Pastor Leo Colon's Blog

Tag: Leo Colon

  • A Shift in Decision Making

    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 five (5). Well done! You are almost finished with your journey. We have the privilege of counting down now: “You have one day and a wake-up.” Congratulations! You are on your way to a marvelous 2025. We have been focusing on our foundational verse for the year, Matthew 6:33. Today, I want to explore one of the ways seeking the Kingdom of God impacts our decision-making.

    Matthew 6:33: “But seek ye first the kingdom of God, and his righteousness; and all these things shall be added unto you.” KJV

    Seeking the Kingdom of God first means just that. Seeking the Kingdom first involves a change in our priorities. A change in our priorities signals that God is inviting us to shift our focus. We no longer rely on our instincts. We no longer prioritize our upbringing over God’s perspective. I have often told someone, “I can’t do that; that’s not how I was raised.” The way I was raised may be special and significant to me, but it cannot take precedence over God’s will for my life. It jeopardizes my purpose in God to use my past as the primary basis for my decision-making.

    Miles Monroe said:

    “The greatest mistake in life is to be busy but not effective. Life’s greatest failure is to be successful in the wrong assignment. Success in life is measured by the effective use of one’s time.”1

    I want to actively follow what God deems right rather than making my own choices and being ineffective in fulfilling my purpose. Therefore, when we prioritize seeking the Kingdom of God, our decision-making and priorities significantly shift, which will change our lives. Let’s examine three key points.

    When we prioritize God’s Kingdom:

    •We concentrate on God’s will and purposes instead of our own desires or worldly concerns.

    •Our decisions align with eternal values rather than momentary gratification.
    •We reflect on how our choices will glorify God and further His Kingdom rather than just benefit ourselves.

    I could write for days on these three points. I won’t take any more of your time, but I will discuss these issues in the coming weeks at In His Presence Family Worship Center. I invite you to be my special guest. Let’s seek the Kingdom of God together. We meet on Sundays at 2418 Church Avenue in Brooklyn, NY. Meet us at 10 AM. We would thrilled to have you as our special guest.

    Remember to drink plenty of water and have a bowl of soup after 3 PM. Create your prayer list for the year 2025. Today marks our last daily prayer for the fast. Join Pastor Dorothy Colon for her scheduled prayer calls on Tuesday and Thursday at 6 AM. Here’s the link: https://us02web.zoom.us/j/797700935

    Also, I would like to invite you to subscribe to the blog. I will be blogging regularly, with entries every Tuesday. Subscribe at the bottom of this page by entering your email.

    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

    1. Munroe, Myles. Kingdom Principles: Preparing for Kingdom Experience and Expansion (Kingdom series Book 2) (p. 25). Destiny Image. Kindle Edition. ↩

  • 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 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 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

  • This week’s blog: Ask for Whatsoever, but Don’t Ask Amiss.

    Grace and Peace be multiplied unto you, through the knowledge of God and of Jesus Christ.

    Beloved I am encouraged that we are all looking forward to a miraculous year in 2012. I believe that as you decree things in this year, you will see and have tremendous testimonies concerning how awesome God will be to us all this year. I believe that many of us will find that the scripture that says to us that whatsoever we ask in Jesus name, that he will do it. I believe that if we do what God requires us to do and patiently await every miracle; I believe we should see them come to pass.

    I feel led of the LORD to caution you beloved through the word of God. We need to make sure our motives are right. Let’s look at the text.

    KJV
    James 4:2 Ye lust, and have not: ye kill, and desire to have, and cannot obtain: ye fight and war; yet ye have not, because ye ask not.
    James 4:3 Ye ask, and receive not, because ye ask amiss, that ye may consume it upon your lusts.
    James 4:4 Ye adulterers and adulteresses, know ye not that the friendship of the world is enmity with God? Whosoever therefore will be a friend of the world is the enemy of God.

    In the New Living Translation it is rendered thusly:
    James 4:2 You want what you don’t have, so you scheme and kill to get it. You are jealous of what others have, but you can’t get it, so you fight and wage war to take it away from them. Yet you don’t have what you want because you don’t ask God for it.
    James 4:3 And even when you ask, you don’t get it because your motives are all wrong—you want only what will give you pleasure.
    James 4:4 ¶ You adulterers! Don’t you realize that friendship with the world makes you an enemy of God? I say it again: If you want to be a friend of the world, you make yourself an enemy of God.

    Why do we as believers ask God for things and look in vain for what we asks for? Do you want to be successful in your Christian walk? Well first, we certainly do not need to be fighting and waging wars, killing in order to get what we want. James says to us that these desires come from, the “evil desires at war within us” verse 1.

    We should be asking God, instead of waging wars. Although when we ask God with a wrong attitude, or a proud attitude, God resists us. James says that our problem is that when we ask God for what we want, we ask amiss. (King James Version) In the NLT verse 3 says: And even when you ask, you don’t get it because your motives are all wrong—you want only what will give you pleasure.

    I do not want to be guilty of asking amiss, or with the wrong attitude. I want to ask God for what I need with the right motives. OK, that is settled. What is the right attitude? What is the right motive? Let’s look at the text.

    John 14:13 And whatsoever ye shall ask in my name, that will I do, that the Father may be glorified in the Son.

    Jesus tells us that He will do what we ask for, that the Father may be glorified. That word glorified means to give esteem, or to give credit to. I want God to get the credit for my life. I want him to receive glory from all of my accomplishments. So when I ask for something, it is with the intent that God receive from me the glory, the esteem, and the credit that he deserves. So is it then OK for us to ask for wealth, a good marriage, and provisions for our family. Absolutely, of course when God gives you what you have been praying for, make sure that God and God alone receives the glory for those mighty acts. And remember to be bold enough to ask for whatsoever, and not just the mundane. Have the courage to step out on God.

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

    Bon Appetite!

    Pastor Johnson

  • 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