Pastor Leo Colon's Blog

Tag: IHP

  • 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

     

     

  • Live in Expectancy

    Live in Expectancy

    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. This is part of a blog I wrote in 2009, and it is still relevant today.

    Matt. 17:19 Then came the disciples to Jesus apart, and said, Why could not we cast him out? Matt. 17:20 And Jesus said unto them, Because of your unbelief: for verily I say unto you, If ye have faith as a grain of mustard seed, ye shall say unto this mountain, Remove hence to yonder place; and it shall remove; and nothing shall be impossible unto you.

    In this example, Jesus shows us that doubt restricts our ability, not His. The things we set out to do, we need to make sure there is no doubt in us. The things God wants to do in your life, God does not need your approval, approbation, or input. What you decree in God necessitates you to believe and have no doubt. The correlation here is that God can not doubt his own word, that is a human trait. God’s word can not return unto him void. Our word needs belief, lack of doubt and the name of Jesus. God absolutely expects his word to come to pass, it is impossible for it not to. We need to be more like him. Live in expectancy that the word of God will come to pass. That God will do what he said he will do. Remember the word of God.

    King James Version: Is. 46:11 Calling a ravenous bird from the east, the man that executeth my counsel from a far country: yea, I have spoken it, I will also bring it to pass; I have purposed it, I will also do it.

    God has spoken a word into your life, he will bring it to pass. Doubt is not an issue. Live in expectancy of whatever God has spoken into your life. What does that mean? Expect whatever God tells you will happen, to happen. It will. Live like you expect God to come through. He will.

    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

  • 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 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

  • Day Seventeen: Psalm 91

    no-tie-head-shot.jpgBeloved, Grace and Peace be multiplied to you, through the knowledge of God and of Jesus Christ. Today is day number seventeen (17). You have three days and a wake up. You are doing great. Hang in there. Victory is ahead of you. Well done. Today I want to encourage with the scriptures. The scriptures are precious and I find that the scriptures move me. They encourage me and I want to encourage you. Some of my favorite scriptures are the Psalms. I want to share this with you today. Let’s look at the text:

     

    KJV

    Psa. 91:1 ¶ He that dwelleth in the secret place of the most High shall abide under the shadow of the Almighty.

    Psa. 91:2 I will say of the LORD, He is my refuge and my fortress: my God; in him will I trust.

    Psa. 91:3 Surely he shall deliver thee from the snare of the fowler, and from the noisome pestilence.

    Psa. 91:4 He shall cover thee with his feathers, and under his wings shalt thou trust: his truth shall be thy shield and buckler.

    Psa. 91:5 Thou shalt not be afraid for the terror by night; nor for the arrow that flieth by day;

    Psa. 91:6 Nor for the pestilence that walketh in darkness; nor for the destruction that wasteth at noonday.

    Psa. 91:7 A thousand shall fall at thy side, and ten thousand at thy right hand; but it shall not come nigh thee.

    Psa. 91:8 Only with thine eyes shalt thou behold and see the reward of the wicked.

    Psa. 91:9 ¶ Because thou hast made the LORD, which is my refuge, even the most High, thy habitation;

    Psa. 91:10 There shall no evil befall thee, neither shall any plague come nigh thy dwelling.

    Psa. 91:11 For he shall give his angels charge over thee, to keep thee in all thy ways.

    Psa. 91:12 They shall bear thee up in their hands, lest thou dash thy foot against a stone.

    Psa. 91:13 Thou shalt tread upon the lion and adder: the young lion and the dragon shalt thou trample under feet.

    Psa. 91:14 Because he hath set his love upon me, therefore will I deliver him: I will set him on high, because he hath known my name.

    Psa. 91:15 He shall call upon me, and I will answer him: I will be with him in trouble; I will deliver him, and honour him.

    Psa. 91:16 With long life will I satisfy him, and shew him my salvation.

     

    Remember, drink all the water you can. Just do today. Do not try to fast all 21 days at once. Let tomorrow take care of tomorrow. Also, plan now to bring someone to church with you on Sunday. Whatever church you belong to you need to bring someone with you. Certainly, if you do not have a church home we would be honored to have you as our special guest. Join us at 8 AM every Sunday and every Wednesday at 7 PM at In His Presence Family Worship Center on 1673 Dean St. Brooklyn NY. Our website is www.ihpfwc.org. We would love to see you.

