Sunday at our new home. That’s right, we have moved into our own building. Join me at IHP. We now meet at 11 Woods Place, (formerly Johnsons Place) in Brooklyn, NY. Join us at 10 a.m. I look forward to seeing you there. Seek God’s Kingdom first. And, visit our website to get more information about In His Presence Family Worship Center. 

     

    Yours Because I am His,

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

    In His Presence Family Worship Center

    http://www.ihpfwc.org

  • Christianity is Radical

    Christianity is Radical

    Profile Picture Leo (2).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 find here will encourage you and inspire you to diligently seek God’s Kingdom. Today, I would like to encourage you from the book of Matthew. We have been looking at the Sermon on the Mount for a few months at IHP. Today, I thought we would look at something our God has inculcated to the disciples and to us as subjects of the Kingdom of Heaven. 

     

    We have been looking at the “Kingdom of God/Heaven for the entire year of 2025, and as such, we have learned that the way to be a good subject of the Kingdom is to know what your King demands and obey those commands. In so doing, we are looking at what Christ has to teach us. 

     

    The beatitudes are how he begins the sermon, and the beatitudes are radical in how they changed my perspective, even in 2025 as to what being a Christian is. They have changed everything for me. I cannot be passive and be the kind of believer Christ demands because he said:

     

    “Blessed are those who hunger and thirst for righteousness, for they will be filled.”

    (Matthew 5:6 NRSV)

     

    The Beatitudes create in me a propensity to become an activist because they do tell me: 

     

    “Blessed are the peacemakers, for they will be called children of God.”

    (Matthew 5:9 NRSV)

     

    We have learned that I cannot be a peacemaker with unrighteousness if I understand that I need to be one who hungers and thirsts after righteousness. It means that I cannot follow the solution of staying out of issues that confront or try to lull my community into complacency. I must take a stand, not only in my own life but in the life of those I care about. My family, my church, my community. I am called to activism and to be what God calls me to be. Jesus said:

     

    “You are the light of the world. A city built on a hill cannot be hid.”

    (Matthew 5:14 NRSV)

     

    God needs for this world not to operate in darkness. This is why he called you, the believer, to prevent your family, your community, your nation from operating in darkness. Beloved, be assured that this world would rather be in darkness. 

     

    “And this is the judgment, that the light has come into the world, and people loved darkness rather than light because their deeds were evil.”

    (John 3:19 NRSV)

     

    What radical truths! It means that although men would rather that Christians stay out of politics, determining how resources in communities are disseminated, Christ says we are called to this. We need to speak up and demand righteousness in government, in community, and in our nation. We are not called to complain on the side about how helpless people have made us. We are called to be a solution. Instead of complaining about how schools are teaching your children, you should be a member, even a leader, in the PTA. Why are you not running for the school board. Instead of complaining about ICE, why are you not a federal judge who took your law school experience and fought to protect the community? Why are you not a district attorney or police officer? Complaining about it is not the solution. 

     

    Even Christ, the meekest of us all, turned over the tables of the money changers when it was clear that these men were cheating the community. Why have you not done what Christ commands? Whatever this means to you— student government, PTA, city government, county government, police department, military, school board, or even in your church— are you part of your church administration, helping your pastor move your church forward? Christianity is radical. Blessed people are activists. Engage your community and be the light of the world. 

     

    Again, I would like to invite you to subscribe to the blog. I endeavor to post 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 would like to extend a special invitation to join us at In His Presence Family Worship Center this Sunday at our new home. That’s right, we have moved into our own building. Join me at IHP. We now meet at 11 Woods Place, (formerly Johnsons Place) in Brooklyn, NY. Join us at 10 a.m. 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