Won By One

Last night's "God Understands" Bible Study on Doubt was powerful! You need to be there! Every Tuesday @ 7pm @ Recovery Christian Center @SKA, 2418 Kensington Ave, Philly, PA 19125! If you missed it you can still join us tonight @ 7pm for the weekly meeting of the Kenso Group of the
Won By One Christian 12 step Fellowship that endeavors to put the power of Christ back in the 12 Steps!

This Week @ RCC!

***We want to thank everyone for helping cover us last week at RCC, especially Deacon Keith Farmer and Pastor Dan Roth! It's going to be an awesome week at Recovery Christian Center! Tuesday @ 7pm we continue our powerful "God Understands" Bible Study. Wednesday @ 7pm The Kenzo Group of Won By One meets and then on Sunday, Pastor Paula and I have been a powerful tag team message on the real meaning of REDEMPTION! Sunday School starts at noon and Worship at 1pm! 2418 Kensington Ave, Philly, PA 19125!***

Recovery Christian Center Daily Meditation - 9/28/15 - Embrace the Plan
"For I know the plans I have for you,” says the Lord. “They are plans for good and not for disaster, to give you a future and a hope." Jeremiah 29:11 NLT

One of the things many of us struggle with in the beginning of our recovery and walk with God is the idea of Him actually taking the time to create a plan for our lives. We look at the mess we have made ourselves and the condition we are currently in and wonder how could God possibly use this? Oh we are happy to be rescued from those circumstances and to be place on a new path, and we will gladly stay on that path if it means we don't have to go back to where we came from, but the idea of being used by God to help others is at best a foreign concept to us. We feel unworthy. God you surely can't be talking to us. Don't you know where we came from and how bad we used to be?

The truth is we are exactly the kind of folk God can use most. The folk who are sorry damage we have caused and a desire to make it right. The folk who know hurt and pain and what it's like to be healed. The folk who have been changed. Like the songwriter said, "a saint is just a sinner who fell down."

The truth is God rescued you for a purpose. He has a divine plan for your life. Doesn't matter where you came from or what you did. He has a plan for you. Study His Word and find out what it is. He'll give you what you need to carry it out. You just have to put your doubts aside and embrace it!

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My thoughts on the papal visit

Despite some annoyance with being trapped in my house due to our proximity to the travel restricted zone, I must say I am a little shocked at my fellow clergy for their response to the papal visit. Yes we may not agree with his theology or ceremonial practices, we can't impugn his character or his humility. Yes there are contradictions such as talking about carbon footprints when you traveled in a private jet. But the reality is a head of state can't get here any other practical way. Lets be real how many of us in his position as the head of state and head of any world wide organization would give up dinner with Congress to eat with the homeless, or go spend time at a prison, or stop a procession to minister to the disabled or yes carry his own bag? Too many of us good Baptist and Pentecostal folk would act more like his predecessor, caught up in the power and the trappings of the office. Dare I say it, too many of us are caught up now already in the "serve me" mentality rather than being servants as Christ commanded. We like our armor bearers and adjutants, and the layers that keep us separated from the people we lead. We like the folks carry our bibles and our bags and bring us our plates to the head table because God forbid we should sit with the people or stand in the buffet line. We like the comfortable, plush, throne like chair in the pulpit while our people sit on metal folding chairs or unpadded pews. And you know we ain't turning down the 3,000 dollar hand made red papal shoes for something from Payless or insisting on the simplest of vestments and a simple silver cross and tiny fishermen's ring. God forbid we shouldn't preach about prosperity and entitlement, and preach the fruit of the spirit. We can even disagree with his titles and manners of being addressed, or him being worshiped instead of God. The reality is pastoral and leader worship happens in our fellowships too and some of our titles are a little grandiose as well. I see nothing in this man's character that says he is encouraging this but simply is a man that must operate within tradition and seems to make every effort to break it especially when it comes to his person. Y'all know most of y'all aint gonna be chauffeured in a Fiat. James 1:27 says, "Pure religion and undefiled before God and the Father is this, To visit the fatherless and widows in their affliction, and to keep himself unspotted from the world." He is definitely doing the first part and all of us struggle with the second. As I said before we may disagree in theology but us good bible preaching, bible teaching, bible believing folk could learn a thing or tow about servant leadership and humility from this man.

One pope dont stop no show!

Well regardless of the restrictions with the papal visit, we will have church tomorrow at Recovery Christian Center! If you can get to Kensington then join us as we welcome Pastor Dan Roth from Summerfield UMC as our word bearer. 2418 Kensington Avenue, Philadelphia, PA 19125. Sunday School starts at noon and Worship is at 1pm! Be there!

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God Understands

Even though the pope is messing with this weekend, we are still excited to bring a new course to bible study this evening. Many of us are hurting and in need of physical, emotional, mental and spiritual healing. We may also be struggling with acceptance of who we are. Tonight at Recovery Christian Center we are beginning a new bible study series called, "God Understands." This powerful series will help us all recover from our pain. 2418 Kensington Avenue, Philadelphia, PA 19125. Every Tuesday at 7pm.

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Keep it 100

I hear a lot of folk talking about others being fake, or complaining about someone's lack of being genuine. We have a lot to say about others "keeping it real", but what are we doing about the lack of realness in ourselves? This Sunday at Recovery Christian Center we are going to explore this through a message entitled, "Keeping it 100!" Be there! It will bless you! 2418 Kensington Ave, Philly PA 19125. Sunday School is at noon and Worship at 1pm!

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