     

    Live Life on Purpose, and not by Mistake,

    Yours Because I am His,

    Leo Colon

    pastor@ihpfwc.org

    www.ihpfwc.org

     

     

     

  • Day Eight: Believe God.

    20110106-120344.jpgBeloved, Grace and Peace be multiplied to you, through the knowledge of God and of Jesus Christ. I trust your worship on yesterday, (Sunday) was awesome. Today is Day Number Eight (8)! Wow, and some of you thought you would not last a week. Well, you did it. Congratulations! Well Done! Today I reached back and decided to repost a blog from a few years ago. I pray that you are encouraged to Go Forward. Enjoy.

    Today I just wanted to encourage you to hang in there and believe God. The Apostle Paul teaches us how to obtain the promises God. I know that God in his word has promised us some things and I want to obtain what God promised me. Let’s look at the text:

    NLT
    Gal. 3:20 Now a mediator is needed if two people enter into an agreement, but God acted on his own when he made his promise to Abraham.
    Gal. 3:21 ¶ Well then, is there a conflict between God’s law and God’s promises? Absolutely not! If the law could have given us new life, we could have been made right with God by obeying it.
    Gal. 3:22 But the Scriptures have declared that we are all prisoners of sin, so the only way to receive God’s promise is to believe in Jesus Christ.

    Paul teaches us that we do not get the promises of God because we deserve them; we get what God promises because we believe in Christ. Our faith ratifies our expectation. This is great news because all our lives we have been in relationships where promises are dependent on works. I will love you, if you give me this or that. I will keep my promise if you pay a certain amount. Paul tells us that the faith that God gives us needs to be in operation in our lives in order to receive the promises of God. The only way to receive God’s promise is to believe in Jesus. Do you have a promise? Has God-given you a promise? You have a bible full of promises. The word of God is your book of promises; the question is do you believe in Christ enough to expect to receive his promises? As you are praying, believe God for an answer. As you are going through your prayer list believe God for those things. God will honor his word if you believe.

    Remember, do one more day. Just do today. God will take of tomorrow. He promised he would. Drink all the water you can and be encouraged.Pray, and make a prayer list. Pray with understanding and with a purpose. Just do today, do not think of the entire journey. You can do this. Also, start to plan now and make plans to bring someone to church with you. If you are not a member of a church currently or are seeking a place God wants you to call home, allow me to invite you to In His Presence Family Worship Center. It’s a good church and a good place to call home. Be my special guest. We would love to meet you. We are at 1673 Dean Street, Brooklyn, NY. Our Sunday services start at 8 AM and our midweek prayer and bible study is on Wednesday at 7 PM. Go to our website, http://www.ihpfwc.org. Invite someone to come with you, why? God wants his house filled. He told us that. (Luke 14:23)

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

  • Day Six: Why Are You Hungry?

    Beloved, Grace and Peace be multiplied to you, through the knowledge of God and of Jesus Christ. Day SIX and we are one our way. You are doing great. Hang in there. God is going to do exactly what he said. Beloved, today’s Guest blogger is no stranger to us. She is my wife, my best friend and Co-Pastor at In His Presences Family worship Center. Thank Pastor Dorothy for your submission to our journey.

    Pastor Leo Colon

    20110106-120407.jpgGrace and Peace be unto you from God our Father and from The Lord Jesus Christ. Thank you Pastor Leo for the opportunity to share on your blog site today! I am truly honored.
    Well, Saints it is day 6 and you are still here!!!! Yes you made it! So, why are you hungry? Now that is a dumb question considering you are on a 21 day journey of one bowl of soup, (large) 😉 any time after 12 noon, (for some of us that means 12:01), and all the water and hot tea we can drink, please pass the honey!!!. But it is more than that. Love has brought us to the table, or shall I say, pushed us away.
    Love, a 4 letter word with more than 40,000 causes and effects. Love and the lack there of has made so many good and bad things happen to us. Jesus said to his disciples, in John 68:6 “Will you leave too?” And of course Peter answered, “Where are we going to go? It is you who have the Words of eternal life.” Peter and the disciples had fallen in Love. They had packed up their careers, and became disciples of Jesus Christ. Even at the risk of losing everything, going on a path never walked before, no guaranteed salary and benefits to start other than the assurance of His presence, each day they Loved Jesus more and more. There is nothing more rewarding than loving someone and finding out through being with them, that they have exceeded all of your expectations. The true nexus of this love is Jesus and His Love for them. His Love caused Him, to leave His thrown, strong enough to be separated from his father and be humiliated by his creation, for what? Love. John 3:16 says “For God so loved the world that he gave his only begotten son…” Jesus said “prepare me a body” and God did just that. Jesus the God of the Universe is in love with you. You have taken this Journey and made it thus far for one reason, Love. You love Jesus and you know he loves you. You want more of Him, to be close to Him, to please Him, to be like Him, to understand Him and his desires for you, to fellowship with Him, to hear from Him and He hear you. You have made a decision to be hungry to sacrifice your time to lay aside your tasks, burdens and favorites for a chance to gain more ground with your Lord your Love, Jesus, who Loved us, you!
    So, embrace your hunger, your sacrifices, your early morning rises and cold journey to the church, denying your habitual shows for the quest of a glimpse of His Presence in your situation, the feel of His love on your heart, the continual insatiable thirst for more of Him. Love, which is why you are Hungry.
    Jeremiah 29:13 (BBE) And you will be searching for me and I will be there, when you have gone after me with all your heart.

    Pastor Dorothy Colon

    Remember; take one day at a time. Drink all the water you can. Pray, and make a prayer list. Pray with understanding and with a purpose. Just do today, do not think of the entire journey. You can do this. Also, start to plan now and make plans to bring someone to church with you. If you are not a member of a church currently or are seeking a place God wants you to call home, allow me to invite you to In His Presence Family Worship Center. It’s a good church and a good place to call home. Be my special guest. We would love to meet you. We are at 1673 Dean Street, Brooklyn, NY. Our Sunday services start at 8 AM and our midweek prayer and bible study is on Wednesday at 7 PM. Go to our website, http://www.ihpfwc.org. Invite someone to come with you, why? God wants his house filled. He told us that. (Luke 14:23)

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

  • Day Five: It’s Coming Sooner than You Think.

    20110106-120344.jpgBeloved, Grace and Peace be multiplied to you through the knowledge of God and of Jesus Christ. You are on Day number FIVE (5). This is amazing! You’re going into territory you have never seen before. Celebrate this moment, you have, with the help of God, reached a milestone. I want to encourage you today from the Word of God. Let’s finish taking a look at the verse we have been examining.

    KJV
    Rom. 13:11 ¶ And that, knowing the time, that now it is high time to awake out of sleep: for now is our salvation nearer than when we believed.

    We have learned a few thing from the Apostle Paul:

    1. You understand seasons, “Knowing the Time”
    2. We are to “awake out of sleep” in other words Wake UP

    Today, the word of the LORD to you is, “your deliverance IS coming”! And its coming sooner than you think. Paul in his continuation of the pragmatic portion of this epistle, wants us to be aware of something. Our Salvation is nearer then when we first believed. A few points are inherent to this text. First of all, you did not begin believing God for nothing. You believed that he is God and that every good thing will come from him. Secondly, Salvation is not ambiguous. It is coming. This word is exciting when you understand that the word Salvation in the greek is also the word for Deliverance. Beloved, Your deliverance is a fact. It is a forgone conclusion. God promised it and there is no ambiguity in the matter. Question, do you have a promise from God? I believe that he will do just what he said. What is it you need deliverance from? Well, whatever it is, no this, it will come. Why?

    KJV
    Num. 23:19 God is not a man, that he should lie; neither the son of man, that he should repent: hath he said, and shall he not do it? or hath he spoken, and shall he not make it good?

    Here is what excites me. My deliverance, my salvation is going to happen, sooner than I think. As you go through this day, I need you to remind yourself of something, “your deliverance, is going to happen sooner than you think”. I need you to think about it. You believed that God was going to deliver you but when will he do it? You have reasoned in your mind that you would wait on God. You determined to hang in there. Well I have good news for you. The date you thought of for your deliverance……… Think Sooner! This fast is not for naught. God said every moment of this fast means your deliverance is getting closer. Do you believe it? Then stop getting used to your situation! When your change comes, promise me, you will embrace it. Yes that different thing, that different person, that different look. Do not be the reason your blessing has no one to change. Don’t avoid it because you weren’t expecting it. Embrace it. It is coming sooner that you think. Another thing, let your blessing change you. Stop fighting what God is doing in you. God wants to deliver you from the old you. Are you so comfortable with the old you that you reason your blessing away. Do you know, that miracles are missed every day because we try to reason God out of his amazing work. Hang in there. It, Your Blessing, Your Deliverance, Your Salvation is coming sooner than you think.

    Remember; take one day at a time. Drink all the water you can. Pray, and make a prayer list. Pray with understanding and with a purpose. Just do today, do not think of the entire journey. You can do this. Also, start to plan now and make plans to bring someone to church with you. If you are not a member of a church currently or are seeking a place God wants you to call home, allow me to invite you to In His Presence Family Worship Center. It’s a good church and a good place to call home. Be my special guest. We would love to meet you. We are at 1673 Dean Street, Brooklyn, NY. Our Sunday services start at 8 AM and our midweek prayer and bible study is on Wednesday at 7 PM. Go to our website, http://www.ihpfwc.org. Invite someone to come with you, why? God wants his house filled. He told us that. (Luke 14:23)

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

  • Day One: Every One that Asketh, Receiveth.

    casual-smaller.jpgBeloved, Grace and Peace be multiplied to you, through the knowledge of God and of Jesus Christ. Today, January 5th, 2014, we embark on our fast. This is a time when we begin our year acknowledging that God is our source and to him do we ascribe credit not only for success in the year to come but thank him for mercy for the year we have just come through. Today we begin to seek direction, ask our questions and try to understand his will for us for this year. Take the time to thank God. Honestly, we have a lot to thank God for. Be honest, you have some achievements that can only be God and he deserves your praise. LORD, Thank You! Now for a strategy for this fast and this year. Jesus gives us a paradigm that is tested, tried and true. Let’s look at the scriptures.

    Matt. 7:7 Ask, and it shall be given you; seek, and ye shall find; knock, and it shall be opened unto you:
    Matt. 7:8 For every one that asketh receiveth; and he that seeketh findeth; and to him that knocketh it shall be opened.

    Christ tells us to ask, then tells us why we should. Simple. During this fast, we should ask him for what he wants from us but also what we are praying for. Jesus tells us to ask. When we ask we should expect the next clause to be as true as the instruction. If we Ask, then we should expect, “and it shall be given you”. That alone should dictate our actions and expectation. But I want to leave you with this reassuring word. Jesus gives us something in this passage. He gives us the assurance that this has work before. But not only has it worked before, but it has worked CATEGORICALLY! He says in verse 8: For EVERY ONE that asketh receiveth. It is unwise, not logical and unreasonable to assume that all of Holy Writ is true except when it comes to you and this passage. Here is what you should begin to believe. I will receive what I ask God for. Undoubtedly, there are levels we have not dealt with, such as, every things we do as believers should be commensurate with our values, our faith. So no Christian should be asking God for something un-Christian like. We ought not to ask for things God says are not right, we should be as Paul says “imitators of God”. With that said, you have some needs you would like to deal with. Here is your word for the day. Ask God, because every one that asketh, receiveth.

    What would you ask for, if you knew that what you asked for, you would receive?

    Remember, take one day at a time. Drink all the water you can. Pray, and make a list. Pray with understanding and with a purpose. Just do today, do not think of the entire journey. You can do this. Also, I know your first Sunday of the year was awesome and that your worship was rewarding. With that being said, start to plan now and make plans to bring someone to church with you. God wants his house filled. He told us that. (Luke 14:23)

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